The Doomscrolling Recovery Gap: A Conceptual Model of Digital Fatigue Spillover and Productivity Loss

The pervasive habit of doomscrolling—compulsive consumption of negative digital news and social media content—has emerged as a significant yet under-theorized threat to employee well-being and workplace productivity. This conceptual paper introduces the Doomscrolling Recovery Gap (DRG) model, which posits that prolonged exposure to negative digital content generates state cognitive fatigue on the conservation of resources (COR) theory, attention restoration theory (ART), and the effort-recovery model. The paper systematically examines the mechanisms through which doomscrolling and emotional contagion deplete psychological resources and impair employee productivity. It further identifies key moderating variables—including psychological capital, organizational support, and recovery activity engagement—and discusses implications for HR practitioners and digital wellness interventions. The paper proposes a structured conceptual model and identifies moderating variables that influence the severity of the DRG. The study contributes to workplace well-being literature by highlighting the spillover effects of digital media usage and emphasizing the need for recovery-oriented organizational practices.