It’s been three years since we were in lockdown, since we faced a situation that some had only read about in books. But everything that came with the pandemic has left deep scars that cannot be erased with one or two fingers. Traces in the economy, sure, but more importantly, in so many people.


Social distancing, fear for our own health, rethinking how we work, re-settling into families, homeschooling, and probably many others, have taken their toll on the way we interact, our stress levels, our physical and mental health.
It’s true that people were talking about mind fatigue even before the pandemic. In February 2020 I was working with a client on a possible mental health programme for the organisation they were responsible for. We never got around to implementing it, by March the plans were falling apart one by one.
Returning to the present, I have to admit that I was very surprised when, in the waiting room of a clinic, I met young people waiting in psychiatry. I wonder what they might be facing? So young… The other day, at the neurologist’s, where I went for an acute headache, the same: before and after me, two very young girls: maybe 20 years old. I just hope it was routine.


Otherwise, if we look at the general context or in organisations, we see a lot of people complaining about fatigue, too much stress, various health problems. Fatigue has become chronic for many people. The funny thing is that they take holidays off a week or two, but it seems to be insufficient.
But I also have some examples of people who do not suffer from this chronic fatigue. It’s not like they don’t work very hard too. Such a person works in a big company, has a high level of responsibility. They have a family, children, travel a lot. But she manages to have enough diverse concerns so that the routine doesn’t alienate her. In addition to exercising regularly, she makes sure she eats healthily, learns all the time, goes to various courses, meets people with whom she can exchange ideas and friends.

Another person is an entrepreneur. You’ll say it’s different, she doesn’t have the same stress. That’s right, it’s not the same, it’s different, which doesn’t necessarily mean it’s less. The worries of paying people’s salaries, bringing in enough customers, promoting your company, your business on a daily basis, these are some of the things that can keep a person awake nights. And yet, she always finds something good to say to each client, she always seems in a good mood. It’s as if she has imposed on herself to be in a good mood and she is, she doesn’t let it get her down.
She’s not the only person like that. I have a favorite image that I think illustrates this idea very well: that of a puppeteer holding a doll in his hands and making sure the doll does its act without dropping it. Just imagine how sad a doll is with all the abandoned strings lying around. The puppeteer and the doll are, in my image, each of us. Everyone is responsible for keeping themselves in balance. But it is not as simple to put into practice as it is to say.

Here are some of the kinds of actions I think these people who succeed in being their own puppeteers do:

  • They take action, they occupy their time, they do something, they don’t sit around and wait for motivation to come to them. Their good mood comes with action. They seem to understand that apathy is not good; that action is more likely to motivate us than inaction. Action can create motivation. And the good mood comes after or at the same time as action.
  • Then they understood and accepted that a degree of stress is good for growth. Performance comes with effort, a well-dosed one, followed by rest from time to time.
  • They take regular holidays, even if some are shorter, an extended weekend. Detachment from the everyday brings them energy, new perspectives, helps them to look at their work from different angles. You know how sometimes we can’t see the forest for the trees, we get so caught up in what we’re doing that we forget to stop and look from another angle. It’s like being on a ship, in the hold of the ship, preoccupied with the workings of the machinery. But once in a while it’s useful to get up, to walk on deck, to see what’s around, to see the open sea, the potential.
  • They make sure to eat a balanced meal. I know, everyone knows it’s good to eat a balanced diet. But how many of us take care to implement what we know?
  • They get enough sleep so they have energy the next day. Studies show that you need 7-8 hours of sleep every night for good brain function. Turns out some people need less. But if we sleep too little because it seems to us that we don’t need it and the next day we’re cranky, tired, can’t concentrate, then at least listen to our body, it’s definitely sending us signals.
  • They have people around them who support them, give them other perspectives, in a constructive way. It’s a big thing to choose your people correctly.
  • Accept that there is no perfect balance in life, that work life is part of Life with a capital “L”, and that one moment you put more effort in one part, then in another part, then in another part and so on. Perfection is a chimera and although their standards are high, they accept that they are perfectly imperfect and life is the same.
  • They are constantly seeking to know, understand and manage themselves better. You can’t recharge your batteries quickly if you don’t know how, what helps you recover, what takes your energy, what upsets you and what makes you happy. This involves a process of self-reflection and self-regulation. And more than that, a humble attitude, open to learning.
  • They limit their time on social media. But they are there in moderation.
  • They filter the events they go to. Time is a precious resource, so they are careful not to waste it.

I would point out some pitfalls that can play tricks on those who think they manage themselves well:

  • If you love what you do, you don’t risk stress, burnout. They like what they do, they are satisfied, they put a lot of effort, energy and time into their work. Their expectation is that if they care so much, others will care too. And, because it doesn’t happen, they often get angry, annoyed, do even more, and get into a vicious circle. Burnout doesn’t spare them either.
  • It’s good to always be available, to respond quickly to internal and external customers. Being always available and responding quickly to requests is not necessarily a good sign, however. Rather, it’s good to learn to set limits, to respect ourselves and others. No one will appreciate you answering even at 1 a.m.; on the contrary, they will think you had nothing to do. I remember a foreign client who told me, some 20 years ago, that it’s not OK that I answer so quickly, that no one will appreciate it, on the contrary. You have to put in a lot of effort, a lot of work. Yes, but how hard? Where do you draw the line and respect your body and brain’s need for rest? Where do you leave room for relationships with others?

It’s good to have high standards, they lead to progress. That’s what someone told me years ago. Yes, it’s just that when standards are too high and never attainable, then they become a torment to the individual’s mind, soul and body. I say this with knowledge.

Therefore, it is essential to be careful what we say to ourselves, how we treat our being. Let us not let it fall down the slope of inertia, of laziness of mind, but neither let us whip it. And one more thing, our state of balance is an individual responsibility, I wouldn’t outsource it to either the manager or the HR man.