For decades, construction has lagged other sectors in adopting new technologies, ranking below the agriculture industry in digital maturity¹ — but that’s changing.

Modernization is accelerating across the industry with the rise of cloud-based project management systems, mobile time tracking, and real-time financial intelligence. These tools are revolutionizing construction companies’ operations, bringing about speed, collaboration, and efficiency gains.

Yet, with progress comes pressure — the same technologies that streamline workflows can just as easily stretch boundaries. Constant connectivity may boost productivity in the short term — but over time, it can quietly chip away at clarity, focus, and mental resilience.

This article explores the psychological toll of being always on and offers practical strategies for construction financial professionals to establish healthier boundaries with technology. It also highlights how, when used wisely, technology can support mental wellbeing.

The Shift

It might seem odd that a CEO of a technology company is writing about the need to disconnect from technology. Like many tech founders, my company was created to solve a problem and help others; it was never meant to contribute to today’s mental health crisis.

The shift from paper to pixels has not only changed how we work but also when. Smartphones buzz during dinner, emails are checked over the weekend, and messages ping during bedtime routines. The expectation of constant availability has created a silent crisis: the erosion of personal time, mental space, and boundaries.

Due to this shift, I personally spend each morning meditating and make a conscious effort to disconnect from technology in the evening. I’ve seen firsthand how powerful technology can be, but I’ve also felt the strain it can place on mental space when boundaries aren’t respected.

The paradox is real: The same tools that drive construction forward can quietly pull your mental health backward — if you’re not intentional.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has identified workplace stress as a major contributor to mental health disorders globally.²

According to the American Psychological Association, 79% of employees experience work-related stress, and more than one-third report cognitive weariness — a key symptom of burnout.³

For construction financial professionals — who are not only responsible for financials, taxes, risk mitigation, and reporting, but also increasingly oversee IT, technology implementation, and even human resources — the scope of the role has expanded dramatically.

These professionals are no longer seen as back-office number crunchers but as strategic partners influencing multiple business areas.

To thrive in this environment, it’s essential to recognize where your role ends and where your personal wellbeing begins.

To highlight just how multidimensional and demanding the job has become, Deloitte has outlined the four key identities of financial professionals: operator, steward, catalyst, and strategist.⁴

• An operator focuses on efficiency and the day-to-day management of financial operations. Boundary-setting through calendar blocking helps operators avoid reactive task-switching and create time for proactive process improvement.
• A steward protects the company’s assets, ensures compliance, and mitigates risk. Clear communication of boundaries, such as limiting non-urgent after-hours messages, ensures stewards can make sound, well-rested decisions.
• A catalyst drives innovation, transformation, and cultural growth. Protecting mental space by disconnecting after work can fuel the creativity and resilience required to lead change.
• A strategist shapes long-term direction and aligns financial strategy with business goals. Strategists need deep focus time to reflect, model scenarios, and think ahead without constant digital distraction.

When aligned with each identity, these boundaries can enhance performance.

For construction finance teams juggling tight deadlines, budget overruns, and job-costing challenges, this stress is compounded by an always-on culture that leaves little room for recovery.

Healthy Boundaries Start With Awareness

Technology is often thought of as neutral, but how we engage with it shapes our mental landscape.

Psychologist Dr. Sherry Turkle, author of Reclaiming Conversation: The Power of Talk in a Digital Age, notes that constant digital interruptions reduce our ability to reflect, focus, and connect deeply with others.⁵

In construction finance, where precision and strategic thinking are critical, this mental fragmentation can have tangible consequences, from increased errors to reduced job satisfaction.

A 2023 Deloitte study found that 69% of Millennials and 70% of Gen Z professionals respond to work emails outside of regular work hours at least once a week. Nearly one in five Gen Zs (23%) and one in three Millennials (30%) send emails after hours as often as five days a week. These always-on habits contribute to stress, anxiety, and burnout within the workforce.⁶

The WHO classifies burnout as an occupational phenomenon characterized by emotional exhaustion, cynicism, and reduced efficacy.⁷ In other words, when disconnection feels impossible, disengagement becomes inevitable.

Practical Solutions for Setting Boundaries

There are several ways you can stave off burnout, starting with establishing practical systems and sticking to your boundaries.