Steps to Achieving a Flourishing Work Life

The Great Resignation to the Great Exhaustion. Have you heard about these phenomena?

A 2022 study reported an alarming elevation of burnout prevalence among employees. The millennials and Gen Zs were found to be the highest to report burnout among the employee population. Even in my consultations, the trend of seeing more and more younger people experiencing anxiety and depression has been on the rise. This trend can be associated with languish. The Cambridge Dictionary defines languish as “to exist in an unpleasant or unwanted situation, often for a long time.” The concept was first introduced by Corey Keyes in 2002, describing languish as a state of being, and in this case, it is at one end of the spectrum. Languish can be simply understood as “a sense of feeling bleh” or rather a feeling of being disconnected from social network, demotivated and disinterested.

Such feelings when experienced over a prolonged period of time are detrimental to our well-being. With the pressures we are exposed to in a busy modern life, it may be easy to get trapped in such a situation, however, it is good to know that we can focus on the following 5 elements to flourish:

1. Positive Emotion: Feeling good about things and situations. Seek out positive experiences in life, no matter how small, acknowledge them by showing gratitude.
2. Engagement: When we are very much into something, we feel a sense of flow – a feeling that we are connected and flowing smoothly in the activity. Be fully present in all that you do. When you find something that instantly connects with you and you feel you can immerse yourself in that activity, that is flow. Fill your life with such activities.
3. Relationship: We cannot deny the power of relationships and connections in ensuring our well-being. Social connections help us feel supported, cared for, loved, and needed. We seek and give in relationships. We build trust and a pillar of strength by having strong relationships with people in our lives.
4. Meaning: This is a very subjective issue yet one that is crucial. Go back to your purpose in life. Ask yourself what you can do to contribute positively to people around you, to nature, to your team at work, and your organization. Beyond money, rewards, and recognition, there is a sense of fulfilment that is connected to doing good. A simple smile from a stranger brings a smile to your face and joy to your heart.
5. Achievement: Finally being realistic with your goals is one thing, being grounded in things that make life wonderful other than material possessions is quite another thing. While you set realistic goals at work for career development, you must also consider realistic goals in your personal life that bring joy and contentment even through the simplest of things in life too.

Want to know more about how to build a psychologically safe work environment practically? You are cordially invited to join our upcoming online events:

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