Mindfulness and Digital Competence as Keys to Combating Technostress
Learn how mindfulness and digital competence reduce technostress and foster a healthier relationship with technology in today’s demanding digital workplace.
Digitalisation has profoundly shaped daily life, bringing with it both advantages and challenges, one of which is technostress. This form of psychological strain arises from the use of digital technologies and can activate the biological stress system, potentially leading to serious long-term health issues. Fortunately, there are several research-backed strategies to manage technostress effectively.
What is Technostress?
Technostress refers to the negative psychological relationship between people and the introduction of new technologies. It is a phenomenon driven by the behavioural changes that modern technology imposes in both office and home environments. Technostress is not a new concept; in fact, in 1984, organisational psychologist Craig Brod defined it in his book Technostress: The Human Cost of the Computer Revolution as a “modern disease of adaptation caused by an inability to cope with the new computer technologies in a healthy manner.”¹
The Causes and Impacts of Technostress
Technostress emerges from both the direct and indirect effects of digitalisation. Direct effects include immediate problems like system crashes or poorly designed software, which can cause stress when they threaten productivity or disrupt time management. Indirect effects arise when digital technology alters the way work is organised and completed. Examples include increased workloads due to the ability to quickly transmit large amounts of information, or workplace distractions caused by flashing notifications or easy internet access.
Additionally, the blurring of boundaries between work and personal life, known as the de-differentiation of work, further exacerbates these pressures.² Technostress manifests through a range of symptoms, both psychological and physiological. Affected individuals often suffer from anxiety, which can lead to insomnia, irritability, frustration, and a loss of self-control. These conditions not only impact personal wellbeing but also lead to poor decision-making and reduced work performance. Technostress also negatively impacts workplace satisfaction, employee loyalty, and productivity.³
Strategies to Combat Technostress
A 2024 study⁴⁵ explored the roles of mindfulness and digital self-confidence — the ability to apply existing skills to new devices, apps, and platforms — in reducing the negative impacts of digitalisation. The findings show that heightened self-confidence and mindfulness when interacting with technology can help safeguard the health of those working digitally. While the study did not focus on specific mindfulness techniques, participants reported simple measures, such as short breathing exercises or brief technology breaks, which helped them reduce stress in digital work environments. Awareness of one’s mental, emotional, and physical state while working digitally was identified as particularly beneficial.
Participants with higher levels of mindfulness felt less overwhelmed by technology and avoided multitasking, while also setting clear boundaries for their use of digital tools, such as establishing set usage times. Furthermore, the authors of the study found that digitally competent workers experienced less anxiety and that those who practised mindfulness were better protected against the negative aspects of digital work. Mindful and digitally confident individuals exhibited a stronger sense of self-efficacy in the digital work environment and were better able to positively change their digital habits. These changes included setting boundaries by establishing clear rules for digital work, such as turning off notifications, batching emails, or powering down devices at the end of the workday. Some participants also used short mindfulness exercises to regulate their technology use and support their physical and mental health, such as taking brief walks or preparing a cup of tea.
Practical Tips to Manage Technostress
Based on the findings related to managing technostress, several practical recommendations can be derived to ease the everyday lives of those working digitally:
- Practise mindfulness: Simple mindfulness exercises, such as deep breathing or short breaks from technology, can help alleviate digital stress. Being aware of your mental and physical state strengthens resilience to the challenges of digital work.
- Develop digital competence: Building confidence in using digital tools reduces anxiety and fosters a healthier relationship with digital work environments.
- Set clear boundaries: Establishing specific times for technology use and avoiding multitasking can help reduce feelings of overwhelm caused by technology. Strategies like turning off notifications or scheduling set times for checking emails contribute to a more structured approach to technology.
- Take regular breaks: Short breaks from digital work, whether by taking a walk or making a cup of tea, promote recovery and help clear the mind.
- Reflect on and adjust digital habits: A mindful approach to technology and regularly assessing your digital habits can support healthier digital work practices and enhance overall wellbeing.
These strategies can help individuals find a balance between technology use and personal wellbeing, ultimately reducing the negative effects of digitalisation.
References
[1] Brod, Craig (1984): Technostress: The Human Cost of the Computer Revolution.
[2] How unhealthy is digital work? (German).
[3] Wikipedia: Technostress.
[4] Study on mindfulness and digital competence in reducing technostress.
[5] The Next Web article on digital mindfulness.
This is an English translation of a blog post that was originally published in the author’s blog in German.
