Media and technology demands are creating a noticeable increase in the amount and new types of diagnoses and conditions surfacing these days. It would be somewhat amusing if it were not for the impact it has on our mental, emotional and physical well-being. You must have heard of the following: Social Media syndrome, Facebook depression, Internet addiction, Cyber bullying, FOMO (Fear of Missing Out), etc. People are spending an inordinate amount of hours at the computer, on their tablets or their cellphones. This is leading to serious neck and back problems as we are not physically designed to sit crouched for extended periods of time.
The immense increase in information through rapid changes in technological and social media platforms remains a challenge for each of us to manage. In additional there is pressure to be up to date and to respond instantaneously. Is it any wonder that there are new mental health conditions? Many professional people cope with work demands through the use of substances. Hence the serious increase in drug and alcohol addiction among this group of people. Depression and anxiety has increased noticeably for young adults in their 20s and 30s.
It is important for us each to know that we have a choice. We can choose to allow clients to encroach on our evenings or weekend time through calls, SMS, WhatsApp messages or emails. Some time ago if you received a telephone call after eight at night you knew there must have been a death in the family! These days clients SMS after 10 at night! What does this say about us respecting one another’s personal space? A company director commented that he switches his cellphone off over weekends as on a Friday evening clients “dump” all their unresolved work issues of the week on him.
We can chose if we are going to respond within 24 hours or instantaneously. We can chose to keep work and home separate unless there are emergencies. We can chose to see our weekends as sacred time for ourselves and our family and friends.
Take time to think carefully about how you want to manage the demands on your work time and personal space.
The more demands there are for our time, the greater the need for us to manage the impact of these demands and to learn to set some boundaries. Failing to do this will lead to all kinds of reactions such as feeling out of control, angry, irritable, stressed. Chronic demands can lead to burnout unless we learn to manage the external demands made on us.
What do you want for yourself? Quietly go ahead and implement your strategy. Contact me if you would like to find ways to manage all the demands on your time.