Why Are You So Tired?

“Normally I adapt. Now I’m just overwhelmed.”

"My whole team is fatigued."

"I consider myself a pretty resilient person but recently I notice I’m being short with everyone."

Sound familiar? If you’re feeling this way, you’re not alone. Your reduced bandwidth or capacity is a natural consequence to the amount of change, uncertainty and complexity we’re all experiencing right now.

Trends we’re continuing to see impact organisations in New Zealand include pandemic fatigue, talent shortages, net migration loss, the Great Resignation, supply chain disruptions and ongoing organisational change. Many people are tired from continually covering for sick team members, colleagues that have resigned or positions that can’t be filled.

Similarly, our family and home lives are often in turmoil as people fall ill, caring responsibilities increase and routines are interrupted.

So, how can we look after ourselves and our teams so people don’t burn out?

What individuals can do

Firstly, we suggest acknowledging and accepting the reality of your current circumstances. For example, if you take a step back (or even better, take a step up to get a ‘balcony’ view), what do you notice about your well-being lately? Do you have less energy, less tolerance, and less capacity overall than usual?  If you asked a close friend, what might they observe about you? Rather than denying how you feel or trying to hold yourself to an expectation you were able to meet during a different time, accepting the reality of your present context enables you to adapt appropriately and effectively.

Once you acknowledge your reality, and you are honest with yourself, what is it you need? Many of our clients are finding that now is a great time to put a focus on nourishing their well-being and going back to basics. This includes things like eating well, sleeping enough to feel rested, moving your body regularly and doing something to fill your own bucket outside of work to support your rejuvenation. You do not need to push yourself all day long – taking breaks to walk around the block, chat to colleagues or step out into the sunshine are all good options for replenishing yourself throughout the day.

Well-being includes mental health, too. Do you catch yourself often judging yourself harshly? Might you benefit from being more compassionate with your self-talk?

Your attention is a precious resource as well so it’s a good idea to make smart choices about where you direct it. If watching the news or being on social media is causing worry and anxiety, perhaps it’s time to consider taking a break.

What leaders in organisations can do

If the people in your organisation are feeling exhausted and overwhelmed, it could be wise to consider putting a hold on any organisational restructure you may have in the plans. When people are already feeling stretched by a high level of uncertainty in their lives, adding the uncertainty of an organisational restructure on top can trigger a threat response that leads people to regress into a more reactive, rigid way of operating. 

If things are very stretched, might it be useful to re-assess priorities and set more realistic expectations about what can be achieved in the current context? Could you review what tasks or projects can be postponed or let go and communicate this to staff?

Be aware that many employees will say ‘yes’ to taking on more work than they have capacity for because they may fear being seen as weak or not a team player. If you want to cultivate a psychologically safe space where people can set healthy boundaries, prioritise their well-being and perform at their best, reflect on how well you are role modeling that behaviour yourself. Are you role modelling what you want to see from others?

In our progressively complex and uncertain world, many of our clients are increasingly appreciating the benefits of using a ‘Polarity Management’ approach.  For example, they reflect on questions like: “How well are we balancing the competing tensions between Tasks & Relationships?” They soon realise that if they lean too heavily in one direction (e.g. become too task focused), that they can often neglect relationships that need to be nurtured right now, especially when so many of us are working remotely. Are you creating time and space for people to have conversations that could lead to creativity, improved well-being and trust?

The same applies to the polarity of Stability & Change. In these volatile times, what stable, consistent footing you are providing for your staff while you ask them to adapt to change?

Fatigue and a drop in well-being and engagement are issues that aren’t likely to disappear anytime soon. By remaining alert and responsive to changes in your context and focusing on those factors that you can influence, you will give yourself ­– and your teams – a better chance of not burning out.