One
of the blessings of modern technology is the ease of communication. The
internet has certainly made keeping in contact as simple as sending an email or
tapping away a message on a messenger program. Skyping or video-Skyping is even
more conducive to effective communication and a conversation can be carried out
in more or less normal fashion, especially if you are able to see the smiling
face of your interlocutor. FaceTime has its devoted fans already who swear by
glitch-free performance and crystal clear video and audio. Virtual meetings,
webinars and conference calling are all now routine. Work-related communication
has never been easier with the all of the modern means of keeping in touch.
Often, though, the problem with keeping in touch is not how easy or difficult it is, but rather the amount of finite time that we have at our disposal in order to carry out everything that we are compelled to do in a day. Work has increased its demands in the last few decades and many people now work extra long hours in order to keep up with the demands of their job. Unfortunately, this leads to our neglecting many of our other activities, not spending as much time as we would like with our families and friends. Needless to say that the less pressing tasks, as well as the activities that give us personal and selfish pleasure, our hobbies, are often the first to be sacrificed.
The workaholic is very much a product of our modern society and is nowadays in many cases the rule rather than the exception that we were familiar with in the past. Work makes enormous demands on our time, not only in the workplace, but it also invades our own space and private life. How easy it is nowadays to take work with us every night? Simply a matter of loading some files onto a USB flash drive and the computer at home takes over from where the computer at work left off. Or even more to the point, many people work on the same laptop both at work and at home (and also on the train, perhaps, on the way there and back)! Cloud computing means that we can have our work with us everywhere we go on whatever device we may be using. Email access is universal and it is often expected to be able to send and receive work emails at any place and at any time. Mobile phones increase our accessibility and students expect to receive instant replies to their emails.
“All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy” is certainly something that applies to today’s world as much as it did, all those centuries ago when the folk sage came out with this saw. It is surprising that in this day and age of labour-saving devices, increasing leisure time, and strictly legislated work hours many of us still manage to run out of time in order to amuse ourselves and take pleasure in the company of our friends and dear ones.
This issue becomes all-important as the year goes on and maybe there are fewer and fewer windows of opportunity presenting themselves to many of us. A time to take a break and indulge in some annual leave should be taken whenever one can do so. If you can afford to, consider taking some time off to have a break from work and relax as you catch up with family and friends, read a novel, fly a kite, go away somewhere, take a drive, bake a cake, put your feet up. “Taking time away from the stress of work can improve job performance, decrease stress-related illnesses and add years to our lives”, says Joe Robinson, author of “Work to Live: The Guide to Getting a Life”.
