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Smartphones and Work Life Balance

June 29, 2009 by Phil Montero 

A couple of days ago in the Making Flexibility Work group on LinkedIn a question was asked
about the positives and negatives of smartphones on work/life balance.

In my experience when it comes to smartphones and work/life balance I think a lot of the pros/cons are about how a person uses a tool such as this. Like any technology you have to know when to turn it off and setup personal guidelines for how to use it.

These communication guidelines should be clearly explained to others you work with as well. Sometimes people think because you have a smartphone that gives you almost instant access to email you should be replying to every message within minutes regardless of what time of day it is.

I am a proponent of “work/life integration” as I believe balance can be difficult to achieve at times – but tools such as smartphones and other new communication tools make it easier to integrate work into your life. So if that means you have to do a bit of work on your vacation – but instead you get to take vacations you couldn’t take before – in my opinion that is a win.

That being said I still think it’s important to block out dedicated time away from work where you can focus on family, friends, relaxation, and personal development without the distractions.

I often joke about our company website being YouCanWorkFromAnywhere.com NOT “You Should Work From Everywhere”. That’s how I weigh in on this issue. Please share your comments below as I am eager to see your thoughts on this topic.

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  • Hi Phil.

    Great piece. I carry a Blackberry, and have done for only literally the last 12 months - but ONLY when I travel. I dont really have a comment, but, rather a tip - hope you dont mind...

    I basically only have ONE email address affiliated with that Blackberry. And it is not any of my 'normal' email addresses (I use three). It is an address that only my PA has. That's it - one person only.

    And she knows that she is to only to use that email address if my absolute immediate attention is required via email. If it is not, she uses my regular address, and I simply read the message the next time I get online.

    When traveling, this is sometimes daily, sometimes just once or twice a week - depends on the type of trip.

    Bottom line is that I have found that this simple little system is great for keeping a distance between 'work' and 'life' when I am on the move and out of town, as they say.

    Hope this proves helpful in some way...
  • Excellent tips Chris - thanks for sharing them! Most people think with a smartphone the point is to always be connected and plugged in - but your strategy shows another way to use it. Almost like the Bat Phone (in the old Batman TV series). It's a business lifeline without it sucking up all your time and attention. It is a tool after all and you choose how it fits within your work/lifestyle.
  • With the ability to connect almost anywhere and the technology used becoming incredibly portable, work/life balance is impossible without discipline. No wonder people are feeling more socially disconnected when so much technology is focused on connecting people. The focus ends up on the technology and not on the people.
    I maintain a strict barrier between my work and personal lives. When the work day is over, everything gets disconnected. Other than meeting reminders, my iPhone is only used for personal pursuits. My wife and I both shut down the technology once evening time starts and try to do that at least as much of one weekend day as we can. When our personal pursuits include maintaining our own blogs, we do have legitimate reasons to use some personal time online.
    What it comes down to is motivation - you have to want to pursue something more than a constant connection to work. Develop hobbies or start a side business for fun.
  • Wow David - I have to say I am very impressed by your discipline in shutting down your technology and separating your work from the rest of your life. While I am not quite ready to make that jump I have to say I have taken your suggestions to heart. Just this week I have begun stopping work at 5 and getting to bed at a more reasonable time (of course you see this reply is at 10:42 PM so I am still adjusting). It's only my first week of my improved lifestyle (which includes other things such as more exercise, meditation, learning to play the Ukulele, and single tasking instead of multi-tasking) but I am already feeling much better. I know it will be challenging to change my long established habits - but I know it will all be for the best.

    Thanks for inspiring me!
  • Definitely a tough balance to find, and certainly something that continually shifts, but something that is always worth trying to locate.

    Don't forget, there is usually a second person (or third, fourth, etc.) that is affected by this balance. Maybe ask them what makes sense and be aware of their reaction to you checking your mobile device.

    My wife and I constantly gauge what we feel is the right balance. It's tough, but getting that additional input is very helpful.
  • You are right William - and it's easy to forget how your getting "caught up in work" affects those around you. I have a 2 year old son and it's funny when he says "Daddy put your ipod away" as I am quickly checking email or twitter when I should be more focused on playing with him. We have a great time together - but I find my mind wanders some times and I have to get it back on track. But then all I think about is how brief the time is that he is at this precious age - and all the joy he brings me and I am quickly playing with his toy trains again and no longer thinking about email or business. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
  • It's so tough to find that balance. When work is busy you don't want to drop anything, and when it's slow you feel like you have to constantly be checking or casting bait. I work from home so my commute once I caffeinate is about 8 seconds and it seems to never really close.
    Finding the balance is the toughest part. Thankfully much of my work takes me out of my 14x20 production haven so I do interact and see many....but it's often tough to just be home at home.
    Tom
  • Yes Tom - I work from a home office most of the time too - and have recently been implementing more distinct "done with work" times as it was typical for me to work into the wee hours of the morning. I have always been a night owl so it's not an easy habit to break - but with my little boy and a desire for more exercise and sleep - it is an adjustment I need to make. I plan on getting "out of my office" more often for a change of scenery and more focus. Thanks for your input!
  • I have to say that there can be sometimes a balance but some times not as some people can be workaholics and not know when enough is enough like on holiday and for me that is where this would not work. I am quiet happy just having a phone that can call and receive calls and send and receive messaged
  • I often find that balance can be tough to find and have developed a strategy for more "work-life integration". You are right in that it can be hard to fully separate your work and your personal life - especially as an entrepreneur and small business owner. My ipod Touch helps me to spend less time squirreled away in my home office because I can easily check my email or quickly log into a website if need be - so as long as I don't abuse it - it's a win for me and my family.
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