6 Signs Screen Time Could Be Contributing to Your Burnout & How to Cope
Photo by Becca Tapert on Unsplash
Our lives are almost all online these days. From 8 hours of zoom calls and remote work to time spent scrolling through Twitter or Instagram on your off hours, not even the bathroom is a safe space from notifications and likes.
For many of us, spending time on the computer, online, or on social media is a leisurely pursuit - a way of sharing our lives with loved ones, staying up-to-date on the latest news, and relaxing through game play. But with the COVID-19 pandemic causing masses of employees to work remotely, the line between work and life has been blurred and can often cause us to take our work home with us, whether we mean to or not. This can lead quickly into burnout.
Here are seven signs screen time may be causing you burnout from your job.
You Feel Disconnected from Others
Working from home really can be isolating, despite being on Zoom calls all day. For therapists, teachers, doctors, or other helping professionals, seeing your clients on the screen is just not the same as in person. So much of communication comes from minute facial expressions and body language that can be difficult to read through the computer, and a lack of touch or spacial interaction can make you feel distant or inattentive. Telecommuting can also separate you from your co-workers and leave you reminiscing about water cooler talk or celebrating milestones together. When we spend 40+ hours of our week at work, we need to develop positive work relationships in order to feel energized and to build community. Humans are social creatures by nature and positive interaction with one another essential to living full, happy lives.
Tip: Use your creativity to reach out to others in unexpected ways. Write letters, send surprise gifts like fresh-baked goods, or have a virtual happy hour after work. Try to find a location where you can met up with your co-workers safely in person and have a socially-distanced get together.
You Find Yourself Judging Your Rankings Against Others’
If you use social media to promote your business, it can be rough seeing another person in your field with 10k+ followers when yours are barely scraping 150. More views means more people noticing - and potentially buying - your services. It can be a slippery slope when you start judging your virtual rankings against others. That’s why it’s important to understand that no one becomes an influencer overnight, and virtual likes do not equal the same number of customers or clients, nor do they say anything about the quality of services. Your services are just as valuable as the services of others, no matter how many likes they have. Dwelling on your social media presence certainly isn’t worth the cost of your self-esteem.
Tip: If you are finding yourself judging your rankings against others, take some time to inventory what makes your services valuable. Talk to colleagues, family, and friends for reassurance, and reach out to trusted clients for positive testimonials. The people around you see the value in your work, even if they aren’t on social media.
You Are Checking Your Notifications During Off Hours
When your laptop or phone is your office, you can literally take it anywhere. For some who are self-employed, work is a 24/7 occurrence. While some can handle this lifestyle, many of us need to have a break at some point. When we are not able to step away from work, our lives can begin to deteriorate in a number of ways. Relationships can suffer when we spend more time on the phone than we do with loved ones. Our boundaries with our clients begin to blur when we answer emails at 2:00 in the morning. Our mental health can deplete as well when we stress over things that need to be accomplished the following day.
Tip: If you find yourself struggling to keep a work/life balance due to checking your notifications at all hours of the day, you’ll need to create some strong boundaries for yourself. Try setting a time limit on your work-related apps so they only show you notifications during working hours. If that doesn’t work, delete the apps after your day has ended to avoid the lure of email and tweets, or turn off your phone altogether if you need to.
You Can’t Turn Your Phone Off
So you tried all the above and you just can’t seem to turn off your phone. If you find yourself compulsively checking your notifications or having anxiety about checking your email after you’ve set limits for yourself, you may be addicted to social media (yes, that’s a real thing). You could also be demonstrating poor boundaries and an unhealthy relationship around your work. This can be corrected, however. Getting professional help (like a therapist) can be helpful, as can going to your employer for support around work-from-home responsibilities. If you are your own boss, perhaps re-evaluating your priorities when it comes to work and life is in order.
Tip: Keep yourself busy when you find yourself having a compulsion of checking your social media or email after hours. Talk to a loved one, go for a walk without your phone, engage in a hobby, cook, play with your kids - whatever, just as long as it keeps your mind and your hands preoccupied.
You Stress Over Creating New Content
Oh, the algorithm. In order for our digital work to be seen by fresh eyes, it demands that we constantly create new content to rise to the top. Bust is constantly having to create new content wearing you out? Some of us are content creators, and some of us have other jobs that demand more of our time and attention. Don’t let spending hours on Tic Toc or Instagram prevent you from actually doing the work that needs to get done.
Tip: If you hare spending too much time creating content but would still like to - outsource it if you can. There are plenty of people out there whose actual job is a content creator or social media account manager and can do this work for you so you can get on with your business.
You Have Low Self-Esteem Due to Hurtful Comments
Not everyone on social media is friendly. There will always be people who want to tear you down. Virtual bullying can be just as devastating to your mental health and wellbeing as in-person bullying. It is important to know how to protect yourself while online and to take others’ comments with a grain of salt (or just ignore them altogether). You don’t need everyone to like you - the connections who value your services already do and they are the ones who are important.
Tip: Have the courage to block and report bullies when need be. Social media does a number on our egos already simply by showing us things that make us feel bad or left out. You don’t need anyone personally attacking you. If you wouldn’t stand for it in real life, don’t take it online either.
Your Electronics are Making You Feel Physically Unwell
Humans were not meant to spend 8+ hours a day, let alone any amount of time in front of a screen. If you are getting pain in your neck, back, or shoulders from hunching over looking at your phone or computer or are experiencing dry eyes, headaches, or trouble adjusting to brighter sources of light, you are spending too much time in front of the screen. When you start to feel physically unwell, you may start to feel mentally unwell. Seek help from a medical professional if this occurs.
Tip: Take breaks from your phone and computer throughout the day. Walk around and stretch your body to get in some movement, and look at things of varying distances. Taking time to meditate or practice mindfulness can be beneficial, as well as sitting or taking a walk in a natural setting (without your phone, of course).
2020 has caused us all to work harder to adjust to a new normal. For many, the disruption of having to switch to working from home has been isolating, boundary-bending, and downright stressful. Don’t let yourself be sucked into the screen - take care of yourself by reaching out to others for support and taking time to get outside and enjoy the world around you.