Source: https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/teacher-cpd/cpd-stop-talking-about-wellbeing-seneca-certified/1-1-1-physiological-impact-of-email [Revision notes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes.md) › [Teacher CPD](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/teacher-cpd.md) › [CPD: Stop Talking About Wellbeing - Seneca Certified](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/teacher-cpd/cpd-stop-talking-about-wellbeing-seneca-certified.md) › Physiological Impact of Email # Physiological Impact of Email CPD: Stop Talking About Wellbeing (by Kat Howard), topic 1.1.1 ## The Physiological Impact of Email An overlooked aspect of the workplace is the physiological impact of email. ### Loughborough University study ![Loughborough University study](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/courseImages/chemistry/6.1.1%20Calculating%20rates%20of%20reactions/blood-pressure-1006791_640-min.jpg) - A study carried out by the University of Loughborough found that effects included increased blood pressure, heart rate, cortisol rates and candidates’ perceived stress. - This was accompanied by additional wider implications of email abuse, with examples of management via email as opposed to face-to-face meetings, social detachment of staff and lots of emails to confirm discussions or meetings had taken place in a ‘cover-your back’ approach to duties. ### Impact on work productivity ![Impact on work productivity](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-03/2540cce7-5f8e-4513-b62a-ab4aab2e450b/shutterstock_566238307.jpg) - In addition, email interruption took a greater-than-expected amount of time, which impacted work productivity, an aspect somewhat overlooked by research study: - If you are checking emails during lessons because you feel there isn’t a choice, how is your teaching impacted as a result? - If you are reading over a deadline-enforcing email at home, how might this affect your mood, or your ability to focus on other things as a consequence? ### Future Work Centre study ![Future Work Centre study](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2020-06/81616231-c9bb-4705-9d40-c5511a8ec632/email-4800274_1920.png) - A study carried out by the Future Work Centre found that there was a ‘strong relationship’ between use of the ‘push’ feature that automatically updates emails on devices as soon as they arrive and perceived email pressure: **‘People feel compelled to check emails as they arrive, even if they know they aren’t required to do so.’**. ### Poor strategies are quick fixes ![Poor strategies are quick fixes](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2020-06/469e992e-e77b-4d09-b9e7-9ee0dfa26681/plaster-.jpg) - The study identified that implemented strategies, which didn’t actually address the core issues behind how email left colleagues feeling, generated quick fixes but were not sustainable within a matter of months. ### No remedy for stress levels ![No remedy for stress levels](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2020-06/17c88bac-e97a-4c05-8365-d157f366e0f1/email-3777098_1920.png) - More significantly, ‘email-free time’ did not provide a remedy to the stressor levels. - In the most toxic of schools with a high email count (a recent Twitter poll showed that emails in some schools were in excess of 40 a day), email-free time would just be putting off all the fleeting ideas or messages sat drafted in outboxes. ## Test yourself on Physiological Impact of Email - In the Loughborough University study on the impact of emails, what did candidates NOT show signs of? - What negative uses of emailing did the Loughborough Study find? Type the missing words in the box below the answers. - In the Future Work Centre study, how successful were strategies that didn’t actually address the core issues behind how colleagues felt about emails? [Practise this topic for free](https://app.senecalearning.com/classroom/course/4fad6769-c7c6-40ad-9a09-541da1441c6f/section/60187654-257c-4539-b257-48df5961eb3e/session) - Next topic: [1.1.2 Appropriate Use of Email](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/teacher-cpd/cpd-stop-talking-about-wellbeing-seneca-certified/1-1-2-appropriate-use-of-email.md) ## CPD: Stop Talking About Wellbeing (by Kat Howard) contents ### 1 Conversation & Connection - 1.1 Email - [1.1.1 Physiological Impact of Email](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/teacher-cpd/cpd-stop-talking-about-wellbeing-seneca-certified/1-1-1-physiological-impact-of-email.md) - [1.1.2 Appropriate Use of Email](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/teacher-cpd/cpd-stop-talking-about-wellbeing-seneca-certified/1-1-2-appropriate-use-of-email.md) - 1.2 WhatsApp - [1.2.1 Damaging Impacts & Advice for WhatsApp](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/teacher-cpd/cpd-stop-talking-about-wellbeing-seneca-certified/1-2-1-damaging-impacts-and-advice-for-whatsapp.md) - 1.3 Praise & Thank-Yous - [1.3.1 Giving Less Praise, Better](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/teacher-cpd/cpd-stop-talking-about-wellbeing-seneca-certified/1-3-1-giving-less-praise-better.md) ### 2 Being Human: Effective Relationships in Schools - 2.1 Dealing with Colleagues, Roles & Resolution - [2.1.1 Choose Your Crowd](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/teacher-cpd/cpd-stop-talking-about-wellbeing-seneca-certified/2-1-1-choose-your-crowd.md) - [2.1.2 Changing Hats](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/teacher-cpd/cpd-stop-talking-about-wellbeing-seneca-certified/2-1-2-changing-hats.md) - [2.1.3 Resolution & Compassion](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/teacher-cpd/cpd-stop-talking-about-wellbeing-seneca-certified/2-1-3-resolution-and-compassion.md) - 2.2 Creating Professional Safety Nets - [2.2.1 Create Something to Belong To](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/teacher-cpd/cpd-stop-talking-about-wellbeing-seneca-certified/2-2-1-create-something-to-belong-to.md) - 2.3 Educational Leaders - [2.3.1 Problems with Leadership in Schools](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/teacher-cpd/cpd-stop-talking-about-wellbeing-seneca-certified/2-3-1-problems-with-leadership-in-schools.md) - [2.3.2 The Qualities of the Most Effective Leaders](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/teacher-cpd/cpd-stop-talking-about-wellbeing-seneca-certified/2-3-2-the-qualities-of-the-most-effective-leaders.md) - 2.4 Connections in the Classroom: Student Systems - [2.4.1 Behavioural Systems](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/teacher-cpd/cpd-stop-talking-about-wellbeing-seneca-certified/2-4-1-behavioural-systems.md)