Are you constantly feeling tired and uninterested in your job and hobbies? You could be facing a “digital burnout”. Digital burnout is real and has the same symptoms as regular burnout‚ so it is essential to have a life “outside of the digital sphere”‚ private hospital group Mediclinic says.According to Mediclinic‚ burnout is a psychological term that refers to chronic‚ long-term exhaustion and a decreased interest in work and hobbies.“It’s assumed to result from chronic occupational stress‚ as well as an overload of the mind.”However‚ while digital burnout has the same symptoms as regular burnout‚ it manifests through a different set of causes.The hospital group said on Monday that where regular burnout is caused by physical exhaustion and emotional stress from one’s career‚ it is our social media or online presence and the uptake in mobile devices in that can cause digital burnout.“While previously we could leave our job‚ go home and completely ‘unplug’ from our work life‚ nowadays our online presence and constant dependency on technology keep us connected to work and social circles all the time.”Thato Taka‚ a psychologist at Mediclinic Welkom‚ said that “the difficulty with digital burnout is that it is not easily diagnosed due to the fact that people generally don’t think that being constantly online is a problem”.Taka added that “social media and one’s online presence are more often than not viewed as fun or entertainment”.“What most people don’t realise is that being constantly online and having an online presence is actually work – it demands your attention‚ energy and time!“Anything that requires a significant amount of your attention‚ energy and time over extended periods can be psychologically harmful in the long run. This means that when people experience burnout‚ they are more likely to think that it is as a result of other causes and not their ‘other life’ – as in their digital or online presence‚” the statement read.Taka gives these tips to prevent digital burnout:- Limit your time on social media and online;- Have a life outside the digital sphere;- Unsubscribe from any platform or emails that no longer serve you;- Deactivate push notifications and alerts;- Declutter your cellphone‚ tablet‚ notebook or computer; and- Don’t sleep with your cellphone on your bedside table and limit screen time before you go to bed...