Technological & Sociological progress in a Geek community.

Cyclical, thats the word, we are locked in the loop and little realise that we are....... 
Let me provide you with a geek example:
TECHNOLOGICAL:  the development of personal computers as opposed to big scale industrial / administrative / production computers has been around 40 yrs until this day.   Starting off as the 3-box setup of screen, cpu, and keyboard we pretty much stayed like that until the laptop came along, which was basically still the same 3-box format but interconnected as a single mobile unit. 
Then came THE TABLET..... Which REALLY changed the landscape.    Small form factor, reasonably fast processing, cloud storage options, and cloud-based online applications made the tablet an extremely useful & convenient device.   If you had a decent affordable platform....... Such as the Apple iPad. 
BUT that wasnt AFFORDABLE !!  No Sir !  they were and still are "a hells price" i.e. Not cheap.   We then had other vendors such as Google, & Amazon who do not use the Windows or IOS platforms.  They use Android or a Linux derivative, with their own App Libraries to provide software and utilities which other vendors want you to pay for.  And very well it works indeed. 

So get a cheap Google/Android or Amazon Fire tablet and we are ready to become "Road Warriors", mobile, always connected, responsive, and a whole hash of other superlatives.   No big fast zippy PC is required,  you, as the IT person, have been freed!!   You can do what you want and when you want and where you want !!    I'm actually typing this content on am Amazon Fire 10" HD tablet, using an Apple Bluetooth keyboard.....  Hows that for hybrid !!

SOCIOLOGICAL: Given that we can now do all the "stuff" using low-cost hardware, how has this "convenience" changed the social landscape....?    I mean the REAL social landscape, not Facebook, SnapChat or Instagram.   The stuff you do that earns you shekels, moolah, spondoolix.   You have freedom, but maybe not so much there, hoss.....  Your employer may take the opportunity to monitor where you are, what you are doing, may assume that you are available to work, may get you to do some online paperwork etc, maybe fill in a few work tickets etc   Other industries call it working.   You are a PRISONER, and of your own making, so stop the bitching........

THE SOLUTION: What you HAVE to do is to limit your work to work times only, no late shifts to get the job done.   If there aren't enough hours in the day, then do it the next day.  Don't get stressed out or bullied into going over the limit.  Of course, there are exceptions to every rule - filling in your time sheets and expenses etc., or occassional "research" into technical issues etc.
This may save you time at the day job.... but dont forget that people like YOU get burned out in this industry because they "go the extra mile".......   Being PRO-ACTIVE is fine, but not to the detriment of your health.   Use that management organisational skills to schedule the life-work balance positively in your direction.  Take holidays, make time for family & friends, schedule regular exercise even if its only a walk with the dog.   Being a "workaholic" is as bad as any other "????aholic".    Been there, done that, survived.