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[Column] The Choice to 'Disconnect'

T A｜ITインフラ／写真と言葉／英語童話

2026年3月27日 07:01

~ A story about boundaries for working quietly and living quietly ~

Hello everyone.

Today, I would like to think about receiving messages from work on days off.

Introduction

Even though it's a day off, I feel restless.

Even if I put my smartphone face down, I worry about whether I've received a notification.
Even though I haven't opened Teams or my email, I'm thinking about work somewhere in the back of my mind.

I'm supposed to be resting, but my mind keeps working.

Have you ever felt that way?

In recent years, the term "right to disconnect" has gradually begun to be discussed in society.

However, this is not a way of thinking meant to refuse work.

Rather,

it is a way of thinking to protect your own mind so that you can continue working for a long time.

That is what I believe.

When did days off become ambiguous?

Until a little while ago, work ended when you left the office.

Phones only rang in the office, and
documents were left on the desk.

Days off existed as days off.

But now it's different.

With just a smartphone,

email
Chat
Meeting invitations
Urgent messages

arrive regardless of time or place.

While things have become more convenient,

being 'always available to return to work'

has become the norm.

Without realizing it, we are beginning to lose the boundary between work and our private lives.

When 'just a little' adds up

Contact on days off often starts like this.

'Could you just check this?'

'It's not urgent, but...'

'Do you have just five minutes?'

The sender has no malicious intent.

In fact, they are reaching out precisely because they are in trouble.

That is exactly why,

the more responsible a person is, the more likely they are to act.

Opening the PC.

Making a call.

Checking the situation.

Before you know it, you are participating in a meeting.

In that moment, your day off quietly disappears.

Why is the 'right to disconnect' gaining attention now?

Amidst the trend of work-style reform,

responding outside of working hours is

the possibility of being treated as working hours
the issue of appropriate wage payment
the risk of being classified as harassment

starting to be re-evaluated as.

Looking toward 2026,

the idea that one should be disconnected from work during vacation is also spreading.

This is not a system designed to blame companies.

It is a social adjustment to ensure that workers do not become completely exhausted.

You don't have to be a savior.

In the workplace,

there are 'moments when someone must act'

Someone with experience.

Someone who understands the situation.

Someone who can make decisions.

People like that get called upon.

Before you know it, you're responding even on your days off.

But please, take a moment to think.

If,

things would fall apart if you didn't respond,

that might not be an individual problem,

but a systemic one.

A truly strong organization,

does not rely on a single savior.

There is a rotation.

There are procedures.

Roles are distributed.

Therefore,

no one has to be a savior.

I believe it is necessary to think that way as well.

Drawing a line is not being cold.

'I am on leave, so I will check this when I return.'

Some people feel guilty about saying these words.

But that,

is not abandonment.

I am simply returning the responsibility to where it originally belongs.

If you keep pushing yourself too hard,

someone will eventually break down.

That is why drawing a line

is also a technique for working long-term.

Small adjustments an individual can make

There are times when you cannot change your environment immediately.

In such cases, I think it is fine to start with small things.

For example:

Turn off notifications on your days off.
Do not reply immediately.
Take a deep breath before making a decision.
Check if it is currently your responsibility.

Even just doing that much,

reflexive responses will decrease.

As someone who has studied psychology a little

I am not an expert, but I have felt something while learning about psychology.

The more serious a person is,

the more they say 'I'm still okay'

while exceeding their limits.

The more responsible a person is,

the more they tend to put themselves last.

That is precisely why,

it takes courage to rest as well.

If you were able to turn your smartphone face down on your day off,

that is not negligence.

It is recovery.

Reclaiming quiet time

A day off when no one calls you.

A time when no notifications ring.

Going for a drive.

Looking up at the blue sky.

Opening a notebook and writing down words.

It is perfectly fine to have time like that.

Just as much as working for society,

living your own life is also important.

Finally,

if you,

cannot get work off your mind even on your day off,

that is proof of your sense of responsibility.

But before that kindness

ends up exhausting you yourself.

It is okay to keep a little distance.

The choice to 'disconnect' is

not an act of running away, but

a small act of courage to protect your peace of mind.