I was asked to proofread a blog the other day.
Once again, I may have… slightly hijacked it.
The original piece was about digital fatigue and the lie that is “multitasking.” Both are very real problems in modern workplaces, and if we’re honest, most of us know exactly what they look like.
Let me tell you a story.
About cough ten cough years ago I attended a week-long training. My mobile phone stayed in my bag for the entire week. I appeared to be the only person attempting this radical experiment.
Around me people were checking emails, replying to messages, stepping out to take calls, and occasionally glancing up at the training they had technically paid to attend (it was really expensive training as well!)
The moment that stuck with me the most was during a mindfulness activity. Several people had to step out to answer emails. Not before the activity started. Not after it finished. During.
Now, I’m not a productivity guru, but I’m reasonably confident that mindfulness doesn’t work quite as well when you’re answering emails halfway through.
At one point someone asked why I wasn’t checking my phone.
“My team has it covered,” I said. “The only calls I’ll take are if there’s an emergency with my kids.”
Their response?
“Society says we have to be available 24/7.”
Here’s the thing, we, collectively, are society and we get to say that we don’t have to be available 24/7.
That was ten years ago.
And somehow… it’s worse now.
The Weekend Email Confession
Fast forward to last week.
I called a staff member in for a chat.
“Someone mentioned you’re checking emails on the weekend.”
The response was immediate.
“If I don’t, I’ll start the week behind the eight ball. I need to delete the spam and know what I’m walking into.”
This morning a staff member said to me ‘I saw the email about the group when I was at home but I didn’t know whether it was ok to reply to the email when I was at home and not working’ the problem isn’t the replying, the problem is, why are you LOOKING at emails when you aren’t working?
Now I understand the logic. It feels responsible. It feels organised.
But here’s the problem: work has quietly crept into every available moment of our lives.
Work is for work.
Home is for not work.
Somewhere along the way we shifted from letters (which took days), to phone calls (which took minutes), to email (which took seconds), to instant messaging (which apparently requires responses before you’ve even finished reading the message).
The result is a strange modern belief that everything is urgent and everyone must be available all the time.
But the truth is:
Most things are not urgent.
And very few things cannot wait until Monday.
As my colleague likes to say ‘we are not paediatric heart surgeons, it will wait!’
What Is Digital Fatigue?
Digital fatigue happens when the constant stream of emails, notifications, messages, reminders, and alerts overwhelms our brain’s ability to focus.
Every notification pulls our attention away from what we’re doing. Even a quick glance at a message interrupts concentration.
Research shows it can take several minutes to fully regain focus after an interruption. If that happens dozens of times a day, it’s no surprise people feel exhausted by 4pm.
Despite what we tell ourselves, I don’t care if you are an ADHD ‘oh shiny’ person, our brains are not designed to constantly switch between tasks.
What Notifications Actually Do to Our Brain
When we’re constantly interrupted, several things happen:
Cognitive overload – Too much incoming information makes it harder to prioritise and make decisions.
Reduced focus – Frequent interruptions prevent us from engaging in deep, meaningful work.
Increased stress – The expectation of immediate responses creates pressure, even when the task isn’t actually urgent.
Mental exhaustion – Constant digital stimulation means our brains never really get a break.
Over time this can lead to overwhelm, reduced job satisfaction, and eventually burnout.
Signs You Might Have Digital Fatigue
Many people experience digital fatigue without recognising it. Some common signs include:
• Feeling mentally drained after a day of emails and online meetings
• Struggling to concentrate on complex tasks
• Checking messages compulsively
• Difficulty switching off after work
• Feeling irritated by “just one more email”
Sound familiar?
Creating Healthier Digital Habits
Reducing digital fatigue doesn’t mean abandoning technology (tempting though that may be. I really wish that is what it meant!!!). It simply means using it more intentionally.
Some simple strategies include:
Encourage focus time – Blocks of uninterrupted work without notifications allow people to do deep, meaningful work. When do you do your best work? Is it in the morning or after lunch? I know I do my best work in the morning and I am most sluggish to get started after lunch. I don’t open my emails until I have done some deep meaningful work and then I open the emails after lunch.
Set clear communication expectations – Not every message requires an immediate response. Let’s be honest, not every message needs A response let alone immediate. I saw a great email signature that said ‘I take up to 3 business days to check my emails and a further 3 business days to consider my response and get back to you. The instant message culture of today does not fit with my style of communication and reflection. Kind regards.’ How beautiful is that!?!
Limit unnecessary meetings – Not everything needs to be a meeting. Especially a meeting that could have been an email. Or a document. Or a post it note. Or possibly nothing at all. (I’m a huge fan of a post it note meeting!)
Promote digital boundaries – Encouraging people to disconnect after work helps protect recovery time.
Yes, even from emails.
A More Sustainable Way of Working
Technology isn’t the enemy. It has made communication faster and collaboration easier.
But without boundaries, the constant flow of notifications quietly erodes focus, productivity, and wellbeing.
Ironically, the more we try to multitask and stay on top of everything, the less effective we actually become.
Sometimes the most productive thing you can do is:
Close your email.
Silence your notifications.
Finish the thing you started.
And maybe — just maybe — leave your phone in your bag for a while.
It worked surprisingly well ten years ago.