Tools for coping with technostress at Spring Days

Amy Malloy is the founder of No More Shoulds, teaching mindfulness for educators and students. She is a writer and editor with 15 years’ experience in the fields of teaching, assessment and educational publishing, combining this expertise with certified training in wellbeing practices. 

In this article, Amy explains what technostress is, and how our Spring Days webinars will give you the tools to help you develop a practical self-care plan.  

What is technostress?  

Technostress affects people in different ways. I resonate with Chiapetta’s (2017) definition as:   

“Technostress is a syndrome that occurs when the person, subjected to information overload and continuous contact with most digital devices, develops a state of stress.”  

This explanation isn’t limited to any particular symptoms. However, most of us can relate to being over-exposed to technological devices – especially in the past year. Consequently, I imagine many people have experienced some symptoms of technostress as a result. 

What are the symptoms of technostress? 

While the symptoms of technostress differ, there are a number of common experiences.  Perhaps you obsessively check social media, or struggle to focus on everyday tasks. Or maybe you feel demotivated and low in mood. You might find yourself overly focussed on getting the latest technology. Or you might be actively avoiding or feeling anxious about using technology.  

Why should we be concerned about technostress? 

People are adaptable, it’s part of our biology, but if change happens too quickly, we experience symptoms of stress. And, in our modern, continuously busy culture, it can be easy to assume there is something wrong with us if we feel we can’t cope with technology. It can feel like we’re failing because we’re not focusing or achieving enough. We might also feel stupid for not understanding how a piece of software works.  

In response, we need to find ways to relieve that stress and return to a more restful state.  

What’s happening during Spring Days? 

There are two webinars on the theme of technostress this year. My session focuses on self-care. The second session, with Donatella Fitzgerald, explores how reading and stories can enhance wellbeing.  

One year on: adapting your self-care –  a webinar with Amy Malloy 

2020 brought some seismic changes in education. This session will look at the long-term effects, including technostress, and see what has changed and what hasn’t in terms of our wellbeing. I will help you to develop a practical self-care plan for yourselves and your students, and build further supportive foundations for stress reduction and recovery. 

Enhancing your students’ wellbeing through stories –  a webinar with Donatella Fitzgerald 

This webinar will show us how reading and stories can help improve students’ wellbeing. At the same time, reading can help fill the gap of lost learning as a result of the pandemic. Donatella will share practical ideas and activities for students of all ages. These activities can be done at home or in class; whether during face to face, hybrid, or online lessons.  

For more Spring Days events, have a look at the program, online now. Register now so you don’t miss out!