Sometimes you have to unplug to recharge your batteries.
In a world of wireless and broadband it is easy to be constantly connected. The good news: you’re always available when needed. The bad news: there is really no way to get away from “work.”
One of the associate survey stories I noted two days ago had this description of a lawyer’s Modern Life:
“Cell phones, BlackBerrys, fax machines and high-speed Internet connections allow junior attorneys to work from home or a vacation hotel room. So while partners moan about empty offices late at night, many associates are toiling at night and on weekends from other locations…”
(One solution for such firms may be to have a red light on the top of associate computers that flashes when they are logged in remotely).
Being able to work anywhere doesn’t necessarily mean you should work everywhere.
So earlier this year I decided to see if I could go off the grid. I unplugged for a week, and still seemed to be employed when I returned. Starting tomorrow, I’m going to up the ante to 10 days.
Aloha and I’ll be re-Wired on October 19.