Yes, we should work like the 90’s and get to disconnected when we leave the office. At my job I don’t ever check my email because I only get around 1 email a month that would involve me and it also involves my boss because he copied me. Thus, he always mentions to me that there is email to deal with. Everything else I do comes in via Github because we’re dealing internally with our own issues that we create, or are created based on a customer support ticket.

Years ago when I was freelancing for many customers I ended up being dropped by a customer because I didn’t answer emails over the weekend. I believe the comment on Monday when I answered the stack of 4 emails was “Must be nice to go on vacation”. At that point I just told them if they want me to check my email on weekend it was a $10k/month USD fee on top of the project because it cost me time with my kids and wife and my family needed to have something to show for it in an extra 2 months of real vacation yearly. Since we have 52 weeks a year times 2 days a weekend for 104 extra working days checking email which I’d need to take off.

The customer said that wasn’t realistic so I suggested we don’t work together anymore. I give them the work that was done and keep the deposit as payment for the work done. They weren’t happy but agreed after trying to convince me I was crazy for this irrational request.

You need to remember that. If you’re working weekends without extra pay (including overtime) then you’re giving your job 100 extra working days a year for free. Do you have almost 1/3 of your year to give up?

I don’t and unless things got really bad and I just needed to pay the bills I won’t work like that.