♫ Helter Skelter ♫   That happened fast!

We’re back at work with a bang this week. 

Straight into crammed meeting schedules. Stretch targets. Heavy workloads.  Teams half in and half out of the office, or half-in and half-out of work, as the Great Resignation threat looms.

We’re still in Discovery phase for assessing how our COVID experiences have changed us.  And in the meantime, some themes are emerging in my coaching conversations in 2022, and I’m pretty sure they’re related to lived COVID-experiences.  Leaders are voicing a real need to prioritise physical, mental and emotional health alongside work goals. It’s been an exhausting couple of years leading through a pandemic. They want to be at their best in order to make good decisions, and focus on what’s really important. 

Corporates have been investing in tools to support executive wellbeing for years, but leaders are usually time-poor, and something’s always got to give. Usually ‘what gives’ are those things more important to the individual, and maybe less to the corporate machine. Until now. 

The transition from lazy summer holiday to fast-paced work environment always jangles a few nerves, but this year the difference feels more acute. Our COVID-proof holidays have been local, low key and simple: hiking, camping, fishing, boating.  We’ve spent more time with family and friends. We’ve had more time to daydream and reflect.  It’s the opposite of our work environment where multi-tasking, frequent interruptions and long hours are the norm. 

Fitness, sleep, diet, family and friends, thinking time, down time.  Fresh from the holidays, the human in us has become more demanding.

♫  I’m coming down fast but don’t let me break you! ♫  sang The Beatles

In ‘Stolen Focus’ Johann Hari examines why we’re struggling to focus, and as any coach will tell you, it’s hard to be successful if you can’t. Lack of focus leads to poor decision making, missed opportunities and an inability to motivate others – or ourselves. Hari identifies twelve causes of what is emerging as a global crisis. Some of these echo themes raised by clients this year:  prioritising healthier diets, better sleep, less frenetic multi-tasking and more uninterrupted thinking time.  A read of Hari’s book may convince you that these are worth prioritising for yourself this year.

In fact, you may add a few more.

Because we’re heading into another Helter Skelter of a year.  Are you in good shape to enjoy the ride?