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Why does constant connectivity cause stress? · Wellbeing Solutions - Ask A Counsellor

• 0:00
  SPEAKER_00: We live in a world now where we're connected almost all of the time.
• 0:04
  SPEAKER_00: Our phones are beside us, emails arrive at all hours, messages can be answered instantly, and there's always another notification asking for our attention.
• 0:12
  SPEAKER_00: Technologies made life easier in many ways.
• 0:15
  SPEAKER_00: There are great benefits to that, but constant connectivity can also create a feeling that we should always be available.
• 0:22
  SPEAKER_00: So with urgency culture, we can feel like everything needs an immediate response.
• 0:27
  SPEAKER_00: An email comes through and we feel we should answer it.
• 0:29
  SPEAKER_00: A message arrives and we feel uncomfortable leaving it unread.
• 0:33
  SPEAKER_00: Even when something isn't genuinely urgent, our minds can interpret it as such, and that it needs our attention right now.
• 0:40
  SPEAKER_00: Over time, this can have an impact on our nervous systems.
• 0:44
  SPEAKER_00: Our bodies are designed to respond to demands and potential threats by becoming more alert.
• 0:49
  SPEAKER_00: Our heart rate can increase, our muscles become tense, our thoughts can speed up, and we can become more hyper-vigilant.
• 0:56
  SPEAKER_00: When we're constantly receiving notifications, information, and demands, our nervous systems may have very little opportunity to properly settle.
• 1:05
  SPEAKER_00: The difficulty is we don't always recognise this as stress.
• 1:09
  SPEAKER_00: We might just simply describe ourselves as busy or feel tired but struggle to switch off.
• 1:14
  SPEAKER_00: From a counselling perspective, it's important not to judge ourselves for this.
• 1:18
  SPEAKER_00: Constant connectivity is part of the environment that we live in, and there can be real pressures around being available, particularly at work or in relationships.
• 1:27
  SPEAKER_00: Instead, we need to become more aware of the impact this is having on us.
• 1:31
  SPEAKER_00: Sometimes the behaviour isn't really about the phone or the laptop.
• 1:35
  SPEAKER_00: It can be connected to anxiety, a fear of missing out, worrying about letting someone down, or feeling like we need to constantly be useful.
• 1:42
  SPEAKER_00: We may have gradually learned that responding quickly means being reliable or caring, but being available in all the time isn't the same as being caring.
• 1:50
  SPEAKER_00: We can care about the people around us and still take time to respond.
• 1:56
  SPEAKER_00: We can be responsible without being constantly reachable and we can switch off without feeling guilty.