Workers Don't Truly Disconnect While On Vacation

Summer is upon us and many people are planning to pack up their cars and take some time off for a vacation. The thing is, most of us won't truly be taking a break from it all. According to the Mobile Messaging Study conducted by Osterman Research, 79 percent of respondents take work-related devices with them on vacation.

Given the number of email messages many of us receive each day, it's no wonder people find it easier to keep up with messages when we're away on vacation rather than come back to an overwhelming pile of email when we return to the office. Some people also check email out of fear: According to CareerBuilder's 2009 vacation survey, nearly one in five workers are afraid of losing their jobs if they go on vacation or feel guilty being away from the office.

Even though many of us check email while on vacation, not everyone does so openly: more than one-third of respondents to the Mobile Messaging Study admitted to hiding from friends and family in order to check email while on vacation.

Other interesting facts from the study:

• Nearly half of survey respondents admitted to traveling up to 10 miles just to check email during a vacation.
• More than one-third of respondents admit to checking mobile email even during such vacation activities as skiing, horseback riding and biking.
• Respondents report spending an average of 147 minutes using email per day, and just 54 minutes on the telephone.