As we close the books on 2021, we thought it would be useful to share insights about the most prevalent health and performance challenges that executives and leaders have shared with our clinical team over the past year. These observations are derived from thousands of hours collaborating with our members, many of whom are leaders of organizations at varying levels and from all walks of life. Our goal in sharing more about these recurring issues with you is to create awareness and provide relevant resources to help understand and address them.
FOUR TRENDS AND CHALLENGES
- Apathy and Languishing
- Reexamination of Values
- Burnout
- Inadequate Support
APATHY AND LANGUISHING
People are tired—and they are tired of being tired. Many of us are experiencing an overall lack of concern, motivation, and emotional engagement. Psychologist Adam Grant describes this “meh” feeling in a recent Ted Talk on languishing and how he used a family game of Mario Cart to overcome it.
Resource: Languishing is the Mood of 2021
REEXAMINATION OF VALUES
As many people are experiencing fatigue and stress from social unrest and economic uncertainty, isolation and separation from new work-home-school arrangements, and frustration with pandemic-related restrictions and mandates, we are seeing a marked a change in perspective and a reexamination of values. There is now a shift in focus from career advancement and economic success to broader considerations about having a strong sense of personal fulfillment and finding enriching life experiences. Working in an office is increasingly a thing of the past, and many working professionals are using this flexibility to move to more desirable locations that provide more space to live and better match their outside-of-work interests.
Resource: The Japanese concept of Ikigai – Finding purpose
BURNOUT
Many we see are developing new habits that don’t serve them in the long run because they need ways to cope with the here and now. We are having a hard time planning and handling anything related to the future because the unknown of the day-to-day is so stressful that we are simply exhausted. Working professionals are abandoning careers and ambitions because they don’t have positive ways to cope. Burnout has become prevalent in many companies, but it goes beyond long hours and a challenging job. First identified as a mental health condition in the ‘80s, burnout is now being addressed as real threat to wellbeing.
Resources:
Burnout and the Brain – Alexandra Michel
Battling Burnout – A conversation with resiliency expert Dr. Amit Snood
Inadequate support
Despite innovations in telehealth, more traditional health resources are not readily available, wait times are long, and visits come with the threat of exposure. Many are not only afraid to ask for help but they are also unsure about who to turn to, being afraid of being viewed as “weak” and the stigma associated with being seen as someone who is unable to handle pressure. Is it best to talk to family, friends, an app? How do I stop feeling like this? What’s wrong with me? How do I know if I even need help at all?
Resources:
Your HR Representative or Company’s Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
Stay connected to your doctor (SHIFT’s Employer Programs)
While these challenges may appear insurmountable, it is important to remember that many others are having the same experience and that there are resources, tools, and techniques to help you reset and make the incremental progress needed to regain your sense of control, purpose, fulfillment, and achievement. At SHIFT, our team looks at the entire picture, from head to toe, inside and out. We know it is essential to address our mental and emotional needs as much as our physical needs. Find the right resources, support, and team to help you build better (mental) health in the new year – we are here to help.