Wholeness At Work

Wholeness At Work Launch Event: In Review

In January of 2021, we talked with some of our colleagues about Wholeness At Work and freeing yourself from burnout over the long run. As we spoke, we talked about using what we learned in 2020 to lead to a better, more whole 2021. We wanted to share some of those insights with you.

What Is Burnout?

In short, burnout is chronic or prolonged stress. It is not healthy stress (eustress). For example, that feeling before a deadline where your heart races, helps you perform, and then it passes. Instead, it is a feeling that persists. A constant stress “distress” that doesn’t let up.

Burnout can look like emotional exhaustion, cynicism, and reduced effectiveness at work—and that’s before a pandemic. In 2020, many of us experienced this unrelenting state, and if that sounds like you, we hope these tips can help.

We are looking at this with the integral theory in mind. That means we will tap into I (individuals), We (relational and cultural), and It (systems and structures that keep burnout in place). We are also going to talk about what wholeness looks like.

What Does Wholeness Look Like In 2021?

When our co-host and managing partner at Evolution, Stuart McCalla, asked this question, it ignited a meaningful conversation. Carrie Sawyer, CEO of Diversity By Design, answered perfectly:

“For me, 2021 and wholeness is really about redefining, ‘what does wholeness mean?'[…] How do I get rid of the shoulda coulda woulda’s of the outside world and really just focus in on what makes me thrive and what makes my family thrive.”

For all of us, we get the opportunity to re-design work. It doesn’t have to work in a system that is broken. One thing the pandemic has done is allowed us to re-think how we do our work. Nathan Chappel, Senior Vice President of DonorSearch, recalled:

“I had given up on the idea of work-life balance prior to 2020. Twenty-twenty forced me, personally, into a new path where self-compassion wasn’t equated to selfishness. For most of my career I had poured into others but didn’t really take care of myself. Twenty-twenty forced me to look much deeper inward than I had in the past and figure out where my drivers of inspiration were coming from and the value that it plays on learning. So, I created new ways of working. I really hope for myself, and a lot of people, that 2021 will be the impetus to really care for themselves more.”

What Symptoms of Burnout Are Prevalent In Our Lives

Our symptoms of burnout can each look different. In this talk, Erin Rocchio, Partner at Evolution and creator of Wholeness At Work, brought up the point that in 2020, there was no ignoring of the social and political unrest in our nation. Our eyes were consistently glued to our screens and keyboards and continuously fed stressful information. All of this, while being met with taking care of our children, home life and work during a pandemic! These things cumulatively can and did cause burnout for many of us.

So, when talking to the panel, we dove into this a little more. A common theme in our panel’s symptoms was resignation. Saying, “This is all too much.” Disengaging from work and the minutiae of our lives. From news. But how can we stay engaged and take care of our individual needs?

Solutions For Burnout

Stuart McCalla gives light into how to stay engaged. He asks, what feeds you in all dimensions? For Rachel Fellowes, Founder of Yoke Consultancy, not doing anything was the most productive thing that she could do at the end of the day.

Before you can work on the solutions, you have to notice. Notice your natural rhythms and how you are feeling deep down at your core.

As a leader, it is essential to notice when your team is headed toward burnout. Nathan Chappell shared that, in his leadership roles, as he felt that his team was sliding, he would ask his team to take the day off. They were not allowed to work at all. He shares of his team, “In fact, if you don’t send in a picture of you doing something other than work we are going to count it toward your vacation time.” This created a dialogue that allowed his team to be aware of burnout.

Sources of Burnout in 2020

Lack of space and boundaries.

Lack of community.

Monotony.

Zoom Fatigue.

Engagement with social media and news.

There are so many sources of burnout. We are grappling with discord in our personal and professional lives. Ask yourself how you can create community, turn some meetings into emails, and give yourself some space. Whatever burnout may look like for you, we can help you work through it.

