Going and going and going

I feel like I am going on about this, but everywhere I go, people tell me how exhausted they are and that the expectations of their workplace are overwhelming them. My fear for many of them is that they will keep going and going and going until they are almost gone.

Now, just saying, there are structural issues involved here and addressing those will have a demonstrable impact. But today, I want to take a different approach.

Those on this increasing spiral of activity are very stubborn about getting off this ride for lots of sound [and some less sound] reasons. And, by the way, I am just saying this for a friend.

So while it is appropriate to gently point out just how crazy this stress-inducing, health-impacting, relationship-damaging, productivity-reducing behaviour is, maybe today we give them a break from preaching and just give them an actual break.

As we hand over a kit-kat and a cuppa - or engage them in any break-inducing gesture - let them know they are seen and that they matter simply because they are people in our orbit. Of course, it won't fix the problem, but sometimes, this is the most and the least that we can do.