At Treble, we love data. We track media wins, analyze campaign metrics, and measure the impact of our PR work every day. But for our team's health, the line between helpful insight and digital burnout is thinner than the wearables industry wants you to believe.

That was reinforced when one of our account managers, Katie Anne Hayes, was recently featured in a Business Insider story by Emily Stewart: "The self-tracking trap: The $100 billion wearables industry is driving us a little bonkers."

The piece examines how fitness trackers, smart rings, and health algorithms can turn self-knowledge into what experts call "self-surveillance."

Optimization Became a Feedback Loop

Katie Anne started wearing her Garmin to manage lingering long COVID symptoms, hoping the data would map her daily energy. It did the opposite. Checking the "Body Battery" score became an anxious morning ritual: a low reading before a client meeting set off the exact stress the watch was supposed to help her manage.

As Katie Anne told Business Insider:

"I got into this bad negative feedback loop with it. Taking off the watch, and having it be less of a mental reminder of the fatigue that I might experience, I think, was helpful."

Her experience extends past fitness trackers. When we’re pressured to optimize every minute, sometimes the healthier move is to unplug the algorithm.

Wellness is Core to Treble's Culture

We're proud of Katie Anne for taking this story national. Her takeaway is also ours: the best health data point is how you feel. PR is demanding work. Doing it well requires protecting the time and headspace outside of it. We don't expect anyone here to hit 10,000 steps or land a 90 on a sleep score to prove they're healthy. People define wellness on their own terms.

Treble's benefits are built for that:

  • A Monthly Health & Wellness Stipend: Whether it's a gym membership, a mental health app, a massage, or a new pair of running shoes, we provide monthly financial support for our team to invest in what helps them feel good.
  • Work-Life Balance: Generous PTO and a culture that respects boundaries, because social connection and downtime are just as vital to longevity as any workout.

If that sounds like the kind of team you want to work on, we're hiring. Open roles and full benefits on the Treble Careers Page.

Consumer tech is a tool, not a boss. You don't need a smart ring to tell you when you're tired. You don't need an app to validate your work. Thanks to Katie Anne for the reminder.