Which is more stressful: email or no email?

A new study suggests that the stress of dealing with email causes health problems. In the study, those without email felt more productive and focused. But as anyone who relies on email can tell you, it’s also stressful to be on vacation from this pervasive form of communication. Some study participants reported feeling isolated—which is also stressful—when they were away from email.

So are you stressed if you do and stressed if you don’t?  Or is there another, better option?

Yes there is.  It’s the GTD approach to getting email under control. You can stay connected, or take a vacation away from email, and trust that your decision is healthy.

You can read more about the study in this article from the Atlantic.

The Latest ‘Ordinary Thing That Will Probably Kill You’? Email

By Megan Garber

Your inbox is stressing you out, a new study finds.


“You’ve Got Wail.” / Original image of Edvard Munch’s “The Scream” via Ian Burt/Flickr.
 
Here are some things about your job that could lead you to an early demise:

Now, we can add one more X to the X WILL KILL YOU work party: your email. Well, sort of. A new study, a collaboration between UC Irvine and the U.S. Army, measured the stress effects of email usage on a group of thirteen Army workers in a “suburban office setting.”

 

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4 Comments

  1. Interesting article and it does seem to be the ultimate paradox – to get Away, but also to stay connected and be Found. That’s one thing our company tries to help with too. Big fan of GTD system overall, and glad you guys are helping bring to light some of the solutions to solving this problem out there!

    Kristen, AwayFind.com

  2. Handling email the GTD way has been great for me. I still have to be careful not to use email as a distraction.

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