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Everyone has a breaking point . Just because you can hold on longer than most people you know , that doesn ’ t mean you can hold on forever . Professionals who need to function well in stressful environments understand this , just as they understand the value of investing in four areas of recovery . This reality applies as much to an EA as it does to any highfunctioning professional .
Mind Resilient professionals regularly participate in some type of activity that engages them mentally and is separate from whatever causes them stress . For example , they read for pleasure , listen to music , learn a foreign language , play chess or take part in an activity that enables them not so much to ‘ switch off ’ but rather ‘ switch to ’ a different frame of mind .
Body Resilient professionals take part in physical activity that acts as a type of psychological recovery . For some people that is training for highly disciplined sports , such as triathlons or taking part in gym sessions with a personal trainer . For others it could simply be taking their dog for a walk , having a social game of golf or working in the garden on the weekend .
Social Resilient professionals connect and interact with other people . Whether it ’ s going to a concert or a sports event with friends or catching up for a coffee with someone they can talk openly with , it ’ s not selfish to actively pursue recovery in this way — in fact , it may be the very opposite . By elevating their own mood naturally , they will think more clearly , reason more effectively and in the process be better company .
Global Resilient professionals are involved in causes they believe make a difference to a wider community . They may pursue that difference through their local church ( or mosque , or synagogue ), but it doesn ’ t have to be a religious connection . Like so much to do with recovery , the details are secondary . Whether they are members of their local Rotary Club or they just coach a kids ’ sports team or provide informal mentoring , resilient leaders find recovery in helping others . Whether you make the space to play online sudoku , swim once a week , catch up with friends , do some pro bono work , or whatever , resilience is a dividend that results from spreading recovery across multiple areas .
While running , swimming , cycling and going to the gym are all great forms of recovery , they still only occupy a single category , i . e . Body . Instead of over-investing in one area , seek recovery in at least three areas each week .
The most resilient professionals I ’ ve crossed paths with address all four categories consistently . President Mandela , for example , read every day and walked at least six days a week . He also interacted with colleagues , friends and members of the public on a regular basis and his commitment to helping others was at the heart of everything he did . Granted , figures such as Nelson Mandela are few and far between , but what we can all learn from his example is that he didn ’ t use the excuse of being too busy or too important to spread recovery across multiple areas . S
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“ YOU MAY HAVE TO FIGHT A BATTLE MORE THAN ONCE TO WIN IT ”
Margaret Thatcher
COVID-19 ’ s effect on mental health
In a year that has been fraught with so much uncertainty and change , the effect of COVID-19 has gone well beyond the virus itself . With the whole world in lockdown , businesses closing , workplaces invading our homes , and fear for the health and safety of loved ones , 2020 has impacted humanity in countless ways . And while the world is on the path to recovery , it is not without extensive economic , physical , and emotional damage . And as many employees are returning to the workplace , office morale is bound to be low .
Each morning , most of us wake with one question on our minds : what ’ s next ?
With these unprecedented times comes a rise in anxiety and concern for the future . In an ever-changing landscape , it ’ s almost impossible to feel secure and confident about what ’ s to come . Thanks to the coronavirus , none of us knows what the future holds . Mental health issues such as anxiety , psychological distress , and depression have increased significantly over the course of 2020 . A study by the University of New South Wales and Black Dog Institute found that 78 % of Australians ’ mental health issues worsened during the height of the pandemic .
While it ’ s hard to predict what this rise in mental illness might mean , suicide modelling from the University of Sydney ’ s Brain and Mind Centre predicts a 25 – 50 % increase in Australia ’ s suicide rates over the next five years . Although modelling in health can be unreliable — particularly when mental health is affected by numerous different factors — this prediction raises concerns for the future of not only Australians , but also people across the globe whose countries may be in worse condition .
Professor Ian Hickie , Co-Director , Health and Policy , at the Brain and Mind Centre says that unemployment is a leading factor in psychological distress and with COVID-19 wreaking havoc on employment opportunities and job security , it ’ s no wonder so many are struggling .
So , without certainty on the horizon , what do we do ? How do we survive this tumultuous time , emotionally ?
20 Chief of Staff | Issue 2 2020