The Effects of Late-Pandemic Burnout

The New York Times recently published We Have Hit a Wall, an article discussing the immense fatigue felt by many after a year of ominous COVID restrictions. Author Sarah Lyall explains what she calls a ‘late-pandemic crisis of productivity, of will, of enthusiasm, of purpose’, describing how, though we find ourselves with more time on our hands, in reality we are less productive than ever. Below is a summary of interesting findings from Lyall’s article.

A study performed by MetLife in early 2021 indicated 34 percent of respondents reported feeling burned out, up from 27 percent last April. 22 percent said they were depressed, up from 17 percent last April, and 37 percent said they felt stressed, up from 34 percent.
According to author and expert on anxiety Dr. Margaret Wherenberg, “When people are under a long period of chronic, unpredictable stress, they develop behavioral anhedonia,” Dr. Wehrenberg said, meaning the loss of the ability to take pleasure in their activities. “And so they get lethargic, and they show a lack of interest — and obviously that plays a huge role in productivity.”
Commenting on the longevity of the pandemic, McGill University psychiatry professor, Natasha Rajah stated, “There’s definitely a change in how people are reporting memories and cognitive experiences. They have fewer rich details about their personal memories, and more negative content to their memories.” This means, she said, that people may be having a harder time forming working memories and paying attention, with “a reduced ability to hold things in their minds, manipulate thoughts and plan for the future.”

Lyall’s commentary on the MetLife study results proves just how important communication and connectedness are at a time when we’re physically more isolated than ever before. The implications of COVID have significantly impacted corporate ways of working, and the onus on companies to engage and inspire employees in our new virtual normal is enormous. Some businesses have addressed burnout by implementing ‘no Zoom Fridays’ or allocating additional personal days for mental health upkeep. Other ways to avoid workplace burnout include:

Blocking time from your calendar each day for breaks
Scheduling meetings to end 5 minutes prior to the hour or half-hour
Taking non-participative meetings outside
Taking vacation (or staycation!)
Ensuring virtual experiences are made interactive and encourage participation

About the source

We Have All Hit A Wall was initially published on Apr 3, 2021 by the New York Times

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