Email updates, source of stress-Study

Constant email updates are source of stress that people would be better off without, according to a report by psychologists.

The study recommends having an email app running all the time - something many technology users would consider unimaginable.

According to the report from the London-based Future Work Centre, which conducts psychological research on people's workplace experiences, emails were a "double-edged sword" that provided a useful means of communication but could also be a source of frustration.

The study urges users to seize control of their email instead of being ruled by it. According to the authors, "You may want to consider launching your email application when you want to use email and closing it down for periods when you don't wish to be interrupted by incoming emails.

"In other words, use email when you intend to, not just because it's always running in the background."

The study involved 2,000 working people who offered their inputs about the pros and cons of using email.

The research noted that technology that put people at the continuous beck and call of their emails had created a culture where people felt they needed to be constantly available for work, according to research.

The study pointed out that due to this, an "unwritten organisational etiquette" had become ingrained in the workplace and employees had developed habits which were bad for their emotional well-being.

The study found that email pressure was highest among younger people and steadily decreased with age, according to the findings presented at the annual meeting of the British Psychological Society's Division of Occupational Psychology.

People working in IT, marketing, public relations, the internet and media were most affected.