Digital Fatigue

I’ve lost count of the number of minutes, hours, and attempts I have made to write this blog, format a newsletter, answer emails, research projects, and conduct business.

I kept finding myself getting into a negative head space, calling myself unmotivated, lazy.

The voices of self-doubt crept into my mind, suggesting I was worthless, incompetent.

I was stuck.

Until, I was plugging in my phone, my watch and sleep ring to charge and noticed that I was intensely frustrated by this common action. My breathing was shallow. I was actually on the edge of tears with frustration that everything keeps needing to be charged.

 And a thought crossed my mind: I HAVE DIGITAL FATIGUE.

I work from home and spend a significant amount of time online. My life is filled with technological “conveniences” that require plugging and charging and monitoring in seemingly endless cycles. Until, they will no longer charge and I have to buy another one, charge it, set it up and start the whole process over.

I am TIRED.  

I have heard of digital fatigue, or tech fatigue, yet this is my first experience of it.

I really do not want to turn on my computer, send emails, meet on zoom, add items to my calendar, receive alerts, charge the things etc. etc. etc.

Digital fatigue and can manifest in physical, emotional, cognitive and social characteristics. I am experiencing a number of them.

The characteristic that stands out most to me, is how my breath is being affected. When I am on the computer or interacting with any technology, I am either holding my breath or breathing shallow breaths into my upper chest. It is not healthy.

Now as I type, I am reminding myself to breathe into my belly to help. I can feel the muscular contractions of the stress in my body.

I am allowing to myself to set aside any judgements of the quality of this blog or newsletter. I am giving myself permission to be. I am exploring my way through digital fatigue. This is what is.