To think we’re blurring the boundaries between work and everything else?

[SnugShaker]

It feels like work is creeping into every part of life - checking emails after hours, being expected to be “always available”, work chats bleeding into social media. Even hobbies and side projects are now seen as things that should be monetised or career-boosting.

Is it just me or have we completely lost the idea of switching off?

Yes I actually do, now I know how! I'll schedule send anything I write after 5pm for 8am the next day/next working day.

However sometimes there are people who don't know how, or just forget to. So the tag line works well for that.

Schedule send is massively helpful for many reasons, this included.

Edited to add:

I've also had/heard the complaint that recieving emails at 8am stresses people out because "the day has literally just started" now that, I can't support tbh. 8am is the start of the day, be glad I emailed and didn't call 😂

I get what you mean especially with hybrid working. But it’s about being self disciplined (which I’m not good at as I check emails in days off),
However that’s my choice not something expected in my organisation.
I manage a team and would never dream of contacting staff out of hours.

Only if you allow it. You need to have strong boundaries to not check emails/be on call during out of hours.

ive worked previously with someone senior who was going on holiday but told me they planned to work 50% and would be online. I had to ring ahead to their holiday hotel (early 2000’s)to ask about facilities for him to continue working! How sad! 🤦🏻‍♀️

I go to work, do my job and go home. Occasionally meet up with work colleagues outside of work (maybe once or twice a year) for drinks. I don't check emails at home, I try not to even think about work at home. In fact, my employer is banning people from using their work email address on mobile phones from September which I think is amazing!

I have a work phone. It was mooted that we could use personal phones for work stuff and it was a resounding NO!

I think wfh doesn’t help either.

I've definately noticed that this is a thing with the under 40's. Just don't engage it isn't difficult

The flip side is I’ve personally observed that whilst at work people aren’t switching off from their leisure time- I’m not talking about emergency calls or making arrangements during lunch break, I’m talking about multiple personal calls or texts that can wait until after work easily, browsing the internet for things outside of work requirements and generally talking a lot of time out of the working day for personal needs - for many people actually it all works out, they are trusted that they will do their job and are choosing to use done work time for leisure and some leisure time for work. If you want to be strict about not doing any work out of office hours you need to also be willing to stop having that flexibility the other way. Just my thoughts. ive just answered a bunch of work emails but took last Friday off outside of annual leave entitlement

Nope, I learnt many years ago that you are just a number and your employer doesn't collapse if you leave work on time.

Been in my current job just over 3 years, and work my hours and that's it .... I have one good friend who I meet up with out of work, but we don't talk about it!

Actually, I think it's a lot better than it used to be. I had a career break to raise my kids and going back to work I feel that there is no expectation now to check emails outside working hours, to check in on days off, etc. I've changed industries, so that could be it, but I feel there is a lot more respect now for people's private lives. People at my work tend to work their allotted hours and no more and I find that so refreshing. Edited to say: also there is a lot less piss-taking during office hours. People tend to stay on task if they're in the office. I've never seen anyone browsing the internet, for instance, and they'll step out if they need to take a personal call, which we all do from time to time. But basically, if you're in work you're working and when your hours are up you leave.

Unfortunately its not that simple in some industries.

If I tried to enforce "boundaries" on work creeping into personal time and worked to rule in this way I would be fired or put on a disciplinary within days.

I agree with the premise OP: work has really crept into people's personal lives: it has been rising for a decade or more, since people have been easy to contact out of hours and COVID really amplified this as people were at home. I hate it.

But I think people are being a bit naive talking about "boundaries". In some types of industries its impossible to get the job done in working hours and the reality is that some out of hours work is a condition of the job. For a senior person to insist on working literally 9 to 5 would look like they were taking the piss.

I wish it wasn't like this but it is.

I don’t check work emails or do anything to do with work unless it’s work time. I did when I was younger but not now. And definitely not for at least the last decade. Just don’t do it! Don’t let it creep in.

I can't understand how people set themselves up so this is even possible. If you have a separate work email and work phone the boundaries should be very clear. Work laptop and phone switched off at the weekend and back again Mon morning. It annoys me when people have work notifications set up on their personal phones (or work phones which they use as personal to save money) and then complain that they never get to switch off.

@Thepeopleversuswork you need a new job. If you can't get everything done within your hours then you're understaffed. I'm mid senior and don't work more hours than I'm paid for. In a previous job it was expected, and the culture was toxic, so I left.

Not all jobs give you a work phone!

How then do people get work emails? Surely people can't receive work emails to a personal phone? Genuine question, anyone I know who has these issues has a work phone

Nope. I'm quite senior, not sure if that makes a difference, but close laptop at end of the day, work only my contracted hours, never work weekends, take all annual leave. And I make sure everyone who works for me does the same. If you burnout you're no good to anyone.

I have hobbies that keep my mind and hands busy, and keep me out of trouble. I use what I make to raise money for charities (mainly MH charities that have supported me, and the rescue my dog came from). It is low pressure and I can stop at any time. I would struggle to do enough to make a living from, and it would remove the therapeutic value I get from it.
I make stuff to make people smile, not for money.

I met someone recently who has set very clear boundaries about his work. He is a TA, and will check his emails once in the evening. That is it. He does not own a mobile phone. I thought that was pretty cool.

I don't have work emails etc on my phone. I have forced myself to be quite boundaried. I appreciate not always easy depending on the job.