Have you ever taken time off, come back to work feeling refreshed and energized, only to have it last a day or two? Given that rates of burnout and fatigue have skyrocketed, this is, sadly, a common experience.

In fact, analysts have coined a new term called “The Great Exhaustion” which describes a form of burnout caused by stress from work. In Gallup’s most recent (2023) State of the Global Workplace Report, employee engagement has stagnated and wellbeing has dropped, particularly among younger employees. When we are struggling with ongoing fatigue and stress, our capacity diminishes. We lose productivity as our ability to focus suffers. Creativity drops. Relationships can deteriorate from being too depleted to listen or respond productively in daily interactions.  For leaders, this is even more concerning given scope of leadership roles and the number of people impacted by a leader’s effectiveness. In short, one can’t lead well, if one is not well.

Stress from work can be brought about by various factors that are inherent in workplace systems and behaviors, making it even more challenging for teams to do their best work. Notwithstanding this reality, there are also things an individual can do to foster their own thriving. We are wired to thrive. We can give ourselves the best chance of thriving by taking intentional action and guarding our wellbeing with vigilance. Here are a few places to start:

• Adopt a holistic view of what it means to thrive. Thriving includes physical and mental health; however, it also incorporates other aspects of our life experiences. Reflect on times in your life when you were thriving and notice what stands out. What can these observations tell you about what thriving means to you?
• Ensure adequate fuel. This includes enough movement, rest, more nutrient rich foods, and less processed food, staying hydrated, proper rest, and breathing to manage stress. Without this, we lack the stamina we need for demanding days and our efforts at staying aware and focused become compromised.
• Stay mindful. Doing so increases awareness and keeps attention focused, in a non-judgemental way, in the present moment. With increased awareness, we’re more equipped to make conscious, intentional choices about how to respond to various situations, deal with challenges and manage distraction. When we can do this, it creates a sense of flow and enables us to create the progress we need on work that matters to us.
• Seek out new experiences, insights, and perspectives.  Doing this expands our hearts and minds. This can result in feeling more competent, confident, and joyful.
• Get clear on your vision and purpose. Clarity of where we are going, and why, is grounding. This can come in particularly handy during times of stress, as it makes us less likely to get swept away by circumstances around us and more likely to stay focused on behaviours and actions that are meaningful to us.
• Consider how you impact others. In addition to be wired to thrive, we are also wired to connect. Reflect on the extent to which you focus on others in your interactions with them. Do they leave a conversation with you feeling elevated? How do you support others? What is the quality of your collaborations and communications? When these go well and we see signs that we are making a difference with someone else, even a small one, it comes back around to create a feeling of satisfaction within.

Paying attention to our level of thriving is like swimming in a river. It takes ongoing attention because the current is always changing. Each day presents new and different experiences and when we are thriving, we can respond to the challenges and opportunities around us in an emotionally balanced and creative way.  Thriving helps us make the most of the limited time we have in our lives, a large part of which is spent at work. Without it, we leave a part of ourselves behind as relationships and initiatives don’t get the best from us.

What do you need to do to thrive?

If you would like to learn more about our assessment called Be Well Lead Well Pulse, an assessment that helps you take stock of your current level of thriving and prioritize actions you want to take to foster it, contact us at [email protected] for a free discovery discussion.