I’ve come to realize that my communication style is a little different from most. At work, I often send messages during weekends or outside regular hours. The reason is: that’s when I actually get the time to think. During the workday, I’m usually in meetings or deep in code, chasing either official or self-assigned deadlines.
I understand that for people who value strict work-life boundaries, this habit can feel intrusive. I empathize with that perspective. But here’s how I think about it: messaging platforms like Slack, SMS, or email are asynchronous by design. A message does not carry the same expectation as a phone call. If something is ever truly urgent – say, a production outage where you’re the only person who can help – I’ll pick up the phone and call you directly. In reality, that scenario is extremely rare; there’s almost always a plan B.
So when I message you during evenings or weekends, please don’t feel any pressure to respond right away. My expectation is simply that you’ll reply when you’re back online, usually the next business day. If you happen to be available and want to chat, great. If not, no worries. And because it’s asynchronous, there’s also a good chance I might not be immediately available to respond either. 🙂
As for work-life balance: some might look at my style and conclude I don’t have one. And maybe that’s true by conventional standards. But I think about it differently. Here’s my perspective on what work-life balance means to me.