Switching off

Image by _Blaster_ via FlickrI might have mentioned that I have been working quite a lot lately. In return for that, I decided to take some time of in lieu of the weekends missed and the overtime worked. I didn't go to work yesterday, and am not due back until next Tuesday. I don't think that will totally cover what I worked, but will take the rest later.
Yesterday, though, I still worked a couple of hours in total, and it wasn't much of a day off. Even standing watching my son's rugby practise, I got a call from a certain wanker at work. Why I took it, I can't say exactly. We had an arugment, and it was based on his assumption, patently wrong, that I am always trying to weasle out of work and laying it on his guys. I really shouldn't have answered. (...thinking about it just now really pissed me off, and I wrote him a nasty e-mail, which I didn't send...I will wait until I see him in person to tell him off).
After yesterday, I wrote to my boss, and said that I would be turning off my phone, and not answering any e-mails. I actually found that quite hard, as there is a fairly big problem that is really impacting our area. I didn't do very much, but it was a conscious decision, and it was hard to pull back from.
I have e-mail on my phone, which is not a good thing, as it means that I am always aware of the communication that is going on, even in my absence. Working for a mobile phone company, there seems to be a tacit acceptance for employees to use their company phone as their single phone, though they can't put that down in writing, or income tax would have to be paid on it. So, even when I am not working, I am available, because I carry my phone with me.
I never thought of it as that unhealthy, since I work less here than I did in Japan, and definitely have a much better work-life balance. But I am starting to think that I should probably get my own phone, and really turn my work one off when I am not working. Not look at e-mails, and really get my head out of it. This has been awhile coming. On my first holiday, to the Algarve, two and a half years ago, I had my PC and really was upset at my then-boss. Fourteen months ago, when I went to Japan, I carried my phone and PC, and answered work e-mails, and last summer in Italy, with my mom over, I also answered e-mails, though since it was in August there weren't that many.
I think the difference is that this time I can't seem to extricate my own head from it as easily, partially because there is a lot going on, but also because I have been working more than usual, and suddenly switching that off isn't easy.
I will check e-mails tomorrow, though, as I made a bet that layoffs would be announced, and I just want to see if I won the £5. Every little helps.
Speaking of which, Tescos have a deal on energy-saving lightbulbs at the moment that is incredible: I got 5 20w (equivalent to a 100w incandecent bulb) bulbs for £.29. Yes, that is 29p! That is on their own-brand ones, but on GE ones they have another deal--buy one get two free. Bizarre, but very nice. I may be back there tomorrow for some more, though if one believes what is on the label, they also last for 10 years, and therefore I only need as many as I need.
In the end, I probably need a longer holiday to completely switch off. But at least if I am still switched on, I am not wasting energy. ;-)