I mentioned to a colleague my desire to have a day of work — when everything else in the world is on hold — so I could feel caught up. He laughed and expressed a shared interest in that "extra" time.

I started wondering: If everyone I know is feeling overextended, why does no one seem to have a handle on what's causing it?

This feeling exists because we never stop working. We leave the office, but take our smartphone. We check messages, respond and review late into the evening and first thing in the morning.

Yet we feel ourselves falling farther and farther behind. Why? This constant effort actually compromises us — both personally and professionally.

By checking email we ...

1. Reduce our ability to have downtime: To refresh, refocus, renew. A rested brain is more creative, resilient and productive. By doing less, we actually accomplish more.

2. Forget to respond: Reading an email while in line at the grocery store does not allow us the time (or focus) to answer a question, consult a colleague or check our calendars. The result? We postpone it, and like many, neglect to review those older "read" emails on our next day at the office. An attempt at efficiency has now delayed a response or caused it to be forgotten altogether.

3. Fracture our relationships: By taking "just a minute" to check our messages, we demonstrate a lack of respect and lack of care for those around us. Their level of priority is literally and figuratively lowered. This is as true when we go to lunch with a colleague as it is when we are with a child. Does anyone remember the song "Cats in the Cradle"? Rather than apologizing for our busyness, let's try to stay in the moment — especially with friends and loved ones.

4. Affect our mood: When a Sunday afternoon is interrupted by worry about a client's email or the "need" to respond to a colleague's questions, it impacts our ability to be in the moment. Instead of enjoying a spiritual connection, the sounds of nature or the view in front of us, we are distracted by work. Our mood is compromised by the interruption, consequently impacting those around us.

5. Miss opportunities: Whether it's the "fly ball" that brought home the winning run or your child's first time making it all the way across the monkey bars, by looking down at your phone, or being otherwise distracted by work, you pay the price of losing these precious moments that cannot be recaptured. Have you ever wondered what else you are missing?

6. Make excuses for other Internet distractions. Email is our gateway drug — once we are done checking those messages, we are given to checking for others on social media, or using the Internet to quickly buy or research something. All of this extending our time online, making us feel at work. Last year's viral video "Look Up" put emphasis on the costs of this behavior.

7. Increase our health risks: Beyond the impact of blue light on our vision, computer and cellphone usage is responsible for a variety of other medical issues including stress, depression, headaches and sleep disruption.

So here's the first step: We need to stop checking our email when we are not on "work" hours. Whether that means going cold turkey or beginning a gradual shift, it is a step in the right direction. And we may all reap the benefits.