Page 32 - August-2020-Issue

ARTICLE

regular transactions causing
stress and fatigue.

COVID-19 itself

Another cause of increased feel-
ings of lassitude is the pandemic
itself. Previously when work at
home was exercised partially in
certain jobs as per the company
policies or employee discretion,
it came like a positive perk of the
job. In the current situation, how-
ever, screens act as a reminder
of the information in the sub-
conscious mind that this work
from home is not an opportunity
break range from taking a show- added pressure of being watched or choice but rather an imposed
er, cooking a quick meal, feed- creates unique noise in mind. decision as a disease prevention
ing the baby, laundry, cleaning, Often, we get conscious and measure. With such thoughts,
giving attention to family, pets, caught in seeing ourself on the employees can find themselves
making a drink etc. This has the screen and thinking about how unwillingly trapped in feelings
risk of further increasing work we appear to others. According of stress, isolation, boredom, low
fatigue and listlessness. to Jeremy Bailenson, the found- mood, anger, irritability, insom-
ing director of Stanford's Virtual nia and other physical and men-
Virtual work fatigue Human Interaction Lab, such tal health problems.
platforms naturally put us in a
Much before COVID-19 organi- position that is unnatural. For COVID-19 has been aptly termed
zations have been using informa- instance, a professor teaching in as one of the biggest psychologi-
tion tools extensively to take ad- a virtual classroom where most cal experiment for which we may
vantage of a globally dispersed students are logged in an audio have to pay a heavy price by
workforce. However, post CO- mode misses out on the natural WEF. The large no of Whatsapp
VID-19 imposed lockdown the cues and responses to his words. forwards and conflicting theo-
social interactions have got ex- In some cases, it becomes like a ries on corona is further playing
tremely limited, leading to a feel- one-sided communication and havoc with people's mind with
ing of being consumed by screens the teaching experience monoto- an experience quite similar to a
like never. Be it ordering grocer- nous for the professor. There is hypochondriac person. The same
ies, children studying online or a high probability of experienc- gets reflected in people hoarding
fulfilling our job responsibili- ing increased negative emotions sanitizers, masks and paper rolls
ties remotely or connecting with like irritability, worry, loneliness or being unduly alarmed for mi-
friends and family over facetime. and dissatisfaction in employees nor psychological or physiologi-
Though virtual work collapses in a teleworking scenario. Flaws cal symptoms.
the boundaries of time and place, like slow internet connection of
total reliance on the same affects a team member, interruptions, Acknowledging the above fac-
us at a psychological level. The repetitions or silence induced tors causing work lassitude is
knowledge that you are work- by technological lags can further important but reflecting on our
ing online because of an extrane- accentuate the need to engage thought process and how we re-
ous stressor COVID-19, and the in surface acting in otherwise spond to it is even more critical.

32 KaleidOscope August, 2020