ReputationDefender Blog found a recent survey at MSNBC that highlights what most of us (at least in tech-central Silicon Valley) have known for some time: email is absolutely vital to being competitive and in touch. But the study also found that those advantages come with a cost: namely, work-life balance.

A study published Wednesday by the Pew Internet and American Life Project shows that workers in general have mixed feelings about the increased use of e-mail and the Internet in the last few years.

In a survey of 2,134 adults in March and April, 96 percent used e-mail, the Internet or cell phones. Of them, 80 percent said these technologies have improved their ability to do their jobs, and 58 percent said these tools have given them more control over when to work.

But 46 percent also said these devices increase the demands that they work more hours, and 49 percent said that the technologies make it harder to disconnect from work when they should be off.

Half of the respondents who were employed and had e-mail said they check their work e-mail on weekends, and a full 22 percent said they checked office e-mail “often” on the weekends, up from 16 percent who said the same thing in 2002.

Much of the increase can be attributed to increased use of wireless e-mail devices like the BlackBerry, made by Research in Motion Ltd. Of those who have such gadgets, 40 percent say they often check work e-mail on weekends. A quarter often check in even when on vacation.

This writer can certainly attest to the proclivity of checking work email while on vacation. In fact, during a recent trip to Central Europe I had the distinct “pleasure” of attempting to establish a wireless network in a family apartment while trying to sort through Finnish, Serbian, Czech and Hungarian instructions for the devices involved so I could do just that. What do you think? Is email making us more productive or more stressed at work?

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