WEBVTT - Psychological Matters: Why mid-year fatigue is hitting hard and what can help 0:00:00.800 --> 0:00:05.800 Walking this talk together every hour every day. This is 0:00:05.920 --> 0:00:08.240 seven or two. Let's walk the talk. 0:00:09.320 --> 0:00:12.680 I'm sure many of you have views and contributions that 0:00:12.720 --> 0:00:16.079 you would like to make on the man that was 0:00:16.200 --> 0:00:20.000 did Mabuza. Many people from Buma Langa have a lot 0:00:20.079 --> 0:00:23.280 to say. I've been seeing on social media people saying, 0:00:23.440 --> 0:00:26.960 you know, Woodbank people stand up and all different parts 0:00:27.040 --> 0:00:30.120 of Buma Langa will get an opportunity to have a 0:00:30.240 --> 0:00:35.240 further conversation about your views of Mabuza in the open 0:00:35.320 --> 0:00:37.280 line at the end of the show. The final hour 0:00:37.320 --> 0:00:39.280 of the show will be the open line and it 0:00:39.320 --> 0:00:42.279 will be your chance to speak about whatever is on 0:00:42.560 --> 0:00:43.320 your mind. 0:00:43.960 --> 0:00:45.760 Okay, So we're moving. 0:00:45.680 --> 0:00:50.479 To our psychological matters feature, and it's a really interesting 0:00:50.560 --> 0:00:54.360 one today just because of the time of the year 0:00:54.400 --> 0:00:59.480 that we're in, but also the reality of how fatigue 0:01:00.520 --> 0:01:03.320 really is a problem that many of us are experiencing, 0:01:03.760 --> 0:01:07.360 and sometimes it's not linked to any time of the 0:01:07.480 --> 0:01:11.600 year or any reason. Really, you find people saying I've 0:01:11.600 --> 0:01:14.320 been sleeping and I sleep for a full eight hours 0:01:14.600 --> 0:01:18.440 and I still wake up tired. But today we're speaking 0:01:18.440 --> 0:01:23.040 about why medio fatigue is still hitting hard or hitting 0:01:23.120 --> 0:01:26.080 us hard. And what can help can we do anything 0:01:26.480 --> 0:01:29.360 about it? And for that conversation, we have the executive 0:01:29.400 --> 0:01:34.600 head of healthcare Consulting at financial advisory firm NMG Benefits. 0:01:34.840 --> 0:01:39.160 That's Karen Mitchellmore who joins US Now Live, and we're 0:01:39.160 --> 0:01:42.520 going to be having that conversation around whether medio fatigue 0:01:42.680 --> 0:01:45.160 is a reality or is it all. 0:01:44.959 --> 0:01:45.639 In the mind. 0:01:45.760 --> 0:01:49.680 You know, sometimes I do think that it's we think 0:01:49.720 --> 0:01:52.760 ourselves into being tired. I don't know, I mean, you 0:01:52.800 --> 0:01:56.040 find yourself in February. I've seen chokes on social media 0:01:56.360 --> 0:01:58.800 with people saying, oh, I already have year end fatigue, 0:01:59.000 --> 0:02:01.720 and we're in February March, you know, and some of 0:02:01.720 --> 0:02:04.480 the people are being honest, they are already feeling drained 0:02:04.520 --> 0:02:08.160 and tired, even after a lengthy break in you know, 0:02:08.400 --> 0:02:11.720 lengthy December break, lengthy break in the holidays. So let's 0:02:11.720 --> 0:02:15.400 speak about mid year fatigue and what it's all about. 0:02:15.800 --> 0:02:19.040 Karen Mitchell Moore joins US Now Live. Karen, good evening, 0:02:19.040 --> 0:02:19.840 Welcome to the show. 0:02:21.040 --> 0:02:22.919 Thank you so much. It's a pleasure to be here. 0:02:24.040 --> 0:02:24.240 You know. 0:02:24.919 --> 0:02:26.120 I keep saying, Karen that. 0:02:27.560 --> 0:02:29.919 While we like to speak about midia fatigue or your 0:02:30.000 --> 0:02:34.280 in fatigue, sometimes we're just feeling fatigued, even in January 0:02:34.320 --> 0:02:37.440 after a lengthy break. I mean, is midyear fatigue a 0:02:37.560 --> 0:02:40.720 reality where people where when we hit that June mark, 0:02:41.000 --> 0:02:42.960 we already start feeling like, oh. 0:02:42.680 --> 0:02:43.760 There's a bit of a slump. 0:02:45.440 --> 0:02:49.440 You know, absolutely what happens is that you know, first 0:02:49.480 --> 0:02:51.600 of all, I mean, what is fatigue. It's really around 0:02:51.600 --> 0:02:56.040 the emotional, mental, and physical exhaustion. We set these you know, 0:02:56.360 --> 0:03:00.240 really almost unrealistical for ourselves at the beginning of the year. 0:03:00.360 --> 0:03:04.880 We've got resolutions to meet, you know, we've got work pressures, 0:03:05.360 --> 0:03:07.160 and then suddenly before we know it, we're at the 0:03:07.160 --> 0:03:11.200 middle of the year. We're feeling exhausted, we're seasonal changes 0:03:11.880 --> 0:03:14.360 and you know, we have this prolonged stress and it 0:03:14.400 --> 0:03:17.960 affects our well being. So, you know, regardless of whether 0:03:18.040 --> 0:03:22.519 it's it's summer or winter, fatigue is is, it's a 0:03:22.600 --> 0:03:24.360 reality and it affects everybody. 0:03:24.639 --> 0:03:27.000 Yeah, but can we link it to the time of 0:03:27.160 --> 0:03:30.040 year or is that just in our minds? Is there 0:03:30.080 --> 0:03:32.440 a direct link with the fact that it's been six months, 0:03:32.440 --> 0:03:35.119 It's been seven months and that's why we've hired. 0:03:36.160 --> 0:03:39.200 So I don't think so, to be very honest, with you. 0:03:39.320 --> 0:03:42.040 I think you know, you can experience fatigue whether it's 0:03:42.080 --> 0:03:44.720 winter or whether it's summer. You know, if we just 0:03:44.760 --> 0:03:48.440 look at what fatigue is, it's often that it's when 0:03:48.480 --> 0:03:52.480 we've come from a rush from you know, trying to 0:03:52.560 --> 0:03:56.840 reach all these goals and then suddenly we're exhausted. And 0:03:57.080 --> 0:03:59.440 when you do have a change of season, as I said, 0:03:59.520 --> 0:04:01.840 so you know, when we go into some more, we 0:04:01.920 --> 0:04:04.480 go into winter, you might find that you are that 0:04:04.560 --> 0:04:07.480 too hot, so you can't sleep, so you spend your night, 0:04:08.000 --> 0:04:11.000 you know, thinking about all the work pressures, you think 0:04:11.040 --> 0:04:14.600 about what's happening within your family, your own homes, and 0:04:14.640 --> 0:04:18.440 the same happens with summer. I think you know, the 0:04:18.520 --> 0:04:23.640 struggle is there, and I mean there obviously are different 0:04:23.680 --> 0:04:25.919 types of fatigue, and we always say it depends on 0:04:26.000 --> 0:04:29.279 the person, it depends on your job. You know, you 0:04:29.400 --> 0:04:33.240 might find if it's wintertime, you know, being lonely, being dark, 0:04:33.440 --> 0:04:37.120 being kept inside could create a different type of mental 0:04:38.279 --> 0:04:43.960 you know, wellness issue. So you know, in some respect, 0:04:44.680 --> 0:04:51.080 certainly seasonal changes can affect fatigue. But media fatigue is real, 0:04:51.360 --> 0:04:54.560 and that happens when when we just get to a 0:04:54.640 --> 0:04:57.599 point where we think, you know, what direction do we 0:04:57.640 --> 0:05:00.520 turn into? Now? Where do we go from here? We've 0:05:00.520 --> 0:05:02.880 still got half a year and it feels like I 0:05:03.000 --> 0:05:04.440 need to take a break. 0:05:05.360 --> 0:05:08.320 And I mean, we'll come back to the types of 0:05:08.400 --> 0:05:11.160 a fatigue. I'm really interested in that. But before we 0:05:11.279 --> 0:05:14.960 go there, how would one know that they're experiencing fatigue? 0:05:15.080 --> 0:05:17.440 I also think it's a term that we use quite loosely, 0:05:17.800 --> 0:05:20.440 like you have a bad night's sleep, or you know, 0:05:20.560 --> 0:05:22.760 you just you struggle a bit a day or two 0:05:22.920 --> 0:05:25.560 and already you're saying, oh, I'm so fatigued. How would 0:05:25.640 --> 0:05:28.640 you know that you're going through madure fatigue? 0:05:30.040 --> 0:05:32.280 You know? Again, as I said, you know, it depends 0:05:32.320 --> 0:05:35.680 on who you are. So for some people, they just 0:05:35.720 --> 0:05:41.440 feel absolutely exhausted. They might feel irritable, emotional, or even hopeless. 0:05:42.480 --> 0:05:46.119 You know, there's this new word that people are using, 0:05:46.160 --> 0:05:49.920 and it's quite scary. It's called presentism. You know, in 0:05:49.960 --> 0:05:52.479 our particular industry, we see it quite a lot because 0:05:52.480 --> 0:05:55.960 we very people focused at energy. We are dealing with 0:05:56.000 --> 0:05:58.880 people on a day to day basis, and what happens. 0:05:58.920 --> 0:06:03.159 People come to work, they show up, but unfortunately, because 0:06:03.160 --> 0:06:05.680 of all the pressures that they have, whether it's emotional, 0:06:05.680 --> 0:06:09.360 whether it's financial, they're not really there, and it's more 0:06:09.360 --> 0:06:14.080 critical than what absentiism is because at least with absentieism, 0:06:14.640 --> 0:06:17.880 you know, you're hoping that people are going home, they're 0:06:17.920 --> 0:06:21.880 getting the rest they need, they're coming back and they revived. 0:06:22.200 --> 0:06:25.919 But being at work and not really being able to 0:06:25.960 --> 0:06:30.520 do your job is not just critical or detrimental to 0:06:30.600 --> 0:06:33.800 you as a person, what also affects the productivity of 0:06:33.800 --> 0:06:34.600 the business. 0:06:36.279 --> 0:06:38.839 We're taking your calls on zero double one, double eight 0:06:38.920 --> 0:06:43.400 three seven two or two to one double four six 0:06:44.040 --> 0:06:47.760 five six seven. We're speaking mid year fatigue and how 0:06:47.800 --> 0:06:50.839 you should know, how you can know if you're experiencing it, 0:06:51.240 --> 0:06:54.240 and you know, understanding your body at this time of 0:06:54.279 --> 0:06:58.080 the year, understanding your mind, your mental health and wellbeing 0:06:58.320 --> 0:07:00.400 at the time of the year, in all order to 0:07:00.440 --> 0:07:03.960 continue until the end of the year. Karen, maybe we 0:07:04.000 --> 0:07:07.120 should go into those types of fatigue because you know, 0:07:07.120 --> 0:07:10.080 if you ask me, it all feels the same, might imagine, 0:07:10.240 --> 0:07:12.920 you know, especially if you aren't aware that the are types, 0:07:13.280 --> 0:07:14.760 you just always just feel tired. 0:07:15.000 --> 0:07:16.120 So what are those types? 0:07:18.240 --> 0:07:18.320 So? 0:07:18.600 --> 0:07:20.840 I mean, first of all, people need to really just 0:07:20.960 --> 0:07:26.080 acknowledge that they fatigued and it can, you know, present 0:07:26.160 --> 0:07:29.200 itself in different ways. So you know, as I said 0:07:29.200 --> 0:07:31.840 to you, you might feel a little bit irritable, and 0:07:32.240 --> 0:07:35.760 often that is because you feel like you're overwhelmed. So 0:07:35.880 --> 0:07:38.160 that's the type of fatigue. If you don't listen to that, 0:07:38.240 --> 0:07:41.120 if you don't rest, if you don't take necessary breaks, 0:07:41.520 --> 0:07:45.320 that can turn into something you know, more critical, like burnout. 0:07:46.400 --> 0:07:48.920 If you're looking at headaches and so on, you know, 0:07:49.040 --> 0:07:52.240 if you're not dealing with why you're having those headaches, 0:07:52.520 --> 0:07:58.760 whether it speaks to somebody being just you know, mentally stressed, 0:08:00.480 --> 0:08:04.080 if you're not creating boundaries for yourself, those headaches could 0:08:04.080 --> 0:08:07.400 become something that you know, could affect your health in 0:08:07.440 --> 0:08:09.480 a much bigger way. 0:08:10.600 --> 0:08:13.960 And so once you're aware, you know that you are 0:08:14.080 --> 0:08:17.600 experiencing this, what can one do to address it? 0:08:19.760 --> 0:08:22.400 I think you know, as you said that it's very 0:08:22.440 --> 0:08:25.880 important that you are aware and you acknowledge that you're 0:08:25.880 --> 0:08:30.080 struggling with fatigue. You know, Unfortunately, what there is a 0:08:30.120 --> 0:08:33.640 stigma attached to fatigue, to burn out, to depression, So 0:08:33.720 --> 0:08:37.440 people often suffer in silence, which it's a very very 0:08:37.440 --> 0:08:40.800 scary condition to have. People need to acknowledge that they're 0:08:40.840 --> 0:08:44.439 not alone. So many people suffer from from fatigue. In fact, 0:08:44.440 --> 0:08:49.600 probably around eighty to ninety percent of people. What we 0:08:49.760 --> 0:08:52.960 suggest is, you know, take take some more time. You know, 0:08:53.440 --> 0:08:56.760 take some time to actually reset. You know, a holiday 0:08:57.360 --> 0:09:00.280 is really just a pause. And what we're saying is, 0:09:00.880 --> 0:09:03.760 try and look at who you are as a person. 0:09:03.920 --> 0:09:08.280 What are your goals? Be more realistic, do things for yourself. 0:09:09.080 --> 0:09:12.560 We always say, you know, exercise. A lot of what 0:09:12.600 --> 0:09:17.960 we do at Energy as well is we encourage lifestyle changes, 0:09:18.120 --> 0:09:23.560 create that work life balance, and most importantly talk to somebody. 0:09:24.240 --> 0:09:29.400 So if I could give employers some advice, is we 0:09:29.559 --> 0:09:33.880 finding a lot of employers these days are taking or 0:09:33.920 --> 0:09:37.640 signing up for what we call employee assistance programs. And 0:09:37.800 --> 0:09:42.640 with this it's a good practical, cost effective solution which 0:09:42.720 --> 0:09:47.600 gives employees a platform to reach out to professionals that 0:09:47.720 --> 0:09:52.840 can assist them with mental stress, with legal stress, financial issues, 0:09:53.440 --> 0:09:56.920 and of course things that's face to face counseling and 0:09:56.960 --> 0:10:00.160 trauma counseling, which a lot of these benefits on not 0:10:00.280 --> 0:10:03.600 normally available through a medical scheme, or they might be, 0:10:04.320 --> 0:10:08.360 but you know, not everybody, unfortunately has the privilege of 0:10:08.400 --> 0:10:11.720 being on a private medical scheme due to affordability. So 0:10:11.800 --> 0:10:17.680 of course, having this particular platform available, you giving your 0:10:17.880 --> 0:10:24.160 employees the opportunity to take control and just you know, 0:10:24.880 --> 0:10:28.360 on the early onset of something like fatigue, be able 0:10:28.400 --> 0:10:31.640 to reset themselves before it becomes something more critical. 0:10:33.200 --> 0:10:36.840 Of course, the reality is it's really hard to communicate 0:10:36.920 --> 0:10:40.960 something like you know, I'm experiencing fatigue to your employer. 0:10:41.640 --> 0:10:47.240 I mean you just you sound lazy, I'd imagine, so. 0:10:47.240 --> 0:10:47.920 You would think so. 0:10:48.080 --> 0:10:51.040 I think that's part of the stigma. Actually, But what 0:10:51.160 --> 0:10:54.120 employers are doing as well these days is that it 0:10:54.280 --> 0:10:57.319 used to be quite popular for employees to have or 0:10:57.360 --> 0:11:02.319 employers apologies to have like a wellness week. What we're 0:11:02.320 --> 0:11:05.120 finding more popular and now is that they're developing a 0:11:05.120 --> 0:11:09.400 wellness culture, and that is one that is open, empathetic, 0:11:10.200 --> 0:11:16.040 offers various tools that help employees to open up, be themselves, 0:11:16.480 --> 0:11:21.320 be more transparent, and give them that worth life balance, 0:11:22.040 --> 0:11:24.679 so you know. And it also gives them more time 0:11:25.000 --> 0:11:27.880 to be with their families and set boundaries that are 0:11:28.000 --> 0:11:31.280 healthy for themselves as well as for the business. 0:11:32.280 --> 0:11:36.080 We have an SMS here from someone who really highlights 0:11:36.200 --> 0:11:39.839 the challenges that many South Africans go through she says. 0:11:40.240 --> 0:11:43.679 My mom is ninety, my sister is sixty three, I 0:11:43.720 --> 0:11:48.360 am fifty two, my son is fifteen. We're surviving, not thriving. 0:11:48.679 --> 0:11:51.320 We have no financial means to eat out or go 0:11:51.400 --> 0:11:54.480 away for a weekend or holiday. I do believe that 0:11:54.600 --> 0:11:58.640 one has to have short breaks during the year, breakaway, 0:11:59.480 --> 0:12:02.839 a break away goals. How do you overcome the economy? 0:12:03.240 --> 0:12:06.320 Taking leave and staying at home is one thing. Taking 0:12:06.480 --> 0:12:09.480 leave and going away is another thing. A change of 0:12:09.600 --> 0:12:13.200 environment is as good as a holiday. And you know, 0:12:13.240 --> 0:12:16.839 from that, really, you know current I think many of 0:12:16.920 --> 0:12:21.680 us are thinking. Many people don't have the means to 0:12:21.800 --> 0:12:25.439 take the much needed break, and so they just keep 0:12:25.520 --> 0:12:27.720 going with the hope that things will get better. 0:12:30.200 --> 0:12:34.840 Unfortunately that's very, very true. But what we have to 0:12:34.880 --> 0:12:38.600 try and do is is they might not be able 0:12:38.640 --> 0:12:42.320 to go away, and I agree that for most it's unaffordable, 0:12:42.440 --> 0:12:45.640 but a change of environment does help. So, you know, 0:12:45.840 --> 0:12:51.120 regular walks, going to parks, you know, those are the 0:12:51.160 --> 0:12:54.600 type of things families can do together. You know, just 0:12:54.960 --> 0:12:58.960 having time where you know everybody consider around a dinner table. 0:13:00.040 --> 0:13:04.839 It's amazing. It's amazing how families pull together when they 0:13:04.840 --> 0:13:08.440 spend time together. You know, and I always say as well, 0:13:09.160 --> 0:13:12.160 you know, you need to invest in your family and 0:13:11.720 --> 0:13:14.640 and and unfortunately, what we also find today also have 0:13:14.920 --> 0:13:20.080 younger children, is that very often across the generations, there 0:13:21.080 --> 0:13:27.120 there is there's almost like they are not understanding each 0:13:27.160 --> 0:13:30.320 other and their ways and what each one is going through. 