This past weekend a coworker sent me and another coworker a text message. I’m not generally against this, I’m friendly enough with most of my coworkers that I’d answer most of their texts, well as soon as I look at my phone again. Which on a weekend could mean hours later. I also hate not answering a text, it feels a bit rude. But it was a work related text
I had installed my work email and Google Voice on my personal phone.
This meant that work followed me home, to the bathroom, on my breaks and everywhere.
I dug the old Samsuny S7 out of retirement (The one with the not so great camera) and wiped it clean of ALL MY info and brought it to work. There I installed all the YEARS AND YEARS of updates it needed plus google voice. I also installed another work related app for 2 factor authentication. This proved to be a pain in the arse. But in the end I figured out a work around.
Then I deleted my work email account off my personal phone and the google voice profile. I might’ve deleted the 2 factor authentication thing too soon, but shhhhhh.
Why do this? I caught myself checking work email over the weekend as well as answering messages that could have waited until I was at work. I have a long vacation coming up and I don’t want to be tempted to reply to messages of any sort until I’m back on site. That’s another thing I keep doing- I catch myself checking work email just before I leave for work, which cuts into my personal time. It also cuts into my enjoyment of my drive in.
I don’t really enjoy my drive in, Mass drivers are called Massholes for a reason. But my time in the car is used to wind down or just prepare myself mentally for the day but not for anything specific. But if I check my email before work, well then I’m thinking and preparing for THINGS.
One of my goals for the new year is to REALLY protect my personal time. Personal time is the time when I work on my videos, art, and general life things.