Are you always "on the job?"

Yesterday, after I got off deadline, my photographer and I went and played a round of golf. During the round, two acrobat planes were practicing for an upcoming airshow and, after one particularly hairy maneuver, my photographer remarked with a bit of black humor that if they had hit, he'd have to end his round and go shoot it.

After the round, I stopped off at the bar for a drink or two and, after talking to some people, I came up with a story idea. After asking the bartender some questions about it, he quipped, "Boy, you're always on the job even when you're off, huh?"

It got me thinking about how often that happens. Many of my best ideas come while I'm off the clock, whether it's talking to people at social gatherings or simply trying to fall asleep. I find that I rarely "turn off" my reporter's eye. I always keep a notebook and some pens in glove box just in case something happens (and it's come in handy on more than one occasion).

I'd be willing to bet many (if not most) of you are the same way. Is this healthy, though, to never be able to leave work at work?

 

Whoops, wrong board. Would one of the moderators like to move it to the journalism board?

 

I never turn my cell phone off -- and I hear about it more than I like -- because more than anything else, I'm married to my job. I'm a journalist first, a son/friend/uncle/brother second, and with how I grew up, I don't see how there was any way around it.

I've been like that since college. It's a disease, I'm sure, but one I've come to love, hate and, more importantly, tolerate.

 

A HUGE, huge part of the reason why I moved to the desk. Got sick and tired of the 24/7 lifestyle. In many cases, you're basically living your life ... on other people's schedules. Don't regret it for a second. When I leave the newsroom, I'm off. Come back again the next day and do it again, but it all stays there.

Now, as a writer -- my own stuff, I mean -- I've always got a pen and notepad around for that reason. My best ideas, without fail, come a) at 2 a.m., b) in the shower, or c.) when I'm driving. Can't turn it off and, frankly, don't want to.

 

I think I might always be on. It's not healthy, either. Any ideas how not to be on 24/7?

 

You married? Or in a serious relationship? That did it for me.

 

I used to be married to the job. Would go on dates or hang out with friends and it would drive people nuts.
Now, i enjoy my time off more. When I'm off work, I'm OFF work.

 

Can't speak for Songbird, but I'm not. And my job has contributed to that on more than one occasion.

 

That's probably a big part of it. Once I started seriously dating my wife back in like 2001, the 70-hour weeks with no overtime came to a screeching halt. I had an editor at the time who worked seven days a week, and I always felt like if he was burning the midnight oil like that, then I should, too.

 

I dated a firefighter for four years. He would tell me something ... I would turn around and call the cops reporter.

He would get pissy every now and then but he eventually realized there was nothing he could do about it.

And let's be honest, even when he was pissy, he enjoyed being the pipeline of information. Otherwise, he would have kept his piehole shut.

 

always on. hate myself for it. can't stop myself.

 

Not married. Not in a relationship. Hell, haven't had a sniff of it in ... long, long, long, long, long, long time. Sad, I know.

Always on. Never off.