For more on this topic, please watch the full video. We know you will find tips and solutions in this video that will help you along your journey. You can also join us in our self-guided coaching program, Wholeness At Work.

Workplace Burnout: How To Spot It For Your Enneagram Type

We all have someone that comes to mind when we think of the most goal-oriented, athletic person we know. Similarly, someone different comes to mind when we think of the timid individual who keeps to themselves but is kind to everyone. Perhaps you identify with either of these? But, to this point, our unique personalities, archetypical or otherwise, are more susceptible to different sources of burnout. Today, we want to take you through the things you can look for in your enneagram type and perhaps avoid burnout altogether.

What Is Burnout?

But before we dive in, we first need to establish the baseline. What is burnout anyway? In our studies, we have discovered that burnout is a type of stress. Though there is good stress (eustress), burnout is one that compounds over time.

Like a snowball that starts packed in between your hands. It only takes setting it on the snowy ground and releasing it down a hill for it to catch more snow and grow. It is physically and emotionally draining and pours into your work and home life. It makes us feel like giving up, question why we do what we do in the first place and often leaves us unmotivated.

The fact is, though, that if you catch it, you can work towards freeing yourself from burnout and even re-spark the passion you had for the very thing that is causing it. But, first, you must become self-aware.

The Enneagram One

Ones seek perfection. Seeking to improve not only yourself but everyone and thing around you is exhausting. Catching that perfectionism when it starts and introducing acceptance into your self-care practice can be pivotal in avoiding workplace burnout. You don’t want to be judged by anyone, but what if you are? What if you accept that all of us, every human, is judged? You can make extraordinary changes in our world, but first, you must remember to care for your basic needs.

The Enneagram Two

The Helper. You are dubbed that nickname for a reason, Twos. Trying to meet everyone’s needs around you, and, in cases, trying to be like the people you look up to leaves little room for self. Your warm-heartedness and sincerity are appreciated, but sometimes you freely give those to the cost of your health.

A natural helper, we understand your need to give. But you cannot give what you don’t have. Start to notice where you can care for yourself more and lean into helping you. Ignoring your needs will inevitably lead to burnout.

The Enneagram Three

If you related to the first example in this post, when the words goal-oriented flashed on the screen, you might be the Enneagram Three. Many people want to be this type, but it does not come without worry. Threes feel responsible.

There’s no doubt the mantra, “Get Sh*t Done,” came from one. This attitude makes you prone to overworking. Trying to make it look like you have it all together all of the time while work and priorities pile up around you is exhausting. Step back, assess your priorities, and give yourself grace when you realize that you genuinely cannot do it all. It will free you.

The Enneagram Four

One of the most sensitive types, Fours, need support. With their natural propensity to withdraw from people, this can be hard to get. If you are a Four, you must ask for support.

You also want to express yourself, show your individuality, and bathe in self-expression. To do so, can you find a creative outlet to pursue? This could be key in unlocking your calm and avoiding work burnout.

The Enneagram Five

An Investigator by nature, Fives want info. Emotional detachment keeps involvement in others at bay, leaving room for deep-dives into complex ideas. They want to be experts and fear intrusion from others will thwart it. So, fives can hold critical information from those who need it to help carry the workload.

Tending to your physical wellbeing and leaning into the friendships and relationships around you can help stave off burnout. Giving information to others is rewarding, and it helps everyone.

The Enneagram Six

Reliable and loyal. Loyal to belief. Loyal to ideas. Loyal to systems. If you have learned about Wholeness At Work, you know that burnout can exist within a system. So, Sixes have a unique hill to climb.

They strive to avoid failure and lack self-confidence, which can, in itself, lead to burnout. But, not being willing to question a system in place which may be causing burnout amongst the team could lead them even further down the path. Keep your loyalty, but know when to step out of the box and identify when change is beneficial.

The Enneagram Seven

For Sevens, new ideas fuel them. But, in planning to keep their options open for the next best thing, Sevens can quickly become scatter-brained.

