When Technology Adds Pressure: Spotting the Signs of Tool Fatigue in Practice
Technology is meant to make life easier – yet, in many veterinary practices, it’s quietly doing the opposite. Between logins, portals, booking systems, comms platforms, and endless alerts, teams are juggling more screens than ever.
Introduce the concept of tool fatigue: when the very systems meant to streamline work start to drain focus, increase frustration, and fracture communication.
What Tool Fatigue Looks Like in Practice
- Too many platforms, not enough integration. Switching constantly between systems breaks concentration and leads to duplicated effort.
- Notification overload. Every ping feels urgent – even when it’s not – adding invisible mental noise throughout the day.
- Shadow systems and workarounds. When tools don’t fit real workflows, teams start keeping parallel notes, spreadsheets, or WhatsApp threads just to cope.
- Reduced engagement. Over time, staff tune out from tools entirely -leading to missed updates, poor data hygiene, and inconsistencies.
How to Recognise Early Warning Signs
- Rising frustration during handovers or reporting.
- Complaints about “too many systems.”
- Frequent errors caused by missed information or data silos.
- Reliance on one or two “tech champions” to make everything work.
How to Lighten the Load
- Audit your tools. List what systems you use and why. If something doesn’t clearly support a key workflow, ask if it’s still worth the space.
- Consolidate where possible. Look for platforms that integrate naturally or centralise communication.
- Streamline alerts. Customise notifications to what’s genuinely important – don’t let the noise drown the signal.
- Train for confidence. Sometimes fatigue isn’t the tool – it’s uncertainty. Ensure everyone knows how to use the systems they rely on.
- Gather feedback regularly. Ask the team: “What tech slows you down?” Then act on it.
Final Thought:
Technology should never feel like another patient to manage. When systems are intentional, integrated, and user-friendly, they become invisible – supporting your team quietly in the background instead of shouting for attention.
