We all have stress – and most of it comes from our jobs. In 2009, 69% of employees polled by the American Psychological Association reported that work was a significant source of stress. 41% of employees said they typically feel stressed out during the work day. On top of that, 51% said stress impaired their productivity at work.
A device called the emWave is becoming popular for relieving stress; it’s a way to reduce stress, using technology. emWave measures an individual’s heart beat and the time intervals between their heart beats (a measure known as heart rate variability) through a sensor that attaches to the ear lobe. Lights that blink red in response to an individual’s heart rate variability indicate when someone is stressed, angry or frustrated. When the lights on the device switch from red to blue, it indicates that the person is moving into a more “coherent” physical and emotional state. When the lights flash green, the individual is relaxed and their major body functions are working together, instead of against each other, as in a stressed state. emWave can be used with breathing techniques to teach your body how to calm and relax.
What do you think about this? Is this Hype, and you don’t think this technology will help IT leaders distress? Or, do you think managing your stress like a complex system is ideal for IT leaders, and this device is Ripe? How stressful is work these days for you and do you think IT is a particularly stressful part of the business to work in? Share your comments below.
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