Why the sound of office group notifications causes stress during working from home

The work-from-home (WFH) policy on Fridays for civil servants (ASN) has changed how employees interact with their tasks. With no physical presence in the office, almost all coordination and completion of tasks now depend entirely on digital devices such as laptops and gadgets. However, this dependence carries unwanted side effects for mental health. Employees often feel pressured to respond promptly to prove they are working and not just relaxing at home. This condition triggers digital anxiety, leading ASN staff to work excessively. ‘Our brains associate all notifications, all our devices — such as laptops and mobile phones — with work,’ Clement said when contacted recently. Working, essentially, involves targets that demand energy, and when you work on Friday WFH, those demands are channelled directly via notifications on your personal devices. As a result, unconsciously the brain equates notification sounds with work that awaits completion at home. Over time, simply by looking at a device screen or hearing notification sounds from the office group, the body reacts with stress. The anxious feelings are very normal because the brain begins to view electronic devices as a pressure source that has no end. ‘Indirectly, notifications become associated with anxiety, leading to digital anxiety,’ Clement explained. Unlike when working in the office, the remote-working system often makes you guess the expected performance standards.