'Tech stress' builds with proliferation of digital devices

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The signs of tech stress are everywhere: The iPhone junkie freaking out over his contacts being swallowed alive by the new iOS 7 software. The office manager furiously swimming upstream against a never-ending flood of e-mails. The angry home-office worker hyperventilating over a computer virus. Our growing addiction to technology has become even more dramatic thanks to the proliferation of mobile devices. While their benefits are bountiful, whether it's the magic of GPS mapping or real-time access to everything under the sun, that same powerful computer in our pocket is also spawning obsessive behavior, often served up with heaping sides of angst. Palo Alto psychologist Francine Toder calls it the "always on'' syndrome.

The writer suggests some tips on how to reduce tech-induced stress:

  • Avoid leaving your smartphone next to your bed at night.
  • Be aware of your tech-tool usage, keeping a diary for a week of what devices you use, for what reason, and for how long.
  • Set up boundaries for yourself, such as refusing to check emails before 10 a.m. or after 10 p.m.
  • Call someone for a ten-minute phone conversation rather than using text.
  • Leave your phone in your car while at the movies and in your glove compartment while driving.
  • Establish a no-smartphone policy during family dinners.
  • Learn how to silence your phone; you'd be surprised how many people don't know how.

'Tech stress' builds with proliferation of digital devices