UBP recently welcomed colleagues in Geneva to a session of its Well‑Being Talks. The series of mini-conferences is designed as a forum to help employees look after their physical and mental health.
This session, titled ‘Digital Detox’ and featuring Mario Sgarrella, Founder of Unpluggo, was about harnessing the power and value of technology without letting ‘digital overload’ set in.
As a former marketing and communications professional, Mario Sgarella described how constant connectivity can fuel ‘Zoom fatigue’ and dopamine‑driven scrolling for social validation. He argued that high‑quality work depends on high concentration, and that digital minimalism – using only the technology that truly serves your goals – is a powerful antidote.
He noted that Switzerland’s 2022 job‑stress index showed about a third of people feel stressed and tired, often due to after‑hours constraints and the expectation of constant availability. They can protect their energy by limiting interruptions and focusing on one task at a time. Boredom, he added, has a purpose – it creates space for new ideas.
Practical tips included deactivating non‑essential notifications, checking messages once or twice a day, and keeping screens away from the dinner table and the last hour before bedtime. He also advised treating a phone like a washing machine – functional, not recreational.
‘Digital minimalism is about choosing what helps – and letting go of what doesn’t.’
Mario Sgarrella, Digital Trainer & Founder of Unpluggo
