You’ve probably heard the story about boiling a frog.  The premise is that if a frog is put suddenly into boiling water, it will jump out; however, if the frog is put in tepid water and brought to a boil slowly, it will not perceive the danger and will be cooked to death.  That story makes me think about how technology and communication advances have affected our relationship with work.

In 2004, my wife and I honeymooned in Copper Harbor, Michigan.  At the time, we didn’t have cell phones or WIFI, and the only way I could check my work voicemail was using the payphone outside the lodge. I think I checked it once during that week, which was ok because I was sure people weren’t lining up waiting for me to respond to a question or concern. 

I wouldn’t feel the same today. Like the frog, we’ve gradually become accustomed to 24-7 connectivity.  I feel a lot of pressure to read and respond to emails and texts I receive from the people I serve. I suspect most people reading this would agree. And, I know I’ve contributed to the problem.

As the cliche goes, there’s no way to put the toothpaste back in the tube. But we also can’t ignore the effect continuous access has had on our wellness and the stress it causes the people around us.  Constantly waiting for the next message, and feeling obliged to respond, has to contribute to anxiety and inability to relax.  I know that’s bleak, but we can turn down the heat.

Just because we can engage 24-7 doesn’t mean we should.  We can resist the urge to respond immediately when we’re pinged, and we can be mindful about doing the same to others. 

It took time to get here, and it might take a while to reverse the boil.  However, it is possible, and it will benefit our own wellness and give others permission to do the same.