Mobile e-mailaholics anonymous

There’s a reason Research In Motion’s BlackBerry quickly earned the nickname “CrackBerry”: It’s addicting. With 6.1 million handsets shipped in the second quarter, RIM remains the leading enabler of today’s mobile e-mail habit. Consumer addiction to e-mail — especially among enterprise users — is nothing new, but mobile is taking it to a whole new level.

According to a study released today by Osterman Research and software company Neverfail, employees now are under so much pressure to be constantly accessible that their mobile handsets are literally attached to their hips. With the economic downturn, e-mail addiction is only worsening, as employees take on more responsibility amid budget and personnel cuts. Ninety-four percent of respondents used their phones to send e-mail or text messages on work nights or on weekends, with more than 80% even taking their devices on vacations.

Vacations are just the start, too. The study also found that 40% of respondents e-mailed while on a commercial flight in the air, 77% while driving and 79% while in the bathroom. Eleven percent of respondents even admitted to sending e-mail while engaged in “intimate behavior.” These activities are either against airline regulations, illegal in some states or just plain awkward, no matter where you are.

For better or for worse, mobile e-mail has become part of our wireless culture. From an employers’ point of view, this always-on mentality is a seemingly good thing, as it provides a relatively short leash for employees. It enables a quick turnaround for responses, as well as a way to accomplish necessary work on the go. Osterman Research’s parallel survey of IT directors, managers and chief information officers points out that the prevalence of mobile device usage also has created an unprecedented need for e-mail reliability. Unexpected downtime could be what puts an employee over the edge, causing him or her to check e-mail in-flight, for example.

From a consumer’s perspective, this type of behavior negates a much-needed work/life balance, putting many on a direct path to burn out. I, for one, realized my email addiction when I would awaken in the middle of the night to check my iPhone. But it’s not just corporate email either. Most handsets, like the Blackberry devices and iPhone, push out personal email as well. So, mobile time can be divided between scanning work emails and waiting for an all-important YouTube clip to load. At least admitting you have a problem is always the first step.