| Of all the forms of stress in today's world, computer | | | | anti-virus software. There are plenty of malicious |
| stress is the one that is on the rise the fastest. | | | | hackers out there and they tend to enjoy watching |
| Computers are wonderful machines, but they can also | | | | people panic about their computers suddenly dying. |
| stress out workers by their sometimes confusing | | | | These hackers write viruses and worms that can |
| demands, their constant presence and their simple | | | | infect your machine and delete important files or send |
| inability to work properly. Thus, computer stress must | | | | out malicious emails all on their own. You do not want |
| be understood and it must find an outlet or computer | | | | to have your computer taken over like this. Save |
| users will find themselves even more stressed out | | | | yourself from this sort of computer stress by keeping |
| than they already are. | | | | your system and your files secure from outside |
| The first thing to remember about computers is that | | | | attackers. |
| they are machines. They do not have feelings, they do | | | | Another way to protect your computer is to shut it |
| not respond to emotional appeals, they only do what | | | | down properly. Many people simply hit the power |
| they are told to do; nothing more and nothing less. | | | | button without shutting down the machine first. This is a |
| Thus, you need to remember that just about anything | | | | serious danger, as it can damage the delicate circuits |
| that your computer does is probably something you | | | | of the computer. Run your computer through its |
| told it to do. Sure, you may not have wanted to tell it to | | | | shutdown system and wait until it either turns itself off, |
| do something, but you told the computer to do it and | | | | or it tells you that it is time to turn it off. This may not |
| that's all it knows. You can save yourself a lot of | | | | seem like a big deal to some, but it can damage your |
| computer stress by keeping this in mind. | | | | computer in the long run. |
| The next thing you need to know in order to avoid | | | | Computer stress can also simply arise from sitting in |
| computer stress is that computers are machines and, | | | | front of the silly thing so long that you realize you do |
| therefore, they will break down. That means that you | | | | not know what you are looking at any more. You |
| need to keep backup copies of everything important. If | | | | know you need to get work done on the silly machine, |
| you absolutely need a file, keep a copy on a floppy | | | | but you haven't gotten anything done and the deadline |
| disk or on a CD. Hard drives are well known to just | | | | is looming and you need more time, but there isn't any |
| give out after a while (the average lifetime is about 4-5 | | | | and... just slow down. If you are not getting anything |
| years) and therefore you need to keep backups of | | | | done, they save yourself some computer stress by |
| everything you want to keep. If it's important enough | | | | walking away. If you are at work, lock your screen |
| that you want a copy, it's important enough to keep a | | | | and wander the hallways for a bit. If you are at home, |
| backup copy. The sooner you remember to keep your | | | | get up and go make yourself a sandwich or |
| computer's failing in mind, the more stress free you will | | | | something. Just walk away and you will save yourself |
| be. | | | | a lot of stress over something that is really not a big |
| Third, you need to protect your computer. On the most | | | | deal. |
| basic level, that means a surge protector. A power | | | | One of the problems with living in the computer age is, |
| surge can quickly fry the delicate insides of a | | | | simply, the computer. However, it is only a machine and |
| computer and suddenly realizing that you need a new | | | | you can learn to control it without it controlling you. |
| computer is just about the worst computer stress of | | | | Your computer is a tool no different than a hammer or |
| all. | | | | a crowbar. So save yourself from computer stress |
| As well, you need to protect your computer from | | | | and you won't feel compelled to use a hammer or a |
| outside interference. If your computer is hooked up to | | | | crowbar on the computer that is supposed to make |
| the Internet, protect it with a network firewall and | | | | your life easier. |