After living through the COVID-19 era where most in-person office jobs were immediately set aside to prioritize health and safety, many Americans in the corporate world experienced complete virtual work days for the better part of a year. Coming back to work in even a hybrid setting was bound to provoke anxiety for employees after being away from the office for so long. Assuming the inevitable, it is up to the individual whether they will use this anxiety to their advantage or their disadvantage.
In the article by Tracy Dennis-Tiwary, “In Praise of Anxiety”, she explains that “Anxiety has nothing to do with present threats. Instead, it turns you into a mental time traveler, drawing your attention to what lies ahead”. In the world of covid, the anxiety instigating thoughts that have the potential to paralyze a career come from thoughts of being back at the office and in collaboration with team members once again after so many months.
By flooding our minds with healthy thoughts that are not self-destructive but also contain subtle uncertainty, we can create a level of anxiety that prepares us for the future and keeps team members on their toes rather than a level that damages mental health.
At Health Well Done, the concept of healthy people, healthy teams, and successful projects does not run smoothly without a level of healthy anxiety. Nor do successful leaders tend to produce team members with unhealthily high levels of anxiety. In my next blog, I will suggest how leading teams through people-centered leadership can make team members feel more calm and happier to go into the workplace every day.
