If You’ve Found The Volume Of Online Communication Totally Overwhelming, Please Don’t Be Afraid To Take A Break

I’ve been living under lockdown for more than a week now, and like most people in my situation I’ve found that my phone has become my best friend. I use it for just about everything. I use it to read the news and keep track of the grim COVID-19 updates. I’ll spend hours watching YouTube and Netflix on it. I’ll reply to work emails, order food and open Tinder before quickly realising there really isn’t a point to swiping left or right if your social distancing yourself from others.

Good job I’ve got one of those overpriced smart battery cases, right?

I spend the majority of my time, however, communicating and interacting with friends and family online. At any given moment, I’m likely to be found either replying to messages, checking notifications or speaking on the phone — perhaps more than I have ever done before in my life. And while it’s perfectly natural for people to crave more human contact at times like this, when so much appears uncertain and we feel increasingly isolated in our small living spaces, I’ve found the sheer volume of these online communication absolutely and utterly exhausting.