If you are an enneagram seven, how can you connect with the here and now? Find a way to connect to now so that tomorrow can lead to you reaching your biggest goals.

The Enneagram Eight

Type Eights are strong and confident, but this can lead you to hide your vulnerabilities. The truth is, vulnerability is a strength. You may feel the need to reject people or possible failures before they reject you—but that can lead to a quick depletion.

Can you find a way to become open to criticism, the leadership of others, and vulnerability? How can you get there?

The Enneagram Nine

You seek peace, harmony, and dislike ill will. Similar to Enneagram Two, you quickly place the needs of the group above your own.

To avoid burnout, an Eight needs to prioritize self-care. Sometimes it is necessary to remind yourself that the more care you give to you will create room to care for others. How can you relax into self-care today?

If you feel like you are moving full speed ahead on the path to burnout, please join us on the Wholeness At Work journey. We dive into the symptoms, sources, and solutions to workplace burnout so that we can move forward whole in the workplace and our daily lives.

5 Journal Prompts To Start Your Year And The Science Behind Journaling

Each year, many of us set out to resolve goals for the new year. While forward-thinking and goal setting is a helpful practice, reflection can be just as powerful. Often, it benefits us to sit in silence (or—in a busy home like many of ours—in whatever space gives you solitude) and journal.

Today, we want to provide you with journal writing prompts to establish a baseline for the days ahead and see if there are areas where you can pivot, push forward, or improve, if just by a little.

A Look Into Journaling

For many of us, when we were young, you could find diaries tucked into our secret hiding places filled with crushes, childhood drama, and feelings that we could lock away with our special keys. While we may not have realized it, it was healthy for us to get our emotions out on paper, no matter how trivial our thoughts may have seemed as we’ve aged.

As adults, for many of us, that practice slips away. But, as we launch into stressful careers, find partners, and grow our families, our lives get more complex. Old drama becomes a distant memory replaced with everyone relying on us, a global pandemic, working from home, and—well, you get it.

So, how do we delve into those emotions and sort them out? That diary from your childhood can make its way back into your life via a journal.

The Science Of Journaling

Several studies on expressive writing prove that it is beneficial and for more than just our creativity and aptitude. According to the New York Times, “The scientific research on the benefits of so-called expressive writing is surprisingly vast. Studies have shown that writing about oneself and personal experiences can improve mood disorders, help reduce symptoms among cancer patients, improve a person’s health after a heart attack, reduce doctor visits and even boost memory.”

Tackling Complex Issues

You may think its time consuming, or find it self-absorbed, but it is not in the least. Journaling can help you structure complex thoughts. Thoughts that float in your mind and tackle each other every day. Perhaps your mind sounds a little something like this:

1:01 pm – “I want to leave my job.”

1:02 pm – “I have to stay at my job because of my children.”

1:03 pm – “This work is not fulfilling to me.”

1:04 pm – “Who am I kidding? I have a degree in this field.”

Replace these quotes with any other mind-bending personal issue, and you have yourself a complex problem.

Re-organizing Your Thoughts

In this example, maybe the work is wrong, but your family depends on it, and your degree may put you into a similar position at a workplace that is even worse. But what about the flip side of this issue? How can you think through this complex issue to find solutions in which to resolve it?

Perhaps the root cause of why you want to leave your job is because your coworkers rely on you for the bulk of the workload. In your journaling, you might discover that the difference between a career you hate and a career you love comes down to working through the systems in your workplace to make the workload fairer for you all.

That is the power of journaling.

Journaling In Wholeness At Work

This is why Wholeness At Work includes sections for journaling and reflection. It is in these moments of reflection where we can make clear roadmaps on how to move forward.

We learn how to free ourselves from workplace burnout, true. In doing so, we journal about the symptoms and sources to give us a well-rounded look into the solutions. If you would like to start reflecting, here are some things to think about.

