How working remotely in NJ can do more harm than good

I suppose this argument can go for anyone who works remotely since this particular issue can relate to most remote workers. But there's a reason New Jersey might be affected more so than other areas of the country.

Before diving into what this particular issue is, let's first look at the reasons New Jersey is more in the spotlight. And to note, it's nothing we did in particular. But rather, more with how we live in the Garden State.

One big point to make has to do with the cost of living here. New Jersey is such an expensive state and often times we may feel like we can't afford to slip up or make mistakes at our jobs.

Another has to do with how fast-paced we are and our inability to slow down. Now yes, we do take breaks here and there. But because we're moving a mile a minute in this state, it's hard to take a minute for ourselves.

Now some of us may be fortunate to have the ability to work from home, or remotely outside the office. However, it may not be as glamourous as it seems on the surface.

When working remotely, it's not uncommon to have apps on your phone reminding you of when emails or chats are coming in. This can be very beneficial during the workday, but also problematic once the workday comes to a close.

Sometimes, the phone doesn't stop chiming with new messages coming in. That in turn might encourage you to see what's going on. Oftentimes, it's just so we're not out of the loop.

And then there are those times we go on vacation. This is where the virtual work life can really interrupt a well-deserved break.

Although remote work has been around for some time now, it was forced to amplify come March 2020. Ever since many companies have chosen to embrace the remote work lifestyle.

Now yes, there are many benefits to this. One big one is saving on a commute. But we're also met with an inability to disconnect when it matters most, and that's where the problem falls.

It's bad enough some of us must feel the need to be connected after hours, but some of us even chime in from our phones while on vacation. I witness this myself with some of my own co-workers, and it just makes me shake my head.

At the same time, however, I have to admit that I was like that at one point. And yes, it was primarily during the pandemic.

When your phone is constantly going off trying to remind you of messages, it's only natural to take a peak. But once you do that, you're back in the loop of everything going on at the workplace. And that's the problem, you shouldn't have knowledge of what's going on.

If you're on vacation, then be on vacation. Don't check in remotely simply because you have the ability to do so. For some of us, it may take discipline, but you can do it.

What did it for me was when I finally decided to silence my phone from all work-based notifications letting me know when there was something new coming in. Whether it be an email or chat, I simply didn't care to know.

And you know what? Turning the alerts off really made a difference while on vacation. Not being pestered by what's going on really helped with relaxation when it mattered most, which is something you deserve as well.

No matter what it is for you, it's important to turn your brain off when taking some time off from work. Especially in a state like New Jersey, where we feel we can't afford to take a moment off.

It's so important to disconnect, and you deserve to forget about work every once in a while. Yes, it's great some of us can work remotely, but it's just as important to know when to turn the workstation off. By staying connected, you're doing more harm than good for yourself.