Always connected: Affecting work and social life.

This week’s discussion surrounding the merging of work and leisure was a real eye-opener for future career aspirations with new trends expecting to be available 24/7. As the internet and mobile technologies have progressed and become more advanced, the physical space of the office and being physically present in the office is now not the only time and place you are expected to do work. Smartphones and personal laptops are an essential item to many professions involved in ‘information’ processing industry, and such constant pressures to be always connected have had many adverse affects.

Personally I find myself multitasking more and more, whether it is helping me to complete tasks more effectively or at a high standard is debatable. I find if I am doing Uni assessments, I’ll be also multitasking other things, including my social life with my laptop and phone both getting a heavy workout. I find myself producing my best work when I buckle down at the library, with minimal distractions, (no Facebook, no reception) and wonder whether working outside of the office has the same negative effect, by completing tasks at a poorer standard.

Finally, the debate over whether Facebook and this notion of being ‘always connected’ effects social interactions. In my own observations, although I am a heavy user of Facebook, I do find myself and others being detached from conversations and various situations, as more and more time is spent checking, updating and uploading on social networks via smartphones. Ted made an interesting comparison to two identical social situations happening in two different cultures. With youths in Istanbul engaging in fiery and passionate conversations, where as the Western culture is becoming more and more detached as these ‘social’ tools are starting to have an adverse effect.

But I still manage to log into Facebook as much as possible, but am becoming aware when it may be having the reverse effect to my social life, and making sure there is a time when I can disconnect and enjoy the moment at hand.