Who has never checked their work emails as soon as they wake up or in the middle of the evening, answered work texts on weekends, or made professional phone calls during their days off? Recognized in the Labour Code since 2017, the right to be unreachable outside working hours is essential to preserve one's mental health and find the right balance between professional and private life.

The right to disconnect requires companies with more than 50 employees to set rules of use. But in reality, few employees impose a real disconnection and get out of this position of permanent "on-call". Executives and younger people are the most exposed to this hyperavailability, with two-thirds of them saying they consult their digital tools in the evenings or on weekends, according to the 2018 Éléas Studies.

Aim for a reasoned connection

The hyperconnectivity inherent in new technologies blurs the line between work and private life, and can be the source of many psychosocial risks (stress, mental and physical fatigue, sleep and memory disorders, depression, even burn-out).

This is why it is essential to set up individual rules to succeed, on a daily basis, in its disconnection. You can take stock of your working day and prepare the next one before leaving your office. Disabling notifications, desynchronizing or hiding professional emails from a certain time can also help resist the temptation to continue working. Symbolically marking the end of the working day, with a walk or a personal activity before returning home also allows you to mentally unload, and to enter a truly private time. The key is to establish a reasoned connection, where its availability is controlled, without guilt.


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