BY KATHRYN RUSCITTO,
ADVISOR
Clinicians hear it every day, stressed patients, and stressed staff. The pressures of changing systems, social media chatter, and a world that seems to be restructuring at every level.
Change is not new. We have lived through transitions in the agricultural era, the industrial era, and age of information and now the age of technology.
What’s new is the speed at which it’s occurring and the demands on our time. How does an individual learn and apply new knowledge when they feel overloaded and stressed by emerging technology?
Techno stress is a documented result of technology demands on our lives. What are some current tips for approaches that help us cope.
Personal Habits
• Create “off” windows: set daily periods (for example, meals, evenings, or a fixed 2–3 hour block) with devices in another room with notifications off.
• Use “single task” blocks: limit email and messaging checks instead of constant monitoring; research on digital overload shows that continuous partial attention drives exhaustion.
• Practice short, regular reset rituals: brief walks, breathing exercises, or mindful pauses reduce the anxiety from the overload.
• Agree on response time norms with colleagues, boards, or teams (e.g., “email is for 24‑hour responses, text is for true urgent issues”); consistent expectations reduce the pressure to respond instantly.
• Push for simple rules about after‑hours communication (no expectation of replies after a set time, delayed send for late night emails); organizational studies show that after hours demands significantly increase burnout.
• Where you can, simplify toolsets: fewer platforms. This applies to all AI bots.
Ultimately we have to place an individual priority on managing the amount of change, and our work environments must also recognize the importance of boundaries.
We must learn and find the right framework that works for us.
A young woman on one of my social media feeds was describing how she focuses on service to others as a way of coping. Clearly understanding that while she cannot slow down the pace of change and demands on her time, she can find a focus that helps her cope.
For me it’s taking time to recognize others who are stressed and ask how I can best support their work.
Peter Drucker said, “The greatest danger in time’s of turbulence is not the turbulence, it is to act with yesterday’s logic.”
Learn, apply boundaries, take risks with new tools, listen and support those around you. We have before us a unique opportunity to use the accelerated knowledge to better diagnose, treat and prevent. First, we must ensure we are personally well positioned and then we can turn to help others.
Resources
Mind–body and mindfulness
• NCCIH (NIH) – Mind and Body Approaches for Stress and Anxiety: Summaries of the evidence for mindfulness, yoga, relaxation, and related practices, plus patient‑friendly links.[nccih.nih]
• Harvard Stress & Development Lab – Mindfulness Apps list: list of reputable apps like Insight Timer, Calm, and Smiling Mind .[sdlab.fas.harvard]
• Mindful.org – Mindfulness Apps With Mental Health Support: Short reviews of apps such as Sanvello, Rootd, and Unwinding Anxiety that blend CBT and mindfulness.
Kathryn Ruscitto, Advisor, can be reached at linkedin.com/in/kathrynruscitto or
at krusct@gmail.com
