Something about modern life I find really hard is the pressure to be available all the time. I'm a thirty-seven-year-old project manager in a construction company in Dubai, and I'm originally from Kerala.
I first noticed it seriously about six years ago, when our company switched to group chats for everything. Suddenly my manager, clients, suppliers and site engineers could all reach me at any hour, and there was an unspoken expectation that I'd reply within minutes, even late at night or on Fridays, which is our weekend.
It affects me in several ways. I find it difficult to relax properly, because even when I'm with my family, part of my brain is waiting for the next notification. My wife has complained that I check my phone during meals, and she's right. I've also noticed my concentration getting worse. It's hard to focus on a long report when messages keep interrupting, so I end up working later to finish anything important.
To cope, I've started setting a few boundaries. I turn off work notifications after nine at night and switch my phone to silent during family dinner. At work, I block two hours each morning for focused tasks and tell my team to call me only if it's urgent. I was worried my boss would object, but surprisingly, he didn't mind, and a couple of colleagues have started doing the same. I also go for a walk along the beach on Friday mornings without my phone. It's not perfect, and I still slip, but I feel calmer and more in control than I used to.