People who frequently send and receive emails about work outside of regular business hours are more likely to have problems with sleep, physical symptoms of stress and feelings of psychological distress, according to research by U of T sociologist Scott Schieman, who studies boundaries between work and personal life.
Being connected to the Internet doesn’t necessarily mean you’re responding to work emails, but a large minority of members of the U of T community report they have difficulty disconnecting – even when they go on vacation. “I find unplugging stressful,” says Paul Bretscher, a PhD candidate. Lanz Clavel, a fifth-year philosophy student, sees the benefit, though. “Turning off quiets your mind,” he says.
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