In the short time we’ve been publishing RTBlog, we’ve explored a number of temporal implications of real-time media and marketing, but mainly they have been business issues, like how it is changing the way media is bought and sold, advertising is created, targeted and served, and how consumers receive it. Something we have not looked at much, is how it affecting us as human beings. And by that, I don’t mean as consumers or media pros, but the way we live. There have been a number of studies in recent years documenting the impact always-on media are having on our lives, and the fact that we now spend more time consuming media than we do sleeping or doing anything else. That, of course, is because of the cumulative effects of simultaneously using media with other things -- or with other media. But something I’ve seen very little research on, is how that is impacting the way we work and live. So today I’d like to share some new data with you that shows exactly that -- how digital media is impacting both our work and non-work lifestyles. And the conclusion, basically, is that we’re mashing it up.

The data comes from a surprising source place-based video network Captivate, which is installed in the high-rise office buildings where people work. But according to the findings, we’re doing more than just working in our office spaces. The study, which is based on a panel of more than 4,000 white collar professions, including many advertisers and agency execs (stay tuned for some specifics on that), indicates that we are working longer hours -- more than nine hours on average daily, up from 8.5 hours when Captivate surveyed its panel in 2011.

Okay, so that may not be so surprising given the always-on nature of media and work demands these days. What is surprising is a separate finding indicating that the percentage of respondents reporting a “healthy work/life balance” is on the rise. According to Captivate, 80% of white collar pros now feel they’ve attained that balance, up 11% from 2011.

The reason, says Captivate CMO Dan Levi, is largely due to access to real-time media enabling people to deal with their personal life issues and demands while at work. He says the trend even has a catchy catchphrase: “homing from work.”

“The net of this is that even though people are working longer hours, they are happier with their work/family balance, because they are taking more time at work to take care of more of their personal needs,” he says, noting that while that is the overall trend among white collar workers, there is one subset that isn’t white as happy -- advertising executives. While he said the sample isn’t significant enough to break out statistically, Levi noted that many of Captivate’s panelists are advertisers, agency executives and media buyers -- and “directionally,” he says, they are working harder, longer hours and are by-and-large, less happy with the balance of their work and personal lives. Who would have imagined?

“Because they are working in marketing and advertising they are working slightly longer hours and have slightly lower job satisfaction,” he says, adding, “They tend to blame their bosses for that.”

Personally, I think “Mad Men” is to blame. It just makes the ad business look like way too much fun -- and talk about mashing up work and personal lives.