Some workers simply find it easier to stay connected than to have to deal with hundreds of email messages after your vacation.
Some workers simply find it easier to stay connected than to have to deal with hundreds of email messages after your vacation.

As the summer vacation season arrives, more Americans are finding it increasingly difficult to make time away from the office stress-free and enjoyable.  For many, it has become almost impossible to turn off those connections to work, kick back and truly relax.

Virginia Tech workplace expert Bill Becker says just the mere thought of checking in with work is enough to keep someone from really unwinding.

“This idea that you might get an email, this kind of always worrying about being connected to seems to be much more damaging,” according to Becker, an associate professor in the Pamplin College of Business who studies organizational behavior.

“Constantly checking for emails, pings and alerts keeps you in your work mindset and doesn’t allow you to disconnect and recharge,” said Becker.

Some workers simply find it easier to stay connected than to have to deal with hundreds of email messages after your vacation.

“The solution to avoiding frequent interruptions is different for everyone. For some, checking email once a day or even doing half an hour of work, then putting the phone away, can mitigate mindless checking,” said Becker.

To secure a print or broadcast interview with Dr. Becker, contact Bill Foy by email at fwill55@vt.edu; or by phone at 540-998-0288 or 540-231-8719.

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Written by Bill Foy