Ok, this really frosted me, so I wanted to write about this now. Yesterday I had just finished my morning run and was in the locker room at the gym and overheard two guys talking who were obviously co-workers. They were discussing a fellow co-worker who was being let go. The first guy says, “He’s a great worker and does everything that’s asked of him.” To which the other guy responded, “There’s the problem, he should be doing more than what is being asked” It took everything I had not to blurt out “That’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard.”

As I finished getting ready, I thought to myself you know, the reality is that conversation pretty much sums up the mindset of much of the workplace today. The goalposts keep moving. The expectation is you are on and available 24/7, and if you aren’t your commitment and loyalty is questioned.

I work, and I work hard. When I leave the office at the end of the workday, I stop. I’m done.  If you’re having to work well into the evening multiple days a week just to catch up, then you have too much work to do, and need to sit down with your supervisor and mitigate your work responsibilities.

I understand there will be times when a project has a deadline, and a few extra hours are needed. Or on occasion taking a call or responding to an email after hours may be necessary. But it should be the exception not the norm. Today’s remote work environment makes it even harder for many workers to draw the line between work and home.

The past couple of years I’ve included the following question when interviewing job applicants: “If you get this job and I call you after hours to do an important work task a couple times a week how will you respond?” There’s a long pause – they don’t want to say the wrong thing – and I break in and say, “Let me answer that for you. I would expect you to push back and say no and protect your boundaries and time off.” Their facial expression and voice tone changes completely as if to say huh? really? Wow!

Here’s a practice I adopted years ago that you might find helpful. I mentally decompress on the drive home and when I arrive at the front door, with a hand motion take off my work hat and put it on my imaginary hook and then put on the home hat as I walk into the door. Put the phone and laptop away, shut the ringer off, along with any email notifications. You worked hard during the day, now “work hard” to protect and preserve your home time.

The next time your boss or supervisor calls, texts, or emails after work hours ask him or her, “Is it ok if I bring my children to the office with me next week? The answer will be “No, that’s not appropriate.”  To which you respond, “You’re right, so why is it appropriate for you to bring work to my home?”

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