nurturing resilience: an introduction to overcoming change fatigue
I remember when I thought a big work change was moving my start time from 8:00 AM to 8:30 AM. Or the time hospital leadership decided employees had to park in the lot across the street instead of in the parking garage. At that time, I had no imagination for significant and impactful changes. As my career grew, those changes came, one after the other: outsourcing, insourcing, mergers, acquisitions, and seemingly unending restructuring. I never imagined that I would be getting paid one day to run workshops on change fatigue, but here we are. Change is an inevitable part of life. However, the constant waves of change over the last ten years have led to a staggering number of workers who have just plain "had it" with change. Change fatigue breeds dissatisfaction in the workplace. Employees are exhausted from change, which often produces dissatisfaction in the workplace. Someone recently told me they had worked for seven different leaders in the last two years, all while supposedly doing the same job. Each leader did things differently, and this employee was exhausted from jumping through different hoops and adapting her style every time her leader changed. She was tired or, in her words, "over it."
Change fatigue is a state of weariness that can occur when individuals or teams are subject to prolonged or excessive change. It can manifest as stress, frustration, decreased productivity, and a sense of feeling overwhelmed. Organizations and individuals must navigate continuous changes in the modern workplace, making it crucial to address and mitigate Change Fatigue. One of the reasons we become so exhausted by change is that we didn't learn proper coping mechanisms to enable us to work through it. So, rather than adapting to change healthily, we throw up roadblocks or power through until sheer exhaustion.
Resilience is critical to thriving during seasons of significant change. It is incumbent upon all of us to do what we can to become more adaptable teammates, which takes intentionality. Get started on your journey towards increased resilience by utilizing these four steps:
(1) Rest; even the simple act of pausing can be restorative. A purposeful pause allows one to step back, assess the current situation, and understand the impact of changes on your well-being. If changes seem negatively impactful, allow yourself time to grieve. Acknowledging your emotions and thoughts creates a space for self-awareness, laying the foundation for a more resilient mindset.
(2) Ground yourself in the reality that rapid change is here to stay. Embracing this reality versus pining for the good ole days can fundamentally shift our perspective. Rather than viewing change as a threat, consider it an opportunity for growth and learning. This shift in mindset is crucial to building change resilience.
(3) Reassess your values. Understanding your values gives you a compass to navigate the turbulent times of change. Identify what truly matters to you, and align your values with your work. Your sense of purpose is a stabilizing force during periods of change.
(4) Create a change resilience plan. I created a change resilience plan as a proactive approach to counteract change fatigue. A personal resilience plan includes:
Identifying support that will keep you going
Strategies for coping through undesired change
Identifying and reviewing beliefs and values
Developing specific solutions and actions.
Remember, resilience is not about avoiding challenges but about withstanding or bouncing back stronger than before.
Change is a constant force that shapes our lives, and while change fatigue may be a natural response, it is crucial to shift our mindset toward resilience. By pausing, accepting the reality of ongoing change, recognizing our values, and implementing a resilience plan, we can not only navigate the challenges but thrive in the face of them.
