And so we’re in lockdown again here in Toronto.
COVID and its ingenious variants continue to spread like wildfire. Meanwhile, our mental health crisis grows in parallel, with no vaccine to fix it. One year after our first lockdown, the research on the mental health of Canadians during the pandemic paints an alarming picture of higher rates of reported depression and anxiety, substance abuse and eating disorders. Burnout is here and this is scary part:
WE HAVE NO IDEA HOW BAD IT IS BECAUSE WE’RE NOT REALLY SEEING EACH OTHER.
Yes, we have Zoom, Teams and all kinds of video platforms, but:
there are filters to hide the dark circles under our eyes and touch up features to make us look brighter;
we can turn off the video to hide body language of exhaustion, frustration and apathy;
no one is close enough to know if we’ve showered that day or gone out for some fresh air or had a human break from our multiple screens.
The stats we’re seeing on mental health, they do not capture the totality of how many of us our struggling on a daily basis, oscillating wildly between feeling ok to totally not and back again — each one of these cycles happening at a slightly worse frequency and depleting our reserves.
If you’re in Human Resources or a corporate leader with a team manage and you’re reading this — how do you know how your people are really doing? Do you know how many hours they spend in front of a screen? How many hours they’re sleeping? If they’re showering? Do you know the extent to which they are stressed? And if you don’t - how do you assess your future claims risk?
There is no vaccine for the burnout crisis we are in. The only solution is to build community and learn how, in this new COVID world, we can look out for each other with empathy & compassion. This is a new skill we all need to learn.
That’s why Wednesday, April 7th on International Health Day, I’m giving a talk on “How To Be A Burnout Detective”. I will be sharing how to find out if someone you know is struggling and what you can do to help them. I’m giving this talk as a member of the BNI Business First Chapter in Midtown Toronto. We are a group of entrepreneurs and small business owners who meet weekly to help our respective businesses grow; and if you come - you will meet this wonderful team of people who can also help your business thrive. (Truth be told, belonging to this supportive group of like-minded professionals has really benefited my mental health during the pandemic).
Or you can email me and I’ll put you on the list and send you the zoom link.
Cristina Tahoces is a holistic nutritionist, TEDx speaker and owner of Thrive Nutrition Practice. She helps clients with high stress profiles use food as therapy to support their physical and mental health. Join her newsletter for her latest articles on how to address burnout and support your physical and mental health. Watch her TEDx talk “Sleep Love Poop” and learn how eating with purpose can help you build stress resilience. Contact her at cristina@thrivenutritionpractice.com.