Tech fatigue is still alive and well with half of Americans dreaming of going off the grid

By SWNS Staff

Six in 10 Americans are currently “Zoomed out” as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to new research.

The survey of 2,000 nationally representative Americans revealed 61% have experienced tech fatigue during the ongoing pandemic.

And 69% of those said it was specifically because of all the time they’ve spent on video calls.

Conducted by OnePoll, on behalf of Vthrive The Vitamin Shoppe ™ CBD, the survey delved into tech fatigue — defined as a feeling of exhaustion after using digital apps and tools — and how respondents are handling it during this time.

Results revealed the average respondent first experienced tech fatigue about 12 weeks into the pandemic.

And of those experiencing tech fatigue, 52% said it’s been a consistent feeling.

That’s perhaps not surprising, though, considering how much time people have been spending on their devices since the start of the pandemic.

According to results, the average respondent has been spending an additional two hours and four minutes per day looking at a screen.

And all of this time is making respondents want to disconnect: 52% said that as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, they’d like to have an opportunity to go off the grid.

Of those, the average respondent would like about eight hours each day where they could be totally tech-free.

That’s not the only effect it’s having on respondents, though: 68% of those experiencing tech fatigue said it has increased their worries during this hectic time.

“We have seen a number of compelling wellness trends evolve from the pandemic and resultant tech fatigue, including a great interest in CBD, as consumers seek out innovative new forms of support for balance. I was particularly interested that this survey revealed that 51% of people want to learn more about CBD,” said Sharon Leite, CEO of The Vitamin Shoppe, the exclusive retailer of Vthrive and plnt CBD.

In fact, the survey delved into the ways in which respondents might unwind — and found that 67% said the pandemic has limited the ways they might usually unwind or find balance in their normal lives.

Typically, some of the most popular ways of maintaining well-being, according to the survey, are spending time with loved ones (51% of respondents), exercising (41%), and watching movies or TV (38%). However, with the disruptions of the pandemic, 56% of people have sought out new ways to find or maintain balance during the pandemic.

Some are turning to new sources of pandemic relief, such as CBD: of the 44% who have used CBD before, almost half (48%) said they tried it for the first time during the COVID-19 pandemic.

And of respondents who use CBD, seven in 10 said it’s helped them to maintain a sense of balance and well-being during the ongoing pandemic.

“CBD is one of our fastest growing health and wellness categories at The Vitamin Shoppe and we see strong consumer interest in learning how to incorporate it into a balanced lifestyle. This interest has only increased as people seek out solutions for pandemic fatigue, tech fatigue and quarantine fatigue,” said Sharon Leite, CEO of The Vitamin Shoppe, the exclusive retailer of Vthrive and plnt CBD.

HOW DO RESPONDENTS TYPICALLY MAINTAIN BALANCE AND WELL-BEING IN THEIR LIVES?