Switching-off is a smart move

Firms have been urged to encourage their staff to “switch off” when they finish work, after research showed constantly checking smartphones and other gadgets for e-mails and messages increased stress levels.

A study by psychologist Richard Balding revealed that stress was likely to increase the more someone checked phones.

People who were most stressed experienced “phantom” alerts and checked their phone even when there were no new messages, it was found.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Research among more than 100 public-sector, retail and other workers and students found a “helpful-stressful” cycle, with phones usually bought to manage a workload.

Once an individual starts to use a smartphone, any benefits in managing a workload were displaced by pressure to check and respond to messages from friends in the new, expanded, “virtual social life”, said the psychologist’s report.

Related topics: