BLUF

COVID-19 has ensured a tough couple of years for everyone, but being placed under pressure might, in some situations, help you to become a better manager and leader.

Summary

Despite the best efforts of organisations to support their employees during the COVID-19 pandemic, research indicates that some women feel more exhausted and under pressure than men. According to the Women in the Workplace 2021 report, the burnout gap between men and women has almost doubled over the past year. Some key points made by this Forbes article: 

The pandemic has disproportionately affected women, and organisations do not appear to have done enough in support of women.

42% of women experienced symptoms of burnout, which is up from 32% last year. 

The unequal demands women face managing work and home life negatively impact their mental and emotional well-being and job satisfaction.

Author Dane Jensen says that men and women do not experience pressure in the same way. But he also suggests that in some situations pressure (not stress) might be better managed if we look at it as a developmental experience that can help us grow and achieve our goals. Jensen shares three strategies for how to deal with pressure:

Focus on the outcomes.

Build confidence by managing setbacks.

Take perspective.

Jensen says we sabotage ourselves when our attention gets diverted in a way that reinforces the anxiety spiral or pressure loop. Instead, he recommends staying focused on how pressure has helped you become more effective.

Learn more about pressure, not stress, can help us become better managers and leaders.

References

Dec 2021 BBC Is stress good or bad? It’s actually both

Jan 2021 health.com How to Deal With Stress: 14 Ways to Cope, From Experts

Jan 2021 Forbes Women Across 17 Countries Report Increased Stress, Household Work Due To Covid-19

Mar 2021 Very Well Mind Pandemic Takes a Toll on Women’s Mental Health