A new survey
aims to uncover the extent to which screen time and social media use is having
a deleterious impact on the mental health and wellbeing of event professionals.
Anecdotal evidence suggests meeting planners and marketers spend
a significant portion of their day in front of screens, often scrolling through
their LinkedIn or Instagram feeds.
Now - in a first-of-its-kind survey - Northstar Meetings Group
– publishers of AMI – is gathering hard evidence of the time ‘eventprofs’ spend
online, and the impact it is having.
The survey asks why meeting professionals spend so much time
online, how they use social media platforms to enhance their events, and
whether they think their time is well spent.
It also delves into the health implications of screen time
and social media use, asking whether users feel ‘in control’ of the amount of
time they spend online, and how it affects them personally.
AMI Editor and NMG-UK editorial director James Lancaster
said: “Sitting in front of a screen is how many people spend their working
lives - and this has been the case for decades. But the proliferation of social
media channels has added another dimension, which doesn’t always feel healthy.
“We know from talking to meeting professionals that many of
them struggle to manage the amount of time they spend online, so we thought it
was important to get a clearer picture of what’s going on.
“It could be that this is just a facet of contemporary life
that we are still getting used to – or it could be that there’s a more serious
problem that needs to be addressed.
“We’re hoping our survey will tell us which of
these scenarios is closest to the truth.”
Written By
James Lancaster
AMI editor James
Lancaster is a familiar face in the meetings industry and international
association community. Since joining AMI in 2010, he has gained a reputation
for asking difficult questions and getting lost in convention centres. Proofer, podcaster, and panellist - in his spare time, James likes to walk,
read, listen to music, and drink beer.
