What is Technostress?
Technostress is an emerging psychological disorder. Individuals who use multiple information systems (IS) for the better part of their workday are most at risk, such as Information Technology (IT) professionals. However, other types of professionals are also at risk. Real estate agents and other sales professionals can feel pressured to answer emails at all hours, intruding on their personal lives and interrupting family and recreation time. With the pressure to stay plugged in during every waking hour, the concept of “personal time” is vanishing in many professions. Dr. Rachel Bishar, whose research interest lies in media psychology, has coined the phrase “instanity” to describe how responses to emails or text messages have come to be expected in an instant.
Men are more vulnerable to technostress than women, and younger people are more affected than older. While the feeling of being continually plugged in leads to a feeling of being busy all the time, real productivity is actually reduced. The boundary between home and work life gets blurred, and relationships suffer. Depending on the profession one is in, the content of emails received can be felt as harassing, such as from angry or critical clients, coworkers, or an employer. Receiving emails during family or couples’ time can lead to overwhelming stress if the communication upsets us, and make it hard for us to stay present and connected with our partners and families. The effects of technostress can masquerade as ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder), as attention spans get reduced from the barrage of technology applications. Sleep is also affected.
A friend of mine said that he believes he has a chronic case of technostress. He joked that he should get diagnosed, and receive a prescription to give his boss, stating that a portion of his salary had be paid in “likes,” “shares,” and “retweets.” But the problems in his marriage as a result of checking his phone and email at all times, including at restaurants and during his children’s school performances, were no laughing matter. Rather than a prescription for more social media, I suggested that he might receive more benefit from PACT couples therapy.
What can I do to combat it?
Neuroscience is only beginning to uncover the effects of new technologies on our functioning. New technologies are likely to continue to emerge at a faster rate than research can keep up, so protecting ourselves and our families from the effects we can feel and observe is important. Self-care, sleep hygiene, and clear boundaries for the intrusion of our work into our home via technology are important. Mindfulness and exercise are key to a good stress reduction plan. PACT couples therapy increases mindfulness and secure attachment, and is the best antidote I know of for relationship problems- including those that one feels are due to technostress.
Arguments can arise between a couple about how much personal information to share on social media, what photographs to share, and about time spent browsing others’ social media pages and the hurt feelings that can arise. There is also the risk for what has been termed “cyberdeviance.” This can include compulsive use of online pornography, or “sexting” and messaging with either strangers online or an acquaintance or friend. This may be perceived by one’s partner as cyber-infidelity. Women can be just as prone to the fantasy of a cyber-affair as men can. Overall, it has been found that use of technology enables negative behavior and affects our moral reasoning.
If your partner is continually voicing to you that your screen time is interfering with intimacy in the relationship or family time, a PACT trained couples counselor can help you establish secure functioning, and set reasonable boundaries around tech in your work and home life, commensurate with your employment. With all of the modern pressures on relationships caused by technology, support from a couples therapist to help us navigate the changing sea of technology in our homes is a wise safeguard.
References
Tarafdar, M., Qiang, T., RAagu-Nathan, T. S., & Ragu-Nathan, B. S. (2011). Crossing to the Dark Side: Examining Creators, Outcomes, and Inhibitors of Technostress. Communications Of The ACM, 54(9), 113-120.
Ayyagari, R., Grover, V., & Purvis, R. (2011). Technostress: Technological Antecedents and Implications. MIS Quarterly, 35(4), 831.
Roberts, J. and Wasieleski, D. (2012). Moral Reasoning in Computer-Based Task Environments: Exploring the Interplay between Cognitive and Technological Factors on Individuals’ Propensity to Break Rules. Journal of Business Ethics. 110 (3), 355-376.