Technology / Stress / Control

Our lives keep getting more stressful by the day.  Whether it is stress put on us by our employer, clients, families, or self, we cannot seem to escape.  The demands increase, yet our ability to manage decreases.  How we define stress levels is dependent on the individual.  How one handles a stressful situation can be based on past experiences: physical, mental, and emotional.  What tools do you use to manage or control your stress? 

Research by organizations like the World Health Organization and LEED, among others, has shown that reducing stress in the workplace is imperative to a healthy lifestyle.  Reducing stress is a priority for businesses as it affects productivity, absences, among many things.  While a "stress-free" work environment is unattainable, many corporations include outdoor amenities to help employees connect with the natural environment directly, which has proven to boost morale.  This strategy is not just for the workplace; education, senior living, and care facilities also benefit from the inclusion of natural views. Research shows that incorporating the natural environment has positive effects on those with dementia or other cognitive disorders.  While a direct view of green space or outdoors is a priority and most desirable, many aspects of nature are beneficial.  Natural materials, colors, incorporation of natural shapes and forms, and natural daylighting simulation help reduce stress.

Let's go back to my earlier question.  What tools do you use to manage stress? It's hard to answer that question without immediately associating software.  I like a paper day planner:  daily sheets with the hours listed, which helps me track meetings and travel time.  Below is a notes section where I can add my to-do list for the day.  Others may be more current and use an electronic form.  While I refer to my paper planner consistently during the day, I rely on my computer calendar in my email with clients and colleagues and transfer the information.  

While technology is a stress management tool, it can also be a source of stress.  Since the early 2000s, in particular, our lives have been inundated with technology, mainly social media.  Platforms continue to develop, and it's impossible to keep up.  Upon its inception, Facebook was a software platform that college students used to communicate socially.  Today businesses are abandoning conventional website hosting and using the Facebook platform for their business's electronic voice.  Or companies have both mainstream websites and social media websites.  Technology has become essential to businesses' success, so much so, you can hire a social media consultant to "post" on the company platforms.   It's a full-time job.

The challenge is finding what you can control and manage as needed.  Let go of what you can not control.  As designers, we must consider the overall space and various aspects of the client's wellbeing.  Otherwise, we will miss the mark, which can be detrimental to the health of the user.