Freelance

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Jamie Hailstone is a freelance journalist and author, who has also contributed to numerous national business titles including Utility Week, the Municipal Journal, Environment Journal and consumer titles such as Classic Rock.
January 17, 2019

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Mental Health & Wellbeing

One in four workers find it difficult to mentally switch off from work

More than a quarter of British workers find it difficult to mentally switch off from work, according to a new study.

The study by psychologists Nikhita Blackburn and Helen Rayner, which was presented last week at a British Psychological Society conference, found people who are “always on” tend to be more engaged at work, but also suffer from more stress and a poorer work-life balance.

More than a quarter (28%) of the people who took part in the study said they found it difficult to switch off mentally, 26% reported interference with their personal life and 20% mental exhaustion.

More than 1,100 workers completed the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator assessment as part of the study, which measures four aspects of personality, including whether people have an extraverted or introverted approach to life.

smartphoneParticipants also answered questions on the advantages and disadvantages of being always connected, as well as behaviours like compulsive checking of mobile phones, the ability to switch off, and distraction caused by phone use.

Their levels of job satisfaction, work-related stress and work-life conflict were also assessed.

“Technology has revolutionised how we communicate and how we manage our work and personal life and people can feel under pressure to be available for work-related communication at all times. This is unlikely to suit every personality,” said Ms Blackman.

“In the short term, people who are more engaged in their job may be tempted to be always on, but this may impair wellbeing and job performance over the longer term.

“Organisations might consider helping their staff recognise the ‘sweet spot’ between using technology to increase engagement and becoming a slave to it, as well as setting clear expectations about technology use outside work,” she added.

Earlier this month, SHP Online reported that the largest teaching union in Scotland, EIS had warned its members that checking work emails out-of-ours can impact their mental health and wellbeing.

In new advice for university lecturers, EIS stated that checking work emails during personal time is contributing to an “excessive long-hours culture” for many teachers.

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