5 Journal Writing Prompts To Help You Reflect Today

We wanted to include some self-reflection and positive affirmation journal prompts together to help keep your overall mindset positive. Not only can you extend loving-kindness to yourself, but others as you work through the following prompts.

Who in my life do I want to extend some extra loving-kindness towards today?
What do I deeply value and want to honor in my work/life?
What pressures, expectations, or fears can I set down today?
What mental habits and emotional loops do I notice in myself?
What is filling me with a sense of meaning and purpose?

Self-Compassion In Journaling

We ask—as you take time writing—that you do so without judgment to your thoughts. It is important to be true to your feelings. Journaling may bring up something uncomfortable, something you choose to keep in your Id or Ego and not meet face-to-face daily. Show yourself some compassion as you come about those situations. If you think you might be on your way to workplace burnout, get access to our self-assessment here. Our community is working towards wholeness for good, together. Would you join us? Find out more about the Wholeness At Work journey here.

Who Is Wholeness At Work For?

Erin Rocchio, MPOD, created Wholeness At Work with a distinct goal in mind—to help leaders learn the science behind burnout symptoms, gain a comprehensive understanding of its sources, and discover personalized solutions to the chronic power stress of burnout. It is essential to understand burnout as a whole to avoid it. But, who is Wholeness At Work for? We dive into that today.

What Is Wholeness At Work?

Burnout is officially recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO) as an “occupational phenomenon” since 2019. This year (2020) has brought on an enclave of burnout that couldn’t have been predicted and has taken its toll on individuals and entire organizations in a huge way. While it has not been formally evaluated, we have seen some of the repercussions of individuals and businesses being pushed to their absolute limits as we never have before.

Wholeness At Work will dive into the science behind burnout. It will extensively cover the symptoms, sources, and solutions for an in-depth understanding of this phenomenon. This coaching program is designed for individuals or teams to help identify where burnout persists and how to work through it.

The Recovering MBA: Enneagram 1

The Enneagram One is purposeful—always looking to improve themselves and the things around them. But, the constant quest for improvement can be exhausting. Continually trying to find approval from others and proving your goodness through sheer determination will only get you so far. In Wholeness At Work, you will find resources to help you identify the sources of burnout in yourself, your team, and the systems you have in place to ensure that you not only avoid burnout as an individual but can help alleviate those symptoms in your team.

The Conscious CEO: Enneagram 3

Being results-driven and successful is most often the main objective for the Enneagram Three. These are the true “people” people who want to make a social impact and connection with others, and be productive at the same time. But, this personality is susceptible to working, working, working, and never stopping. Wholeness At Work will help you evaluate when it is time to work and when it is time to step back and focus inward. You can’t sustain high performance if you are continually grinding day and night. How can you strike that beautiful place of balance where, as a whole person, you are being fulfilled and renewed on all levels?

The Millennial Manager: Enneagram 7

The Enneagram 7 seeks possibility and freedom, which are beautiful qualities. But, the enthusiasm for what’s possible, without grounded focus, can cause Type Sevens to spin out fairly quickly. So, how can you take all of these positive qualities of possibility seeking, vision, and self-realization and use them to avoid burnout? We can help guide you in Wholeness At Work.

The Type-A Working Mom: Enneagram 8

Do you have so much on your plate that you feel exhausted all the time? The Enneagram 8 is a type-A personality—they want control of their life and everything in it. But, some things we simply don’t have control of (See: 2020). That is what can send this type into a spiral, always aiming to achieve and execute flawlessly, even when the challenges thrown their way are too much for one person. We will help you step back and prioritize you in Wholeness At Work.

In reality, this self-guided coaching program is for anyone who is experiencing burnout at work or in their leadership roles wherever they come. It will help you identify systems and patterns that are feeding into – and maintaining – the cycle of burnout in your life. By identifying these and digging into all the root causes of your burnout pain, you can dismantle and reconstruct a way of leading and living that is more sustainable for you, your team, and your world. We are here for you at every step.