Yelling Fire

Nothing is going to burn up despite someone yelling fire.

Obviously, this is a metaphor because if someone is actually yelling "fire" around you, you should probably heed their warning.

Anyway, to my point. We are the digital generation. We live slightly hunched over with furrowed brows pushing our index finger up over and around digital screens until we find something that distracts us for a moment – or something that makes us crack a smile, feel less lonely, stay connected. Our mobile devices have many pros and I wouldn't be a true millennial if I didn't admit that it's nice to have Google at my fingertips. It's also nice to not have to lug around a digital camera (and multiple SD cards), extra phone batteries, a phone book, or a pager (okay, this one is a little before my time). We have it all there with us all the time.

But this "all the time" business can be a crutch as well. As jobs adapt to the digital era, work hours are becoming malleable and customizable. No longer are 9-5s the ultimate goal of college graduates. We can now work the hours that are most convenient to us and, more and more, employers are creating jobs that allow their workers to stay at home, be long distance, and choose their own time. These are also positive things and can theoretically give us more time with our families and to pursue hobbies.

But how many times do we now receive emails after 6pm and before 7am? Now that we're so connected, who can really say that they did not receive an email or text from their co-worker or boss?It's inexcusable now more than ever to miss memos and Facetimes. This productivity can also be positive and, certainly, there's good work to be done outside the hours of 9am and 5pm. Yet these instances of urgency – yelling "fire" if you will – can sometimes tear down the morale of a worker. It becomes increasingly easier to tune out your partner or family member when you receive an email from work. Or hop on a Sunday afternoon meeting.

So, here's my advice. Embrace the digital era because it's one full of lively connections, hard workers, and opportunities that our parents wish they had when they began their careers. But also understand that, sometimes, when another email comes in at 8pm shouting "fire," nothing is going to burn up. You're okay, breathe, and tackle it head on in the morning.