If All Change Brings Stress, Then...
Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay
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It’s been said that all change produces stress, even positive change.
One thing that characterizes the past 2 ½ years? Continuous change. And if all change brings stress… then where does that leave leaders now?
I can tell you where it leaves me. With spent reserves and bad nerves!
I contracted COVID-19 this summer, one month after my husband, Bud, had a heart attack and double bypass surgery. And I haven’t been able to get completely well since.
In reality, I was feeling spent and somewhat depleted before this summer. Bud’s cardiac event and then COVID-19 pushed me over the edge. Now I am having trouble recovering. (Well, I guess I can still muster a little creative juice since I am writing this!)
And what about you? Have the stresses of the past year depleted your reserves and left you less creative, less inspired, or feeling flat?
Signs that you’ve been under too much stress may vary from person to person:
Emotional exhaustion – feeling that one just doesn’t have anything left to give is one sign. Or in my case, feeling that “I got nothing. Nothing to give. Nothing to say”.
Some find themselves engaging in non-productive coping strategies like over-eating, over-sleeping, doom-scrolling (scrolling through bad news even though it is depressing) or any unhelpful behavior that is used to cope with stress.
Most importantly, chronic stress and its partner, burnout, may negatively impact us in terms of diminished patience with others, lessened personal awareness, reduced enthusiasm or focus on vision and purpose, and overall reduced leadership effectiveness.
Remember, you may not actually be conscious of the degree to which you feel stressed. You may have gotten used to it. But if you start to recognize the signs I listed above, you need to stop, consider, and take some corrective actions.
My personal corrective action: I am now seeing a functional medicine doctor who has diagnosed me with adrenal fatigue and is prescribing supplements I need. (This is not a recommendation. It does not constitute medical advice. I am only sharing my personal experience.)
If all change brings stress, then the last two years have probably left you more stressed than ever. Recognize it and take some self-care actions. You can get through it with minimal harm to yourself and your relationships.
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