Managing digital fatigue: Combating mental exhaustion in the age of screens

The average person spends over 7 hours a day looking at screens, which is nearly 1/3rd of a full 24-hour day! Technology consistently developing at unthinkable speeds, introducing gadgets to every aspect of human life. This has bombarded humans with the burden of these digital interfaces consuming most of our time. 

This can cause digital fatigue, a form of mental exhaustion that is caused by prolonged exposure to digital screens. Employees with desk jobs are made to look at screens throughout the workday, and even after returning home often do not get a break from their phones. Constant work and personal notifications interrupt their recovery and rest time outside of work hours. This has become a growing concern for all people due to the pervasiveness of technology.

This blog is aimed at understanding digital fatigue, its causes, impacts, and potential solutions to combating digital fatigue in the age of screens.

Understanding digital fatigue

Digital fatigue is a mental state of exhaustion that results from excessive screen time. This is different from normal fatigue as this kind is usually a general tiredness or lack of energy with varied causes like lifestyle practices, medication, and medical conditions. Digital fatigue tends to be more subtle with more daunting effects on mental wellbeing and cognitive functioning.

Causes of digital fatigue

There are several causes of digital fatigue which continue to be an issue in our lives. Since technology is such an integral part of our lives now, we must identify these causes to eliminate or moderate the use of technology to an appropriate amount. Here are a few causes:

• Excessive screen time: The average person today has to work 6-8 hours, whether in person or remotely, on their digital devices. After the full workday, social media, other apps, and games are used. Many even read books on certain devices, right till the time they fall asleep. This creates constant exposure to screens without any breaks or time off to recover causing deep digital fatigue.
• Constant connectivity: Technology has made it extremely easy to stay connected to friends, family, and colleagues. However, the immediate messages and notifications have made this connectivity a problem. The constant connectivity, and need to reply to messages and work notifications instantly have taken away from humans living in the present. This is another reason for such intense digital fatigue build-up.
• Over-reliance on digital tools: The entertainment, media, and games industry has also leveraged this technology boom. Hence, to unwind, many depend on digital tools to entertain them. This can be movies, songs, social media, and digital games. While this is good to some extent, this over-reliance on digital tools prevents us from appreciating life outside of the digital world. Unwinding without technology has its own set of advantages to our overall wellbeing.
• Lack of healthy digital boundaries: Creating healthy boundaries with digital gadgets is important, especially when they are so pervasive. These healthy boundaries can include taking breaks every hour of exposure to the screen, switching off notifications during set unwinding periods, and setting healthy work-life boundaries as well. The lack of such regulations in our lives allows prolonged exposure to screens to continue contributing to our digital fatigue.

Identifying pain points that prevent one from combatting digital fatigue is important. These factors all contribute to our prolonged exposure to screens which is very harmful to mental and physical wellbeing in the workplace and in one’s life.

The impact of digital fatigue on mental health and productivity

Now that we know the causes of digital fatigue, we need to how this affects mental health:

• Increased stress, anxiety, and irritability: Since one of the symptoms of digital fatigue is mental exhaustion, many suffering from this tend to have heightened stress and anxiety levels with a high tendency to be irritable.
• Difficulty in maintaining concentration: When the mind is exhausted, it causes a huge dip in cognitive functioning. This makes it difficult to comprehend any cognitive load due to difficulty in maintaining concentration.
• Interference in daily functioning: Digital fatigue often interferes with people’s lives, even those with healthy relationships with family and close friends, and a fulfilling personal life. This can make people feel exhausted all the time and incapable of mentally tapping into their lives which can cause a rupture in personal hobbies and relationships.

Here are a few ways productivity gets hindered due to digital fatigue:

• Higher rate of burnout: As digital fatigue continues and accumulates, employees often feel suffocated and extremely burnt out. As burnout rates increase in the workplace HR leaders should be alarmed and take immediate action.
• Reduced efficiency: Since digital fatigue causes mental and creativity blocks, it can cause a massive dip in efficiency. Even if employees sit the full work day at their desks, being mentally checked out can heavily slow down efficiency resulting in a dip in performance too.

Practical strategies to reduce screen time 

There are a number of ways employees and HR leaders can work together to ensure screen time throughout the day is reduced. Here are some company-wide policies to combat digital fatigue:

• Implementing screen-free zones: Keeping areas within the workplace that are screen-free zones in the workplace, where employees relax helps reduce screen time. Keeping books, board games, and other entertainment that doesn’t involve a screen or technology can help employees unwind without a device.
• Work-life balance policies: Implementing company-wide policies to strictly keep work notifications and tasks for the work day, unless an emergency is a necessary step to reduce digital fatigue. Encouraging employees to switch off work notifications can be key to ensuring employees do not feel overwhelmed and burdened with work, especially after work hours.

Digital fatigue is a growing concern in today’s tech-driven world, but it’s not an impossible challenge. Understanding its causes and recognizing its impacts on mental health and productivity are the first steps to addressing the issue. Further, implementing strategies like creating screen-free zones, enforcing work-life balance policies, and setting healthy digital boundaries are vital for reducing screen time and refreshing the mind.

The journey to combating digital fatigue starts with small, intentional changes. Organizations must foster environments where employees feel supported in stepping away from screens and prioritizing their mental wellbeing. On an individual level, learning to disconnect can lead to a more balanced, fulfilling lifestyle.

By working together, we can create a culture that values focus, clarity, and overall wellbeing—empowering employees to thrive both professionally and personally in an increasingly digital age.

FAQs

What are the symptoms of digital fatigue?

Common symptoms include mental exhaustion, difficulty concentrating, irritability, increased stress or anxiety, and a sense of disconnection from everyday life.

How can I reduce screen time without compromising work productivity?

Implement strategies like the 20-20-20 rule (look away every 20 minutes for 20 seconds at something 20 feet away), take regular breaks, and designate screen-free times or zones during the day to maintain focus and efficiency.

What role do organizations play in combating digital fatigue?

Organizations can create policies that promote work-life balance, establish screen-free zones, provide mental health resources, and encourage employees to disconnect from work notifications after hours. This fosters a healthier, more productive work environment.