The Electronic Leash
This is a lengthy article worth reading in its entirety. The short version of it is that our workplaces require so much of us – in terms of electronic tethers (emails, messaging apps, even meetings) – that we are constantly being pulled in multiple directions, even when we are at home during non-working hours. All of this multi-tasking leads to decreased productivity and reduced satisfaction – at work and in life in general.
“The results [of mandated non-messaging hours] were immediate and powerful. The employees exhibited significantly lower stress levels. Time off actually rejuvenated them: More than half said they were excited to get to work in the morning, nearly double the number who said so before the policy change. And the proportion of consultants who said they were satisfied with their jobs leaped from 49 percent to 72 percent. Most remarkably, their weekly work hours actually shrank by 11 percent—without any loss in productivity. “What happens when you constrain time?” Lovich asks. “The low-value stuff goes away,” but the crucial work still gets done.
