Technostress: What It Is and How to Manage It

The components of technology strain and the practices that address each mechanism

What is technostress and what are evidence-based ways to reduce it?

Technostress, a term systematised by Larry Rosen, describes the cognitive, emotional, and physiological strain produced by technology overload, complexity, insecurity, and the blurring of work-life boundaries by always-on devices. It is a real and measurable phenomenon with physiological correlates; the most evidence-supported interventions involve boundary-setting, recovery breaks, and reducing the perceived demand to be continuously available.

Larry Rosen’s research program, developed over three decades, distinguishes several forms of technology-related stress: the strain of complexity and forced upgrades (techno-overload), anxiety about security and privacy (techno-insecurity), the tension of constant change (techno-complexity), and the invasion of personal time by work technology (techno-invasion). Each component has distinct mechanisms and benefits from different interventions. The practices below address the most common and well-evidenced forms of technostress.