Digital stress? Does such a thing really exist?
For some people, it may be an alien concept. Think about these lines.
- I thrive on stress.
- I am totally attached to my computer/iPad/iPhone that I will be more stressed if I do not have them with every waking hour.
- It is imperative – both professionally and personally – that I stay connected all the time.
- I enjoy being online all the time. There is no way it can stress me out.
- I have mastered the “art” of multitasking.
You are probably no stranger to those statements. You may have uttered them yourself. However, it might be time for you to consider that this digital life we’re living can be a source of stress and that it can have negative consequences.
The guys at Online Universities have created an infographic that examines the concept of digital stress and how it affects the human brain. It first tackles the old concept of information overload, something that I don’t think anyone can deny these days. And you know, it’s not just the amount of information that we deal with every day that is an issue. It’s also the way we process information.
Then there’s the fact that more and more gadgets are being owned by people. Think back to 10 years ago. How many gadgets did you have? (Not to mention gadgets that are always within reaching distance.) Compare that number to today. The chances are that you have significantly increased that number.
The infographic also takes into account multitasking, which contributes greatly to digital stress. Studies have shown that no matter how good we may be at it, there are negative effects on our brains. Now don’t get me wrong – I have always been proud of my ability to multitask but I also cannot deny that I am more efficient and produce better quality results when I am focused.
This is really an interesting infographic which can help to take a look at our digital lives from a new perspective!
