Rid Yourself Of E-Stress
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For most of us, E-mail, voice mail, pagers, cell phones and all the technology that is part of everyday life have only lengthened our workdays and given us less time to ourselves. Twenty-five years ago, when you called somebody who wasn’t home, the phone rang a lot and that was it. There was no one onus to return your call; it was your responsibility to call back if you needed to get in touch. But with voice mail and answering machines, the burden is on the person receiving the call to return the call. And even to answer many calls simultaneously with the advent of call waiting.
Today, even more technology- in the form of call screening is required to avoid phone calls. The greater access to communication that technology provides makes our” to do” list much longer. And if you’ve made the mistake of subscribing to Internet server lists, known as list serves, you could become bombarded with E-mails, as many as hundreds per day. The benefits and burdens of technology increase with laptops, Palm Pilot, and etc. Even watching television has become infinitely more complicated with complex remotes that power stereo system, digital cable box as well.
All this translates to E-stress, part of which is caused by the learning curve. Learning how to use each new technological toy can wreak havoc on the central nervous system. It seems the learning never ends, as new gadgets are introduced every few months that make the old gadget obsolete. And coming new versions of E-mail or fax software also cause ongoing problems
All the E-stuff in your life interferes with normal communication. When you’re E-mailing with one hand, holding the phone with the other; and hearing your pager go off at the same time, how much attention can you give any of these interactions? The first step in turning down the “E” is looking at all the ways you’re plugged in each day. Answer these questions:
- How many phone lines do you have?
- How many ways can people reach you?
- How many messages do you receive through each of these modes? E-mail to you office, E-mail to your home, messages to your cell phone and office voice mail and so on.
Reducing E-stress involves redesigning the technology in your life to work for your rather than against you. Implementing just one of the following steps can help you:
- Use your cell phone only in case of an emergency. Don’t turn it on unless you absolutely have to. If you have voice mail and E-mail, people don’t really need to reach you by cell phone. Don’t subscribe to a message service on your cell phone either.
- Set up unplugged time. Make a decision to shut down by a certain time each day, such as after six in the evening and on weekends. Turn off your computer after six, and do not check E-mail with your cell phone beyond that time. You can set up automatic E-mail responses that tell people you’re away or busy.
- Limit the number of messages you save. Try to write down information as you get it and erase the message. Otherwise, you’ll spend too much time listening to old message.
- Limit you gadgets. If you’ve survived this long without a 3G phone, do you really need one? The more stuff you buy, the more you’ll use and the less time you’ll have.
Dr. Craig Richard (Community Health Councils)
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