Why do I check my work email even on vacation?

Many people decide to take a break from work when they take a vacation, but immediately check their work email on their smartphone or PC. Why do I check my work email on holidays? Dan Kepler, a professor at the University of Sydney Business School, explains how to avoid emails without checking them.

According to this, it points out that the reason why the transition from work mode to vacation mode does not work well may be that work has become a strong identity. Human beings long for an answer to the question of who they are, and one of the answers lies in their daily activities. Of course, work is part of our daily activities, and whether we choose to do it or is forced to do it in the face of need, it can become an identity-forming entity.

Identity for work includes professional identity based on the fact that one is a lawyer, organizational identity based on the organization to which one is a Google employee, and competency-based identity based on ability, like the best worker in the workplace.

Forming a work-based identity has many advantages in itself and helps improve health status as well as motivation and ability to work. However, having a strong identity based on work leads to preventing the transition from work mode to vacation mode.

People have multiple identities, but the relative scope and combination of identities varies from person to person. If your work-related identity is central to you, you are more likely to think about work not only on the job, but also on the go or on vacation. It is pointed out that people who have an identity in their work are not forced by their bosses, but cannot think of any other way than to be themselves, and as a result, they work even on holidays.

If work has become a part of your identity, it may be better to refrain from using digital products by moving away from your surroundings for a certain period of time, such as smartphones or PCs, and review things like Digital Detox. In addition, since many people are losing the distinction between work and home due to the increase in telecommuting due to the COVID-19 epidemic, efforts to separate work and individuals through digital detox are becoming increasingly important.

In addition, as a countermeasure focusing on one’s identity, it may be necessary to keep away from objects that stimulate one identity and then place those that stimulate another identity around them. For example, if you play tennis as a hobby, you can stimulate your identity outside of work by placing your tennis racquet in a conspicuous place if you are playing music or your guitar.

Another way is to acquire a new identity outside of work. It is difficult to discover new identities that have not been acquired so far, but it has the potential to be an effective antidote to those who suffer from identities based on this work.

On the other hand, there is a risk that trying not to think about work unconditionally during vacation will be counterproductive. If you forcefully try to suppress a certain thought, on the contrary, you may think about it, so it is better to accept it and move on to thinking about other thoughts naturally. The ultimate goal is to make the most of your precious time away from work by viewing yourself as a complex being defined more than just work. Related information can be found here.