Technostress in Professional Communication

After wrapping up 2025, we reflected on how tech FOMO is still a real burden for many, and we cannot continue to ignore its impact.

Communication overload is pushing many people to their limits. At work, in particular, those addicted to constant connectivity use every available channel, like Slack, Teams, WhatsApp, chat apps, or social media DMs, to reach the same people, multiplying the burden for everyone without any real gain in efficiency or effectiveness. 

These tools are often imposed by companies, schools, organisations, etc. to present themselves as modern and competitive, increase the perceived responsiveness, or centralise data, while tech vendors benefit from data gathering, widespread adoption, subscriptions, and visibility. However... what are the real mental and physical benefits for the team on the receiving end, who bear the actual cognitive and emotional costs? Think about your immediate circles... 

Technostress, first used in the early 80s, is the stress resulting from juggling multiple platforms, constant notifications, and pressure to respond to unsolicited messaging, with consequences like poor focus, reduced memory, lower attention span and cognitive performance, burnout, negative stress or misunderstandings, mood alterations and information loss, not to mention the addiction to being glued to the screen while walking on the street, meetings while driving, working out, loud video calls on speakerphone even in hospital waiting rooms, public transport, etc.). We know that constant digital engagement in children and young adults results in poor sleep and lifestyle choices, and serious attention issues during different learning stages, when their brains should be like sponges.

Some of these tools can be useful and more practical but they are not innocent nor neutral. The overused and misleading mantra “tech is not good or bad, it’s how we use it”, as we all know by now, does not match real human behaviour and now is a good time to face reality and not cling to utopia. Some of these tools are intentionally designed to capture attention and encourage maximum engagement through notifications, alerts, and feedback loops.

After-hours messaging is also becoming normalised and widespread, with most teams adapting without complaining, even when many acknowledge in private (real case scenario) that this is not a positive change to their lifestyle. Only a small percentage are able to protect their digital environment.

Some will argue that AI is here to solve communication overload through automation. Surely it already works in certain sectors and the future will surprise us with new and better proposals, but in our day to day work life, we are still at the stage where we only have access to basic, sometimes inefficient AI that overcomplicates what used to be a straight forward task, or that do not fully solve a problem. and users who had been pushed to automate everything end up having to speak to humans to save the situation, which is common sense. Automating communication without thoughtful design can amplify noise and frustration rather than reduce it.

Our reflection is based on extensive tech use and our own real-life experience. For 2026 onwards we make a wish: that the communication frenzy stabilises and becomes more purposeful, and more civilised. Anything else risks overwhelming the team's attention, eroding abilities, and normalising stress going forward.

AI Image generated by Traffic Seven.