Screen time to scream time

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Digital natives are abandoning their so-called comfort zones and seeking greener pastures, literally. There can be too much of a good thing, and everyone from pre-teen K-pop fans to retired folk have had an overdose of fun with virtual parties, family tambola, fitness videos and recipe exchanges. Now all everyone wants is some screen downtime and the actual touch and feel of interpersonal relationships. And can you blame them? Besides the obvious physical and physiological repercussions, there’s also a point of mental saturation that people have begun to reach.

COVID-19 has revolutionised digital transformations and given companies the confidence to effect online mandates that they thought would take them a year, in a matter of 10 days. But soon after the euphoria died down, the social animals in us started craving the smell of the machine-made office coffee and the physical proximity of friends, family and colleagues. So while we now have access to far richer content on digital platforms than we had before being confined to our homes, are we as responsive to the messages three months into the lockdown, or have we reached the first threshold of digital fatigue?

Digital fatigue is far more than an issue of temperament. For companies, a drop in productivity resulting from digital fatigue can actually end up affecting the bottomline – which is already under duress because of the curbs on manufacturing, mobility and transacting business. For children and adults alike, extended hours in front of the screen can result in eye and neck strain, bad posture, backache and a host of other illnesses. And these are just the physical problems.

Let’s talk about how all this makes people feel. The coronavirus pandemic has forced essentially social beings into home confinement. It took a month of getting used to, but after that it started affecting productivity, morale and interpersonal relationships. Mental health, which has so far been in the spotlight because of work stress and trying relationships, has now got aggravated by the change circumstances brought on by the pandemic.

An increase in instances of domestic abuse has widely been reported in the media across countries and cultures. The economic pressures of losing jobs or facing unexpected salary cuts has resulted in further psychological scars. So let us look beyond those masterchef-style photos of dishes that top executives are cooking up now that they find themselves at home and within close proximity of the kitchen and a colourful shelf of masalas and sauces. Alas, even those recipes need the chef to stare at YouTube videos throughout the time they cook.

So what is the solution? You may ask. I think it’s time we moved into a hybrid model. I advocate safety above all else, but psychological and economic safety is as important as physical safety and the sooner we recognise that, the better it will be for us all and the teams we manage. So let us explore smaller, safer groups connected with each other virtually. Let that be a first step so that we can maintain safe distance without isolating people. With no end in sight and cases on a continual rise, we may be in this precarious health situation for longer than anyone has anticipated. The next best thing is to get used to living with the virus while ensuring our best to be safe, for the sake of ourselves and the people we inevitably have to meet.

We have had enough.
Enough of those rectangular screens of all sizes – it’s time to focus on the circle of life.
Enough of virtual meetings – it’s time for real connections
Enough of fitness videos in air-conditioned corners of our homes – it’s time to go for an unstructured run around the compound.

In an attempt to take control of our lives once again, we cannot afford to compromise safety. Precautions can and need to be taken, but human nature cannot be altered. It’s time for digital downtime to become better human beings, more productive professionals and better parents / children / spouses.

Stay safe, not alone.