Tracking digital overload

1. Recognise digital overload is genuine, and can lead to a range of health problems

You don't have to look far to find statistics to illustrate the harm of spending too much time glued to our screens.

To pick out just a few, UK adults spend an estimated 3.4 hours a day on their phones, rising to 4.8 hours for Gen Z, with 85% of this generation admitting to feeling under pressure to be 'always available' online. Under 35s, in particular, report high levels of loneliness and digital overwhelm from too much screen time. Being 'connected' online is, counter-intuitively, linked with higher levels of loneliness.

Beyond the mental and emotional impact of increased digitalisation, too much time on devices is also associated with eye strain, headaches and blurred vision and musculoskeletal problems. There can also be a cognitive impact. Nearly half of UK adults (49%) feel their attention span is shorter than it used to be because of digital overload, with many now checking their phones up to 80 times a day.

2. Understand that digital interaction is the reality of the modern working world

Especially since the pandemic, more and more of our workdays are now spent online or in front of a screen – whether that be emails, Teams or Zoom calls, collaborating via Slack or other platforms.

Our diaries and meetings are digital, we'll be tapping away at a laptop, reading documents on pdfs, using AI tools and so on. In fact, working professionals aged 36-50 have on average 2,228 unread personal emails, more than double the UK national average of 1,016.

This trend has, if anything, been accelerated by remote working, which has also of course blurred the boundaries of our work and home digital worlds (which we will come to). The point here is that, while carving out healthier digital boundaries is of course a good idea, for most of us 'switching off' will have to be done in a way that still accommodates, and accepts the reality of, this transformed digital working world.

3. Review and evaluate what can give (and if there are digital tools that may actually help)

Given point two, what then can be done? The first thing is to step back and evaluate the extent to which you really need to be 'always online'. So, are there chats or inboxes you can mute rather than having them pinging away all the time? Do you really need to answer emails instantly?

You may also find that, again counter-intuitively, there are digital tools you can use to enable you to be less digital, like email scheduling tools, managing (or turning off) notifications, embracing apps that help you manage your screentime - for example Android Digital Wellbeing or Apple Screen Time. Equally, mindfulness or wellbeing apps, such as Headspace or Calm, offer useful advice and guidance on switching off, for example over holidays or just generally.

4. Build in real-world breaks

It stands to reason that managing digital overload means reducing how much time you spend online or in front of your screen. To that end, you may need to re-evaluate the structure of your workday.

With reducing digital working, this may be harder to achieve, depending on how and where you work (especially of course if you're working remotely). But trying to build in physical collaboration and working where you, say, pick up the phone or actually go out to meet someone is a good idea. Similarly, running phone-less meetings can be another great way forward to reconnect in a human way.

5. Get firmer about switching off away from work

This is something that's likely to take some work. It may also require a cultural change if your workplace (or boss) is traditionally 'always on'.

As a manager, it may be a question of role-modelling best practice: switching off yourself of an evening, not answering or sending emails late or over the weekend (or scheduling them if you do have to), not making yourself available while you are on holiday. This immediately gives 'permission' to others to follow your lead.

While the government has (for now) pulled back from following France's lead and implementing a legal 'right to disconnect' – it was at one point discussed as part of the Employment Rights Act – this is something employers can still implement themselves. The CIPD has a good example of a right-to-disconnect policy here.

Disconnecting generally outside of work is going to be a question of, setting boundaries, whether we're talking about scrolling over dinner, getting caught up in videos, social media or memes online, or switching on the TV rather than picking up a book. It is, again, self-evident but getting outdoors without your phone is a great starting point, as is putting it in a drawer before bedtime (or even just of an evening).

About the author

Nic Paton is one of the country's foremost journalists on workplace health, safety and wellbeing, and is editor of Occupational Health & Wellbeing magazine. He also regularly writes on the health and employee benefits and health insurance markets.