Pandemic. A word I would love nothing more than to never hear again. But, the fear and uncertainty we felt for two years doesn’t just disappear when the masks do. Especially in our workplaces. The pandy brought on changes and challenges we never could have anticipated, and for some of us, the tension never eased and the exhaustion remains.
Despite the pandemic being “over” in the workplace, data from Gallup’s new State of the Global Workplace report suggests that the emotional side of work has not healed from the pressures of the last two years. Under the surface, people around the world are stressed and anxious: 44% of employees say they “experienced stress a lot” during the previous day.
A lot? Sounds about right. Whatever felt like a lot before, feels even heavier now. But friends, this much I know is true: the past has no power over this moment right now. And sometimes we have to be still enough to put down that heavy load. Even if you have to pick it up again, it will have shifted. And that little shift can reveal some clarity, perhaps a perspective that wasn’t there before.
Remember, it’s often it’s our thoughts about the situation, not the situation itself that causes our anguish. As we step back into work after summer holidays, hopefully we can implement that much-needed perspective and give each other the grace we all need right now.
