Last week, over lunch with an old friend, we got into a debate—should you have one phone for both work and personal life, or keep them separate?
He told me about his daughter, Sarah. She’s a project manager who uses just one phone. Sounds simple, right? But the price of always being available was taking a toll on her family.
He noticed that many nights around 8:30 PM. Just as Sarah was winding down with her family there would be a buzz—a work email.
She would pause, with that look of familiar hesitation on her face. If she answered, she’d be back in work mode. If she ignored it, the weight of unresolved issues would persist.
Inevitably, she’d open the email. One response led to another, and before she knew it, it was 10 PM. The bedtime story, she promised her daughter. Missed. The quiet time with her husband. Gone.
Sarah’s one phone kept everything in one place—convenient, but also a constant reminder that work never really ended.
Then I told him about Daniel and the Cost of Establishing Boundaries. He did the opposite—two phones, one for work, one for personal.
Before heading home, he placed his work phone in a drawer and switched to his personal mobile. His rule? Work stays at work. Evenings were for family, hobbies, and unwinding.
But one night, while he was unplugged, an urgent client request came in. By the time he checked in the next morning, he had missed several calls and texts—not just from the client, but from his manager too. The client was furious. The deal was gone. His competitor was available—he wasn’t.
Yes, Daniel had protected his personal time, but at the cost of an opportunity and a very angry boss.
But What Happens If You Don’t Have a Choice?
Some companies hand you a work phone, no questions asked. That phone comes with an unspoken expectation of availability. But does that mean you always have to answer?
So, what’s your move— one phone or two?
Where do you draw the line? How do you balance work without being on-call 24/7?
Let’s me know your choice. ⬇️
