3 Ways Professionals Can Thrive
Professionals are under constant pressure to perform, this comes from the expectations they set themselves but also from family, society and the organisation they work for. This often leads to anxiety and stress as it is sustained over a long period of time. The pressure on performance often comes from three directions:
Misalignment of purpose or values - this is where you don’t agree with how your boss or organisation does business. This could be around the environmental impact to the way a boss wants you to act with a customer.
Conflict in workplace relationships - this can be just one individual that makes your life hell sometimes a colleague but often a boss. The way they talk to you leaves you in a constant state of threat, this can often be as extreme as feeling physically sick every morning at the thought of going to work.
Exhaustion from neglecting your mind and body - we need to look after ourselves and keep our batteries full, however when we have so many competing demands on our time, self care is often the thing that put to one side.
Surviving isn’t enough anymore in this competitive, constantly changing, technology impacted workplace.
As neuroscientist Dr Bruce Lipton says “To fully thrive, we must not only eliminate the stressors but to actively seek joyful, loving, fulfilling lives that stimulate growth”. At this point are you thinking ‘oh my god!, seriously that’s something else to add to the list of things I have to do!!’ - It’s okay you by making some small changes (not additions) and learn some simple techniques so you can keep that overwhelming pressure at bay.
Research tells us that 93% of professionals experience symptoms of poor Mental Health due to work and that those that regularly experience stress attributed it to:
Financial pressure - 49%
Workload is overwhelming - 49%
Problems with family relationships - 38% (Allianz)
Most people who are feeling under extreme pressure may not know they are experiencing mental ill health as we don’t openly talk about this issue in offices even though 49% of people want to talk to a manager only 25% follow through. Often because we fear reprisals (78%), not only do we not talk about it but we leave jobs (45%) when there is a poor environment that impacts our mental health.
This is what happened to me, I left a job I loved due to being physically and mentally exhausted because I didn’t feel able to talk to anyone about the fact I was struggling (you can read about that in this blog). I have since spent years researching how to keep professionals able to keep doing the jobs they love, build productive relationships and have the energy at the weekend to pursue their passions with the people they love.I have found through working with hundreds of professionals that by focusing on a balanced approach using neuroscience, growth mindset and relationship theory we can not only eliminate the stress and find fulfilling lives.
The framework to achieve this lies in a simple 3 step process:
Purpose - the why and how we do what we do plus the thing that drives us to do it
Energy - the fuel of our mind, body and soul that keeps us alight
People - the support structure you have in place and the health of those relationships
Our passion to thrive is like a fire we need all three elements fuel, oxygen and heat to keep alight without just one of those elements we burnout.
Are you ready to move beyond the daily stress and drudgery get some PEP back in your step and live life to the full?
“My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humour and some style.”
“Courage is the most important of all the virtues, because without courage you can’t practice any other virtue consistently.”
