As I watch colleagues burnout during the pandemic I believe it’s due to the fact that we’re collectively going through a massive transformation. Here’s my realization:

The first step in a transformation is to separate from what you knew or were doing before. A career change, big life change such as sobriety, divorce, a move, life change.

The period of time once this separation happens is the in between space, it’s the most uncomfortable time. Most of know it from whenever we’ve moved. Life is in a bunch of boxes and we don’t have a home base, or foundation.

When Covid hit, we all had to separate from what we knew. We were forced into a transformation and now we’re all in the between space. There’s no foundation and we can’t go back to the life we had before. This feeling is stressful in the best of times, that’s not where we are.

The longer we’re in the between space, the harder it is to maintain good mental health. Even if business is okay, there’s the stress of getting to normal, of exiting the treatment, getting on with life, unpacking. But here we are.

There will be a day when we enter the next phase of transformation, when we emerge anew. But it’s going to take time and while we’re on this journey together it’s important to recognize the impact that many are feeling.

Here are a few tips to help out: That time you used to commute, take it back. Do something good for yourself, even if that means nothing. But don’t just fill in all the added time working.

Block your calendar at least one day a week that you don’t take meetings. Block another two half days. If you have to take a must attend meeting with a client, find another day to get that time back.

Take care of yourself and keep an eye out for your friends. We’re all in this together. Hope this is helpful.