lesson #4—vulnerability in the workplace

Work is not everything in life. It is just one aspect of our daily existence. Having said that, it is not always compatible with our personal life. What happens outside of work affects our performance, motivation, and enthusiasm. We are not always feeling okay, and that's okay.

During times when my personal life became too turbulent, my performance was never at 100%, and that is normal. It was very difficult for me to give my all when my attention was divided among many areas, especially when my emotional well-being or that of a family member or loved one was at stake.

As human beings, we experience a range of emotions, and some of them are not conducive to what we demand of ourselves in our work life. Sadness, stress, anxiety, you name it. It can be frustrating to see our performance decline (or at least feel like it does), because not only do we put pressure on ourselves, but there's also someone on the other side expecting a certain level of performance from us. However, there are some key things that can help alleviate this burden and pressure.

Talking about it

When we are not in a good place, it's essential not to keep it to ourselves. Who can we talk to about it? That will depend a lot on the structure of your workplace. Many times we keep things to ourselves out of fear of what others might think or because we feel it's not appropriate to share in our work environment. But keep this in mind: your workplace is composed of humans, not robots (well, maybe there are some robots now, but that's beside the point). If there's someone you trust and have a good relationship with, communicate that you are not in your best moment and that your performance might not meet expectations. This helps to reduce the pressure, and there's probably someone who can lend a hand to lighten your workload. Teamwork is crucial here.

Having more empathy for ourselves

It's important to let go of the pressure to always be at 110%. Sometimes all we can give is 70%, 60%, 30%. And that's okay. These are just moments. The important thing is to understand that things happen, and they happen to everyone. We are people, not just roles.

Giving ourselves time and space

Life is like a roller coaster. It always has its ups and downs—we can't expect anything else. When those low points of the ride come, giving ourselves space to recover is key. Find little pockets in your schedule to do things that make you feel good. You can find this in the small things of everyday life: take a walk, have a cup of coffee, do that sport you love, give yourself a little extra time in the morning to start calmly. It’s about creating spaces that recharge us and recover even 1% of our energy.

Remembering that we are all in the same boat

When we normalize the humanity in all of us, we create a work culture where emotions are not hidden but are integrated to foster a more efficient work dynamic. Practicing empathy in our workspace is essential to make it a safe space for everyone. Understanding that we are more than just roles allows us, as a team, to provide the necessary support in different life situations.

If you are going through a tough time, try to remember this—things happen, and it's important to talk about it to lighten the load a little. Life is much like a roller coaster, and we are all on that ride together. Don't keep it to yourself.