On the Topic of Burnout
With May being Mental Health Awareness Month, we urge you to thank yourself for how far you’ve come — it hasn’t been easy. While we’re beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel, it’s safe to say that the past year and counting has taken a toll on everyone’s mental health. If the stress, trauma, and grief is starting to catch up to you, know that you’re not alone. More than 4 in 10 adults in the U.S. reported recent symptoms of anxiety or depression during the pandemic, and the number of those with unmet health needs has also skyrocketed.
What’s more, the people affected most are often the people with the least access to care — younger adults, people of color, essential workers, and unpaid caregivers. Yes, that includes women. Women have taken a disproportionate hit: LeanIn.Org and SurveyMonkey research found that women are experiencing physical symptoms of stress and burnout at up to twice the rate of men.
As summer approaches, we hope you take time to unwind and heal, because we’re better to each other when we’re better to ourselves. Need a place to start? We love Jane Starr Drinkard and Julie Ma’s roundup in The Cut of sage advice from famous women who have lived through the lows and aren’t afraid to speak out about it.
FROM OUR COMMUNITY:
On implementing metrics that matter: “A lot of companies measure representation, but not inclusion. How much of your organization do you feel is authentic? Do you feel trusted? The average of inclusion is not average at all. Think about harder measurements around inclusion.” — Lareina Yee, Senior Partner and Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer, McKinsey & Company | Watch the full discussion
On preventing flexibility fallout: “Try to prevent the unequal playing field of flexibility. Pay attention to who is taking that flexibility and what’s happening to their performance reviews and actual promotions because of that.” — Samantha Saperstein, Head of Women on the Move, JPMorgan Chase & Co. | Watch the full discussion
On rethinking our hiring metrics: “Historically, managers have looked for what [candidates] have done before. You have to look at skills. All these skills we do as parents are transferrable skills. That is what needs to be the focus.” — Sasha Yablonovsky, President, CareerBuilder | Watch the full discussion
On achieving work-life balance: “Be deliberate and intentional about doing something that energizes you every single day. Take that time you need and encourage your team to do the same. That’s when we are the best versions of ourselves.” — Denise Bailey-Castro, Head, Finance, BET Networks | Watch the full discussion
On flipping the script at home: “I engaged in a lot of regrettable behavior while trying to prove my masculinity – mostly to myself – over and over again. And, it’s only as I began to reexamine myself and my values that this started to shift.” — Jordan Shapiro, Author, Father Figure: How to Be a Feminist Dad | Watch the full discussion
On resetting norms around flexibility: “Flexibility is the one thing that the majority of women say would make them more competitive in the workplace. But, there can’t be any stigma or penalty attached. We need to find a sustainable, hybrid model with some structure around it.” — Alexis Krivkovich, Senior Partner and Co-Leader, Bay Area Office, McKinsey & Company | Watch the full discussion
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