Although it is just mid-February 2021, many of us are already feeling stressed and overwhelmed, and may already be on the cusp of digital burnout \u2013 from being at our desks and on our devices more than we should.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Many of us might not have heard the term, but it is likely that at some point you have experienced it. Digital burnout. Generally, and according to McLean Hospital<\/a>, in Massachusetts (USA), digital burnout, tends to refer to \u201cfeelings of exhaustion, anxiety, depression, or diminished interest in a job stemming from too much time on digital devices<\/em>\u201d. it has become a growing problem over the years, which is being exacerbated by the pandemic, as we all have been spending more time on our digital devices and online.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, more importantly, and if left unchecked, burnout be trigger more serious mental and physical health-related issues, especially in individuals who may already be predisposed to conditions, such as anxiety or depression.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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If you think you are experiencing some of the signs of digital burnout, recognising it is the first step. However, due to the demands of work and our personal lives, it might not be easy or possible to just step away from your devices for days or weeks at a time. Below, we outline some key steps you can take to combat digital burnout.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Rest and relax<\/span>. <\/strong>If you have been working long hours, having difficulty sleeping, feeling anxious, stressed, and\/or not motivated, the first order of business is address that. This could mean going to bed earlier, so that you can sleep for a longer period of time, to replenish and rejuvenate the body. Exercise is also an important consideration to counteract stress and burnout, and to help you reduce the adrenaline and adrenal fatigue that may also be occurring.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It also may require you to, among other things, try to relax more during the day, and\/or wind down from your digital devices earlier in the evening, as part of your night-time routine. The odds are that you are sleep-deprived, which in turn is affecting your mood, and your overall wellbeing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Cut down screen time<\/span>.<\/strong> The odds that when you sit at your desk to start your workday, you are seated in that very spot for hours at a time without stepping away from your desk in a meaningful way. Schedule in breaks where you can take a walk outside, have a cup of coffee away from your work desk, or even putter in your garden.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Also consider other ways you can do some of your work for which use of a digital device is not essential, such as to draft the outline for a report, or to organise a to-do list. Additionally, knowing that you might have to be on your digital device for virtually the entire workday, commit to defer using them until it is absolutely necessary. So for example, if work starts at 8:00 a.m. and you wake up at 6:00 a.m., discipline yourself to not to start checking emails, social media, etc. until closer to 8:00 a.m.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Set boundaries<\/span><\/strong>.\u00a0 We may not have thought about the negative impact of being on our devices for prolonged periods of time \u2013 to browse online, answer emails, participate in online meetings \u2013 but we are all feeling the repercussions. However, going forward, the key is to be intentional about how and when you use your devices, and more importantly, when you will not be using them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In setting boundaries, you may have to establish priorities. For example, everything notification cannot be an urgent, or cannot be deserving of immediate attention. Hence, it may not be necessary to check your social media, instant messaging or email alerts as soon as they are received. Better yet, you might want to turn off all alerts until you are ready to attend to them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In summary, critically examine how much time, and in what ways you are using your devices, and determine the extent to which all of those ways are improving or adding value to your life. Invariably, we waste a lot of time each day wading through our emails, checking social media, responding and sending messages, which not only may be affecting our productivity, but also absorbing time that we could be using to enjoy other aspects of our lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Get a (non-digital) life<\/span><\/strong>. This point may be tough in the throes of a pandemic, but it is crucial to cultivate other activities that do not involve your digital devices. To that end, think of activities or hobbies you might want to develop, or want to revisit. Also, when it is safe, consider catching with a friend, in person, but adhering the COVID-19 guidelines for your area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ultimately, your life should be bigger than whatever you are doing on your devices. Your digital devices do facilitate efficient access to certain facilities and services, but they are just tools that should be enhancing your life, and not be the focus of, nor the channels through which you live, your life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Image credit: Gerd Altmann (Pixabay<\/a>)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n