Under the weather

Literally and physically.  Stayed home today to help my system overcome the cold which has been nagging me since last week.  A night of fairly restful slumber was a big help also. A light rain is falling, which will hasten germination of the previous week's seedings.  I won't be doing any gardening today,  however, thanks to a smartphone and the internet I was able to do enough work at my day job to keep up without overtaxing myself.  Up until the advent of aforementioned adjuncts to our work environments staying home for a day would have put me out of contact with associates, customers and suppliers.  With a single land line, keeping in touch would have been difficult and the stress level would have been incompatible with recovery from illness.  That's why most of us dragged ourselves to work instead of risking the severance of our connections to the world.  Now we are connected 24/7.  I was reminded of this on a trip to Italy in 2015.  Walking the streets of Rome, my cellphone buzzed and a customer asked when his delivery would happen.  I apologized for not knowing and suggested he call the office.  At the time, it felt natural, and I guess in a way it is.  We have now reached back to our hunter gatherer ancestors.  Our work environment, like theirs is with us constantly.  Is this a good thing?