Digital Burnout And The Right To Disconnect: A Phenomenological Study Of Indonesian Always-Connected Workers
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.59971/jumawa.v3i2.450Keywords:
Digital Burnout, Digital Fatigue, Right To Disconnect, Technostress, Work-Life BoundariesAbstract
The rapid expansion of digitally connected work systems has transformed organizational flexibility while simultaneously intensifying psychosocial risks among employees. Although technostress and digital fatigue have been widely examined quantitatively, qualitative studies exploring the lived experiences of Indonesian workers within always-connected workplaces remain limited. This study aims to investigate how sustained digital connectivity contributes to digital burnout among Indonesian digital and administrative employees. Using a descriptive phenomenological design, data were collected through semi-structured in-depth interviews with ten participants recruited through purposive sampling. Data were analyzed using an integrated approach combining Colaizzi’s phenomenological analysis and Braun and Clarke’s Reflexive Thematic Analysis. The findings revealed five essential themes: notification overload, emotional exhaustion, work intrusion, digital fatigue, and constrained recovery strategies. Participants experienced continuous cognitive fragmentation, emotional detachment, blurred work-life boundaries, and chronic physical exhaustion caused by persistent digital availability. The study further found that individual recovery efforts were frequently undermined by organizational expectations and fear of missing out (FoMO). These findings demonstrate that digital burnout is not merely an individual psychological issue but also a structural and regulatory problem intensified by the absence of a formal Right to Disconnect framework in Indonesia. The study highlights the urgency of organizational digital boundary policies and labor regulations protecting workers’ psychological well-being in the digital economy era.
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