“I’m usually very clear about my workplace boundaries, but recently when I took annual leave I was shocked at the number of texts, WhatsApps and even Twitter DMs I received. When did people stop taking notice of clear communication boundaries? How can I reassert that holiday time means no work contact?”

You’re describing a situation that resonates strongly with most of us. Since our phones have become our veritable lifelines, we have inadvertently blurred the lines between work and play. And when the pandemic firmly established remote working, we seem to have traded in the opportunity to ever switch off. Email and social media channels may have started out in our lives as distinct platforms with separate purposes but they have become somewhat interchangeable.

Creating strict work-life boundaries has therefore become a challenge that involves skilful planning. The first thing to observe is the existing culture of your environment, ie watch and learn from what others do, particularly those who are most senior. If the standard out-of-office message generally promises zero contact, then you can follow suit. In addition, it’s good practice to send a group email to your core contacts a few days before you leave, forewarning the dates of your absence and the fact that you won’t be checking messages. You can direct everyone towards who they should contact while you’re away. This gives others the chance to check anything important with you and is the polite way to deter most pesky enquiries. You are then legitimately free to ignore all of your messaging channels.  

Most of us, though, can’t resist checking in even when we’re supposed to be off duty. In this case, by all means browse your messages, but it’s better if you don’t respond to any of them. That way colleagues will learn to respect your wishes as it will be obvious that you really are out of bounds. If you enter into even the slightest correspondence, it could invite further interruptions. Remember, however, that if you do browse through your messages, it’s possible you’ll come across something unnerving, such as an ambiguous note from your boss or a genuinely urgent issue that only you can manage. In both of these cases, you will have to judge for yourself how you want to respond. It’s often more soothing to have a fast, focused call to your workplace to sort out an issue rather than the anxiety playing on your mind for the rest of your break.

If your workplace expects you to stay in touch, there is little you can do to change it without marking yourself out as someone who’s less dedicated. But you can still aim for minimal interference. During my career, I was often expected to be available to key people. This involved skimming most of my correspondence but only responding when I absolutely had to. I also learned to develop a good shorthand with key team members so that I could delegate urgent stuff and any contact would be extremely swift and efficient. This may be a skill worth honing throughout your work life.

The whole issue becomes messy when someone is inconsistent; for example, happily being in touch with mates at work while ignoring a genuine professional enquiry. That can lead to conflicting rumours about a colleague’s availability.  

As you rise through the hierarchies of your career, you may find that it becomes more difficult to turn off completely. Current cultural habits suggest that if you are relatively senior, then you are paid to be on 24/7. With some forethought, you should be able to enjoy your time off so that you come back refreshed and energised. Let’s face it, no one is indispensable – so your colleagues can probably survive in your absence.  

Images: Getty