How Do You Maintain Your Digital Devices? One More Aspect Of Emotional Well-being

According to observations by psychologists, during the months of the pandemic there has been an increase in “technostress”; a CCleaner study shows that around 70% of Spaniards regularly experience stress if their electronic devices do not work properly and that close to 80% associate the proper functioning of these instruments with their emotional well-being.

The proper functioning of digital devices reinforces mental health

Keeping electronic devices tidy, clean and free of “digital trash” is associated with an improvement in the mental health of Spanish consumers, according to research developed by CCleaner a leader in system optimization software.

The results of this study show that around 80% of users experience satisfaction or relaxation when devices such as smartphones, tablets and computers are optimized and their software resources are well organized, without being weighed down by unnecessary elements.

In this sense, 81% of those surveyed affirm that the proper functioning of these products is an important issue for them, and Slow operation and decreased performance of devices generates a significant level of stress in 70% of people

Relationships with a partner or friendship at a distance, teleworking, self-taught learning through the Internet… The rapid digitalization of personal and professional life has meant that computers in all their formats and mobile phones have become integrated into the daily lives of millions. of people, so that technology has become an inseparable companion for many users.

It no longer has to do with simply waiting more or less for a page to “load” on our screens; If a smartphone or computer does not work as it should, it affects a large number of activities that we could be doing Therefore, the malfunction of one of these devices can generate a qualitative change in people’s quality of life; Hence, the relationship between the psychological well-being of consumers and the proper functioning of their electronic products has become very close.

So, around 75% of Spanish consumers claim to be calmer if their devices are well organized and optimized However, this is not always reflected in user habits: only 37% say they organize and clean their devices. Furthermore, around 29% procrastinate by leaving this type of task for another time despite recognizing that they need to carry it out, and 14% say they never find the right time to do it.

“It is shocking how computer security and the speed of our technological devices are factors that are closely related to our mental well-being. Our research shows that our levels of dissatisfaction, frustration and techno-stress increase when our devices do not function properly and They have a detrimental effect on our general mood ”says Bertrand Regader, psychologist and CEO of Psicología y Mente. “It is important, therefore, to have tools that optimize our devices.”

“Although no one doubts the benefits of using laptops, tablets and mobile phones to connect with friends, co-workers and companies, psychologists have observed an increase in ‘technostress’ a phenomenon that generates stress and anxiety, which in turn can have a negative impact on our quality of life,” says Jonathan García-Allen, psychologist and Communication Director of the Psicología y Mente portal. “Guarantee optimization and good operation of the devices is a very effective and easy-to-apply preventive strategy.

“For a device to work correctly, it is necessary to take care of its health In the same way that good nutrition and hygiene are essential for people, we need to pay more attention to how file downloads and content clutter affect the devices we all depend on. Having too much ‘junk’ not only opens the door to security problems, but can also negatively affect the performance of devices and, therefore, our mental well-being,” adds Luis Corrons, Security Evangelist at CCleaner.

Psychologists recommend applying healthy digital routines in your daily life

Another part of the results obtained from the research carried out by CCleaner shows that despite recognizing the importance of optimizing and organizing the operation of electronic devices, users do not always go from desires to actions.

About 53% of respondents admit that they never update their drivers, and 39% do not usually change their passwords And when it comes to Internet privacy, 24% say they never delete their browsing history or clear their cache.

Of course, around 76% of respondents delete unwanted files at least once a month and 72% empty the recycle bin, while 33% empty their email inbox daily.

How to optimize and improve the health of electronic devices?

Currently there are applications and programs designed specifically to improve the optimization and organization of electronic devices to significantly improve their user experience and performance; example of this is CCleaner, created in 2004 and currently a leader in the field of system optimization software worldwide 39% of users surveyed say they use this type of resources, either to improve device performance (49%) or to avoid device slowdowns (47%).

In this sense, Luis Corrons, Security Evangelist at CCleaner, gives the following tips to maintain good organization and optimization of your digital spaces:

Survey methodology

CCleaner has carried out this survey in online format and in collaboration with YouGov, a market research and data analysis company on the Internet. The sample of users surveyed was 2,053 people of legal age who live in Spain and regularly use electronic devices. The survey was administered between January 19 and 21, 2022.

About CCleaner

CCleaner is the world leader in system optimization software with hundreds of millions of users worldwide, who use their resources either in the personal and/or professional sphere. Its software tools optimize computing performance, improve device security and extend the life of computers, smartphones and other hardware elements.