Modern technology can be largely to blame for modern stress levels, in fact it's my belief that technology is one of the largest contributors to stress being associated to the workplace and considered to be the "silent killer".
When you think about communication, we think about how quickly and able we are to communicate with people no matter the time of day or where we are geographically, although it has benefits at times it can cause the attitude of being reachable even when off-the-clock.
If you believe that i-Stress is something that is affecting you then take note of the following 5 Top Tips that will help you detach i-Stress from your life:
These are:
1.Notify those who you would normally communicate with outside of the "accustomed" times that you will be taking a break from communication via technology for a few days after hours. Explain why you are doing it and explain in advance that there is no-need to be concerned - as a sudden lack of response will sometimes cause worry.
2.If you usually wake up and check your social media accounts then now is the time to make some changes. Checking your social media, may be a great way to catch up on what's happening around the world but, what you experience within the first few hours of awaking will influence the remaining part of the day. If you would usually check your social media before noon, then for the next few days aim to delay this habit until at least 1700hrs.
3.Start to communicate via good old fashioned verbal communication. This may mean that you have to choose your message a little more wisely but in doing so you'll be able to relay the indented message with the full emotion of your voice and language. Sometimes communication via text, email and other digital forms can misinterpreted and relayed based on the emotions of the recipient not the sender.
4.Turn off emails on your mobile devise - OMG, am I for real? Yes absolutely... there is a tendency to work and reply to emails in modern society no matter where you are. This communication can be extremely unhealthy and by taking this action, you'll free up your ability to digest and enjoy this new found freedom. It took me two weeks to adjust and have no intention in turning it back on.
5.Limit the amount of time you spend with modern technology and take up outside pursuits. At times, especially with the poorer weather it can be tempting to stay inside and reach for the laptop or turn on the TV. Where possible set a percentage of your "home" time, to being outside, incorporate gardening, walking and sport into this allotted period.
In summary, technology is a fantastic way to communicate, interact and educate - however be aware that too much time utilising its benefits can increase pressure to act faster than what would have otherwise been acceptable. Ask yourself this: if you were to take a 1 week break from technology, what stresses would reduce?
Benjamin Bonetti offers one-to-one coaching and hypnotherapy sessions from his Brighton Hypnotherapy Clinic, for more information click here....
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