Apr. 17, 2020

How to prevent and face TECHNOSTRESS

There are some advantages working from home and online. In companies, virtual platforms are used to hold meetings, carry out trainings, and inform and follow the progress of tasks with their colleagues and managers. Given this COVID-19 crisis, the use of applications and platforms to support mobile work, unified communication, organization of contacts, video calls and messaging has increased.

On the other hand, this can also leave us more exposed to negative psychological effects that must be resolved as soon as possible. May be you have problems adapting to new technological tools and systems. Or it may be that you feel an intrusion in your daily life with mobile phones, e-mails, social networks, etc. This can make you feel emotional or anxiety symptoms, as well as the development of negative attitudes towards the use of new technologies.

It can also happen the opposite, when you know how to use the available technology. For example, an uncontrolled need to acquire the latest technological innovations on the market. Also, the use of several technological devices at the same time, which produces dispersed attention and can lead to concentration, memory and communication problems. Also long-term use of technology during the day, avoiding the maintenance of personal relationships, can lead to interpersonal isolation.

All these situations can harm our health causing exhaustion or techno-stress. That affect physical health (cardiovascular problems, musculoskeletal disorders from long hours at the computer, gastrointestinal disorders due to disruption of food rhythms) and emotional and interpersonal problems (depression, disruption of social and family relationships, isolation, loneliness).

Some recommendations:

• Companies must assume its responsibility promoting teleworking and telecommuting in a responsible way, respecting the times and days of rest and advising and giving guidelines to employees to manage these new forms of work.
• Learn to psychologically distance yourself from work in moments of disconnection. Care those free work spaces to enjoy other areas of your life at home.
• Choose the physical place where you will work in your home. Inform others at home that this space will be your "office," even if it is the dining room or other common space. Ideally do not work in the same room where you sleep. If this is the only space you have, avoid working in bed. This way you can create a limit between work and rest.
• Try to follow your usual pre-work routine, like showering and changing clothes. Do not work in pajamas or skip breakfast.
• Set daily tasks that allow effective monitoring of what is possible to be carried out. Don't plan your tasks as if you were at your regular workplace. Times at home don't run the same way.
• Use lunch as a break and try to do it in a different place in the workspace. When feeling any signs of exhaustion, loss of concentration, or fatigue, it is time to do a pause. I do not recommend you to replace breaks with some domestic activity.
• Close your daily work. Save everything that is related to work, closing the computer or notebook.

To overcome technostress, or if you are seeking advice for how to psychologically prepare your team for it, or you need to learn how to disconnect and take a pause, contact me and I will help you to find effective solutions. info@carlosbobbert.com.