Proceedings of the 7th World Conference on Education and Teaching
Year: 2025
DOI:
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Managing Digital Stress: Emotional Intelligence as a Key to Coping and Learning
Darja Pipuš
ABSTRACT:
Digital technologies have transformed education and daily life, improving accessibility and fostering innovation. However, they have also introduced significant challenges, particularly digital stress. This paper explores the relationship between digital stress and emotional intelligence (EI), focusing on how stress from digital engagement impacts emotional regulation, self-awareness, and well-being. Digital stress, characterized by constant connectivity, excessive screen time, and multitasking, often leads to physical, cognitive, emotional, and behavioural strain, which can impair students’ ability to cope effectively in today’s digital age.
Building on theoretical research and insights from the year-long Digital Me Erasmus+ project, involving over 100 students aged 13–15 from Slovenia, Germany, and Spain, this paper examines practical strategies for mitigating digital stress while fostering EI in educational settings. The project revealed that many students lack awareness of digital stress, yet exhibit clear symptoms such as reduced focus, heightened anxiety, and difficulty managing emotions. By integrating activities that promote emotional regulation, mindfulness, and digital detox practices, educators can equip students with tools to manage stress effectively and develop resilience.
This paper highlights the importance of incorporating emotional intelligence development into classrooms to balance the demands of digital engagement. Strategies such as structured mindfulness exercises, healthy digital habits, and fostering face-to-face collaboration offer actionable solutions for reducing digital stress and enhancing emotional well-being. These approaches provide educators with practical frameworks to create supportive, emotionally intelligent learning environments that empower students to thrive in a digitally connected world.
keywords: digital stress, education, emotional intelligence, resilience, stress management