Technology Stress presentation at Joburg 27Dinner

This is the Technology stress presentation delivered at the 27Dinner event in Johannesburg. I will be updating this post with a summary of the key points discussed. Although you can download the file from Slideshare.net because it has sources and references in the presentation notes.

We live in an always-on, hyperconnected world. And yet, we are more distracted, more anxious, and more overwhelmed than ever before. This is not a coincidence. This is technology stress, and it’s the silent epidemic of our digital age.

Every ping, buzz, and notification is a demand for your attention. A micro-invasion of your peace. Our smartphones, once hailed as tools of empowerment, have become leashes. Social media platforms gamify our emotions. Email has replaced rest. Zoom has blurred the boundaries between work and home.

The irony? We created technology to save time—and now we use all our time managing technology.

In my coaching and talks, I often ask: Who owns your attention? If it’s not you, then you’ve already surrendered the most valuable thing you have.

Technology stress isn’t just mental—it’s physical. Poor sleep. Eye strain. Constant fatigue. It creeps into our relationships, our focus, our sense of purpose. We scroll to escape, only to find ourselves more drained than before.

But it doesn’t have to be this way.

We need a digital detox mindset—not once a year, but every day. Turn off push notifications. Take intentional screen breaks. Reclaim mornings without screens. Spend more time with people than with pixels.

Most importantly, ask yourself daily: Is this tool serving me—or am I serving it?

It’s time we stop being slaves to our screens and start using technology on our own terms. Your mind, your peace, and your life depend on it. This technology stress presentation is blow: