Why the transition to "online" is more stressful than in-person
The advent of COVID-19 has brought with it numerous changes to daily living in the lives of individuals across the country. At a baseline, the protocols surrounding mask use and social distancing are prevalent across the board. For many, however, guidelines are even more strict and all “in-person” work or school has been replaced with an online or virtual alternative which provides safety from potential viral exposure, but brings with it other challenges.
As we approached the fall 2020 semester, I was sad that I wasn’t going to be able to see my friends due to my virtual learning format, but I was excited to have an “easier” semester because of the transition to virtual meetings, events, and even work. When I think back, I realize that my excitement would soon be met with more fatigue and stress than I was used to even when I was in person at my busiest. A friend of mine and I discussed why this was the case a few weeks ago and it’s something I think of a lot, now.
When we’re online, there really aren’t any breaks. This was the realization that took me the longest to have. In reality, even though we’re not forced to get out of the house and walk to and from various locations when we’re online, there is a different expectation. Our days are more easily filled when we’re online, and it’s clear that everyone has taken advantage of that. This year I have a three and a half hour break in between my morning and afternoon classes, and I more frequently have more meetings in that break than there are hours available to me. Part of this is my own fault for committing to multiple responsibilities, but part of it also comes from the fact that we’re almost expected to be more available now that things are virtual. It’s common knowledge now that when we’re online we can schedule things back-to-back without the need for breaks for walking time, etc. It’s like we’re trying to stuff meeting after meeting right next to each other without understanding that the human body isn’t built to be constantly running, even if that’s only mentally.
Another piece that I think becomes an issue is that, pre-COVID, a lot of individuals, especially in my age group, used technology as our escape. I know for me, when I worked in person before COVID, I would find myself taking a break, I’d also find myself using my break to “destress” on my phone or laptop. Catching up with social media or a short game gave me a respite from the rest of the world so that I would feel ready to get back into it after the 15 minutes were up. Now, though, what used to be an escape is now a part of our daily lives and is directly associated with stress of all kinds. From work and school responsibilities to news and updates about the pandemic itself, electronic devices are no longer a way of avoiding stress but a direct stressor, and yet we likely still fall back on our electronics during our “breaks” out of habit. This overload of electronic input combined with a new form of anxiety and stress is another reason I’ve found the new virtual world we’re in to be tough on our mental health.
There is, of course, no perfect solution to these epiphanies I had with my friend a few weeks ago. Until we have widespread access to an effective vaccine, we’re likely going to be “online” a lot. Looking to my next semester, I hope to be able to focus on “unplugging” every once in a while and not tuning into whatever electronic feedback the world is offering. I also hope to find some way to segment out my days so that my responsibilities are not constantly back-to-back. These steps might be difficult, but I know that they’re necessary to keep me from burning out from the comfort of my own living room.