On the road again

I just got back home again. I had to travel to Turin for two-and-a-half days for an EU project meeting. Sometimes I think I'm getting too old for this.

Some of my colleagues, and everyone who does travel much think I'm mostly on vacation. I'm not. Anyone who does travel regularly knows what a hassle it is anymore: worrying about missing train, plane and bus connections; those incessent, silly, ineffective security checks conducted by unmotivated individuals who are more than overworked and underpaid; the unexpected surprises at the hotel, including what's for breakfast (which can vary considerably from country to country ... Italy tends toward sweet); very often eating alone, and the mere living out of a suitcase, well, it's not precisely my idea of fun.

As usual, it was get into town in time for a late dinner; meetings all day, regardless of the weather; the whole project team gets together for dinner; and meetings the next day and out to catch the bus to the airport. Sightseeing: none. Free time: none. Simply enjoying the ambience of a foreign city: none. Getting some insight into the local customs and culture: none. My question is, what is so vacation-like about that? Oh, right, I wasn't in the office.

With smartphone and internet access everywhere, I'm also expected -- whenever -- to check my work mail and return calls and well, do more or less what I would do if I were in the office. Too often, though, this takes place after normal working hours. After all, if I'm in a meeting, I simply find it impolite to be taking other calls and working my mails when I'm supposed to be paying attention, contributing, and ... you all know the drill.

So, my question is: what's so great about work in the modern world? And, also, why, if computers are supposed to be such productivity enhancers and labor-savers why is it that I find myself simply working more and enjoying it less?

The answers are actually quite obvious: computers are neither productivity enhancers nor are they labor savers; ubiquitous internet and mobile phone access are neither either. All these "conveniences", these "technological advances", these "innovative work practices" are, in the end, are ways to keep me chained to my work for longer hours. Productivity overall might have increased, but in many cases, I'm sure that productivity pro hour has declined.

Yes, I was on the road again, but I'm feeling a lot more like roadkill than the happy traveler.