How digital mindfulness can help employees reduce 'technostress'

Technology-related stress, overload and anxiety are common problems in today’s workplace, potentially leading to higher burnout and poorer health. Many of these issues are likely to have increased since remote working became much more widespread following the pandemic. In 2022, along with colleagues at the University of Nottingham, I conducted a review of the academic literature on the downsides of digital working.

We looked at nearly 200 studies from over the past decade, which revealed extensive evidence of negative health impacts of technostress and related “dark side of digital workplace” effects. Building on that research, our next study, published in 2024, investigated whether mindfulness and digital confidence – the ability to apply existing digital skills to new devices, apps and platforms – might help reduce these negative effects. We found that being more confident and mindful when using technology could help protect the health of digital workers. Mindfulness is a technique to develop an nonjudgmental awareness of one’s feelings, thoughts and surroundings in the present moment. It can help some people to avoid negative habits and responses by learning to observe their thoughts and emotions and tune in to the breath and body as an anchor. Becoming aware of habitual reactions in this way can help us to respond in a calmer, more effective manner.

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