Do You Ever Turn Off Your Job?

"Turn off your email; turn off your phone; disconnect from the Internet; figure out a way to set limits so you can concentrate when you need to, and disengage when you need to." Gretchen Rubin, Author and Blogger

Photo Credit: Free From Wix

Is there a good time to put your job on snooze or shut it off? Since we are in the era of technology, when everyone has their phone attached to their hip, I had to wonder if there was an appropriate time to contact your employer outside of regular business hours.

When I was working at one of my co-ops, I had a little fear of inconveniencing my boss because I wasn’t sure of the boundaries we had for communication. One of the burning questions I had was if I could contact my boss on the weekend or at 10pm on a weekday via text or email, saying that I won’t be in the office the next day?

Sometimes we have a quick thought to text someone without thinking about the boundaries that might be crossed. “For me, I set those boundaries for myself that I stop checking my emails when I am home. … If someone emails me at 10pm, I won’t respond or see the email until I get to my desk at 8am the next day. I set this time and boundary to say this is the time I am available to talk,” said Human Resources Business Partner at Drexel University, Courtney Claiborne.

An article on time.com discusses whether or not it is appropriate to text your boss. “Timing is important, too. If it’s late at night or you know your boss in is in a meeting, a text can be intrusive and disruptive,” says Praful Shah, senior vice president of strategy at Ring Central, which makes business communication products. “For information that can wait, use email so your boss can decide when to respond.”

It is important to understand whether or not your boss wants you to text them or email them. “When communicating with your boss or supervisor, you build a relationship and decide what outlet they like best to communicate. …If I am sick and I have to be out unexpectedly, I’ll email my boss the morning of, saying this is my need and this is my reason I will be out,” said Courtney Claiborne.