Peera_Stockfoto/Shutterstock Ty Ferguson, University of South Australia; Carol Maher, University of South Australia, and Rachel Curtis, University of South Australia It’s never been easier to stay connected to work. Even when we’re on leave, our phones and laptops keep us tethered. Many of us promise ourselves we won’t check emails during our break. But we do. Being away from the workplace, and even in a new location, is often not enough to detach psychologically. We might still be thinking about a demanding project we raced to finish or even feel guilty about leaving others to cover for us. ‘Digital presenteeism’ It mightn’t be spelt out by our employers but having phones and laptops can create an underlying expectation we are constantly available, even outside the usual work hours. This feeling of connection or “digital presenteeism”, can impact our health by making us stressed, anxious and burnt out. Switching off our work tools when we are out of the office or on leave can remove these problems as well as helping improve and enjoy our non-work activities and relationships. Right to disconnect While recently passed right to disconnect laws in Australia legally support workers to switch off, there’s another option already…
