Does Today’s Technology Alleviate Your Stress or Add to It?
Does technology alleviate your stress or does it add to your stress? That’s the question. I think the answer for me is that it does both. It definitely alleviates some stresses, and it does make parts of life easier. But, being constantly connected and always available to those you don’t necessarily want to be available to can be a huge stress.
The good side of technology. You always have a phone. If you need to reach someone, have an emergency, know you’re going to be late, want to check on your kids, the phone is a lifeline. I used to stress so much if I was on the road, stuck in traffic and I knew I was going to be late. I had no way of letting anyone know. Or if I was traveling alone, the thought of breaking down was super stressful. Having a phone sure has alleviated that. Cars are safer and that’s absolutely a stress saver. But it’s not all Jetsons easy peasy. We're not exactly sitting back eating bon bons while technology does all the work for us. In fact, a lot of people are working harder.
I feel the need to constantly check my work email. Because we get messages long after we leave work. Granted, I don’t have a smartphone, so if I’m not at home, I’m not getting notifications. Which is kind of nice. But as soon as I get home, I run to the computer. You can’t win for losing. Either way, constantly being connected to work, or feeling the need to be is stressful. And so much up to date information in my face as it’s happening. Whoa, that’s pretty stressful in my opinion. So, that’s where technology adds to stress. And don’t even get me started on social media. I’ve seen social media cause so much pressure and stress on people of all ages. Socially, politically, you name it.
So, does technology alleviate your stress or add to your stress? I guess it depends on who you are, when you grew up, and which kind of stress you’re better at dealing with. For me, the answer is still both, but I'm leaning towards adds to my stress. How about you?