How to Keep Going in a Struggling System

On this episode

Many of us feel are working in an overstretched system where our colleagues are exhausted. And we’re feeling the strain. We know the vicious cycle of stress leading to team members going off sick, which leads to more stress… but what can we do to break this cycle?

Instead of trying to fix the system, we have to focus on ourselves, and what’s within our zone of power. This means taking better care of our energy, time, attention, and resources – being intentional about what we choose to spend our energy on.

In this live podcast recording from the FMLM Conference 2024, Rachel is joined by Dr Sarah Coope, to discuss ways we can take more control over our careers.

Taking control and responsibility does not mean passing the blame onto you. The fact that you’re working in an overstretched system is not your fault, so you won’t find any resilience victim-blaming here. But there are actions and decisions we can take, even if those decisions lead to people being annoyed with us.

If we don’t take responsibility for what we can do (how we manage our time and attention for example), we risk falling into the trap of constant exhaustion and ultimately, burnout. And the cycle continues.

This episode is an invitation to think differently about the quality of your energy – not just the quantity – and what we can do to improve it. Small, intentional changes can make a big difference in crafting a career that can keep us fulfilled.