DIGITAL LIFE

Have you heard about the current infoxication epidemic? Check it out here...

A state of distraction, stress and anxiety can be consequences of a problem that combines intoxication and information, better known as infoxication.

The term created in 1996 by Spanish physicist Alfons Cornellá has never been so present in people's lives as it is now. This is mainly due to the democratization of the internet and the strengthening of the digital age. But what does infoxication involve? What are its causes and symptoms? Find out below and see how to avoid this problem.

What is infoxication?...Due to the significant advances in technology in the last three years and the exponential growth of the internet, exposure to a greater amount of information is increasing.

Generally, most people are already connected to some digital device before even brushing their teeth. And throughout the day, it is very common for us to be bombarded by news, social networks, emails, messages in apps, advertisements, among other information that arrives all the time.

This excess of information is what Spanish physicist Alfons Cornellá defined in 1996 as infoxication, which is nothing more than the combination of the words intoxication and information. What Cornellá did not imagine at the time was that the intensity and meaning of the term would become such a present reality in the lives of a large portion of the world's population.

Infoxication: causes...According to a survey by Gartner, which considered interviews with around a thousand employees and managers, 38% of employees say they receive an “excessive” volume of communications in their organization.

If we consider that many of these same people also spend certain hours in their free time on social networks and messaging apps, it is possible to understand why this excess of information is so common today.

However, what many do not realize is that this habit can be the reason for greater episodes of distraction, stress and anxiety within the routine. The main causes of infoxication include: excessive corporate emails, use of digital media, spending too much time on social media, multitasking (watching a video conference while working and browsing other apps, for example) and too much information.

Infoxication: symptoms...To begin with, one of the first symptoms that can appear with infoxication is difficulty in performing tasks. According to studies, frequent interruptions can increase the time needed to complete an activity and reduce the quality of work.

Above all, being constantly connected can make it difficult to make decisions, generating not only difficulties in dedicating oneself to an activity, but also difficulties in filtering information when making decisions.

In addition, excess information can have consequences that impact mental and physical health. Thus, this list includes symptoms such as insomnia, irritability, fatigue and more serious problems, such as cardiovascular diseases.

How to avoid infoxication?...The biggest tip of all is: self-discipline! After all, setting limits is the first step to avoid being swallowed up by infoxication. Especially in your personal life, outside of work, this control can be better managed.

This way, you can make use of daily time alerts from social networks in the apps themselves. Above all, as these limits are respected, it will be increasingly easier to disconnect from the digital world.

So, another good suggestion is to choose outdoor activities, prepare a meal, walk the dog, among others. In addition, you can also choose to filter the information that reaches you.

So, if possible, avoid responding to messages outside of work hours, give preference to reliable sources of information and opt for quality. In this way, you will be able to reduce the dissemination of incorrect and irrelevant information.

mundophone