At the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic, at least 557 million workers were forced to work from home.
Up until a few months ago, many employers and government bodies had been extensively promoting the practice, albeit mainly for safety and security reasons. Other upsides have been amply documented by both the media and academia: more time spent with loved ones, and reduced transportation costs, commuting time, and air pollution. All in all, working from home has been touted as the best way for employees to keep mentally and physically fit), helped by the ability to work from any location so long as there is a fast Internet connection.
But excess screen time can also generate less welcome effects, such as “technostress”. The term was coined in 1984 by the clinical psychologist Craig Brod, who described it as a modern disease caused by one’s inability to cope or deal with information and communication technologies in a healthy manner. Technostress is the stress caused by overuse of technology at work and/or in private life, and researchers have demonstrated it can lead to negative psychological reactions such as emotional exhaustion.
