Do you check work emails on vacation? If yes, then you are not alone.
A recent survey has found 55 per cent of Indian holidayers check their mails and take work calls on vacation, and around 17 per cent are completely hooked to their phones throughout their holiday. This is despite 42 per cent of travellers planning their vacations ahead, and booking tickets one to three months in advance.
The survey, conducted by travel portal Yatra.com in February and March, had 15,000 respondents across the country. Maaria Kulsum Tanveer, owner of Café Adoniya in the city, says during her last vacation, she continued to work — giving orders to her staff, staying in touch on social media and responding to clients’ comments.
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“It’s difficult for entrepreneurs to take off, especially if they are in the food business. Sometimes, you just want to switch your phone off but it’s not possible,” she says, adding she is planning a vacation in May, but will probably be working then too.
Several studies have shown that unplugging is necessary for good health, as are vacations. There are a number of ailments — from eye problems to insomnia and unrelenting stress — that can crop up with excessive use of technology.
Research has even found that skipping vacations over several years makes men and women more prone to heart attacks. Arun Vignesh was working even while holidaying in Thailand. The global head of research management with an IT major, he handles multiple teams across several cities, and says if a crisis is escalated, he has to deal with it. “It is painful but unavoidable,” he says.
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In The Association of Physicians of India’s Medicine Update 2013, a chapter deals with ‘computer-related illnesses and Facebook syndrome’. It points to a number of health problems, including repetitive stress/strain injuries, ‘text neck’, headaches, difficulty in focussing, blurred or double vision, and even depression and loneliness. It recommends a rest from activities and changing of work practices.
Committing to a vacation though seems to be on the rise. The survey finds that people are willing to take breaks more often, with 57 per cent committing to taking a holiday two or three times a year. Not surprisingly, 33 per cent of the survey’s respondents look to social media to finalise their destinations.
“Holidaying once a year is now passé. Indians have definitely started taking frequent breaks and this trend is here to stay. But the one thing most vacation-goers cannot have enough of is their smartphones. This seems unlikely to change,” says Sharat Dhall, president of Yatra.com.