Sunday, January 10, 2016

Tabula Rosa Systems Blog For 1/10/2016 - Email Can Be A Bad Habit And A Health Hazard




Psychologists warn constant email notifications are 'toxic source of stress'

A culture has developed where people must feel they are constantly available for work, study reveals.
By Lucy Clarke-Billings
2:35PM GMT 02 Jan 2016 www.telegraph.co.uk
The secret to happiness is to ignore an endless stream of emails by turning off your app, according to psychologists who warn constant updates are a "toxic source of stress".
Due to technology enabling people to be at their email’s constant beck and call, a culture has developed where people must feel they are constantly available for work, according to research.
As a result, an “unwritten organisational etiquette” has become ingrained in the workplace and employees have developed habits which negatively impact on their emotional well-being.
Studies have found that continuously checking and reading emails due to a ‘push notification’ feature which alerts users to new messages even when they are not in their Mail app, prompts signs of tension and worry.
And experts have recommended that switching off the ‘Mail’ app on your mobile phone will alleviate anxiety both in and out of the office.
A report from the London-based Future Work Centre, which conducts psychological research on people's workplace experiences, said emails were a "double-edged sword" that provided a useful means of communication but could also be a source of stress.
"Whilst it can be a valuable communication tool, it's clear that it's a source of stress of frustration for many of us,"
Dr Richard MacKinnon
Urging users to seize control of their email instead of being ruled by it, the authors said: "You may want to consider launching your email application when you want to use email and closing it down for periods when you don't wish to be interrupted by incoming emails.
"In other words, use email when you intend to, not just because it's always running in the background."
The team surveyed almost 2,000 working people across a range of industries and occupations in the UK about the pros and cons of using email.
File phoot: higher email pressure was associated with more examples of work having a negative effect on home life, and home life having a negative impact on performance at work  Photo: Alamy
They found that two of the most stressful habits were leaving email on all day and checking emails early in the morning and late at night.
There was a "strong relationship" between use of the "push" feature that automatically updates emails on devices as soon as they arrive and perceived email pressure.
Higher email pressure was associated with more examples of work having a negative effect on home life, and home life having a negative impact on performance at work.
Lead author Dr Richard MacKinnon said: "Our research shows that email is a double-edged sword. Whilst it can be a valuable communication tool, it's clear that it's a source of stress of frustration for many of us.
"The people who reported it being most useful to them also reported the highest levels of email pressure. But the habits we develop, the emotional reactions we have to messages and the unwritten organisational etiquette around email, combine into a toxic source of stress which could be negatively impacting our productivity and wellbeing."
Email pressure was highest among younger people and steadily decreased with age, according to the findings presented at the British Psychological Society's Division of Occupational Psychology annual meeting in Nottingham.
Those working in IT, marketing, public relations, the internet and media were most affected by email stress.
More than 30 per cent of this group received more than 50 emails a day and more than 65 per cent allowed their devices to update emails round the clock.
Experts in digital distraction and productivity have suggested managing the stresses of constant email communication by limiting how often the app is checked, setting Out Of Office replies more frequently and resigning to the fact that, if a matter is urgent, employers will attempt to make contact with a phone call.
In 2014, an estimated 196.3 billion emails were sent around the world, according to the report.
The average adult spent more than an hour a day consulting emails.
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For a great satire on email, visi the following:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTgYHHKs0Zwscoop_post=bcaa0440-2548-11e5-c1bd-90b11c3d2b20&__scoop_topic=2455618
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Another Special Announcement - Tune in to my radio interview,  on Rider University's station, www.1077thebronc.com I discuss my recent book, above on "Your Career Is Calling", hosted by Wanda Ellett.   

In addition to this blog, Netiquette IQ has a website with great assets which are being added to on a regular basis. I have authored the premiere book on Netiquette, “Netiquette IQ - A Comprehensive Guide to Improve, Enhance and Add Power to Your Email". My new book, “You’re Hired! Super Charge Your Email Skills in 60 Minutes. . . And Get That Job!” has just been published and will be followed by a trilogy of books on Netiquette for young people. You can view my profile, reviews of the book and content excerpts at:

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In addition to this blog, I maintain a radio show on BlogtalkRadio  and an online newsletter via paper.li.I have established Netiquette discussion groups with Linkedin and  Yahoo I am also a member of the International Business Etiquette and Protocol Group and Minding Manners among others. I regularly consult for the Gerson Lehrman Group, a worldwide network of subject matter experts and I have been contributing to the blogs Everything Email and emailmonday . My work has appeared in numerous publications and I have presented to groups such as The Breakfast Club of NJ and  PSG of Mercer County, NJ.


I am the president of Tabula Rosa Systems, a “best of breed” reseller of products for communications, email, network management software, security products and professional services.  Also, I am the president of Netiquette IQ. We are currently developing an email IQ rating system, Netiquette IQ, which promotes the fundamentals outlined in my book.

Over the past twenty-five years, I have enjoyed a dynamic and successful career and have attained an extensive background in IT and electronic communications by selling and marketing within the information technology marketplace.Anyone who would like to review the book and have it posted on my blog or website, please contact me paul@netiquetteiq.com.
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