0:13:30.640 --> 0:13:33.320 But I think the more time you spend together and 0:13:33.360 --> 0:13:36.560 the boundaries that you set for each other, and the 0:13:36.640 --> 0:13:41.920 time that you sent that that's almost personalized, would really 0:13:41.960 --> 0:13:46.760 assist in pulling a family together and helping to uncover 0:13:46.880 --> 0:13:47.880 some of these pressures. 0:13:49.440 --> 0:13:53.680 And you know, how do we go about encouraging you know, 0:13:53.760 --> 0:13:58.360 the idea that rest and boundaries are not luxuries? You know, 0:13:58.559 --> 0:14:01.600 because I think for many of us we think, you know, 0:14:01.679 --> 0:14:04.880 taking a break is a luxury. You know, it's not 0:14:04.920 --> 0:14:07.520 necessarily a necessity. And I think it's because of a 0:14:07.559 --> 0:14:09.839 price tag that's attached to it. I think you can 0:14:09.880 --> 0:14:12.280 agree that many people feel, you know, going oy or 0:14:12.320 --> 0:14:14.600 taking a break comes with a price tag. If it 0:14:14.600 --> 0:14:18.640 doesn't mean spending money on a break, it means losing 0:14:18.679 --> 0:14:22.680 money while you're on a break, especially in this economy, 0:14:22.800 --> 0:14:26.160 How do we encourage people to keep remembering that rest 0:14:26.520 --> 0:14:30.600 and boundaries are not a luxury, they're necessity. 0:14:31.160 --> 0:14:35.440 So you know, I agree with you that is important. 0:14:35.720 --> 0:14:38.280 People need to change their lifestyle, they need to change 0:14:38.320 --> 0:14:43.720 their mindset, they need to adjust their workload. It does 0:14:43.880 --> 0:14:50.480 always start by recognizing that the change is necessary, setting boundaries. 0:14:50.520 --> 0:14:53.720 Often we're not strict enough on ourselves. You know. We 0:14:53.800 --> 0:14:55.800 might say that, you know, when I leave work in 0:14:55.840 --> 0:14:58.560 the afternoon, that's the end of the day and from 0:14:58.600 --> 0:15:01.600 then onwards its family to time. But then we allow 0:15:01.680 --> 0:15:06.880 one sneaky call to come in and unfortunately that is 0:15:06.960 --> 0:15:10.600 on ourselves, right, So we need to be true to 0:15:10.640 --> 0:15:13.680 ourselves and we need others to respect that space as well. 0:15:14.280 --> 0:15:18.160 Once we set those boundaries and we you know, we 0:15:18.240 --> 0:15:22.800 cement those boundaries, I think it becomes a routine, which then, 0:15:23.600 --> 0:15:26.840 you know, is the lifestyle change that we all need. 0:15:28.640 --> 0:15:30.480 We're taking your calls on zero double one double a 0:15:30.640 --> 0:15:33.840 three oh seven O two. That's zero double one double 0:15:33.880 --> 0:15:36.720 eight three oh seven O two and two to one 0:15:37.080 --> 0:15:40.280 double four six o five six seven. If you'd rather 0:15:40.360 --> 0:15:43.720 send us what'sapp We're on zero seven two seven two 0:15:43.920 --> 0:15:48.160 one seven o two. We're speaking midiear fatigue and I 0:15:48.160 --> 0:15:51.320 want to hear from you. Are you experiencing medio fatigue. 0:15:51.600 --> 0:15:54.120 Do you think it's an actual thing? You know, I 0:15:54.200 --> 0:15:57.560 keep joking saying, I'm not sure that it's a you know, 0:15:57.680 --> 0:16:00.000 it's it's it's a thing. You hear people saying in January, 0:16:00.120 --> 0:16:02.080 you're already, Oh, I'm so tired. 0:16:02.640 --> 0:16:05.040 It feels like I'm at the end of the year already, 0:16:05.800 --> 0:16:05.960 you know. 0:16:06.040 --> 0:16:09.760 But Karen mtchlemore is helping us make sense of fatigue 0:16:09.880 --> 0:16:15.400 and how to address it, how to prioritize rest, you know, 0:16:15.600 --> 0:16:19.240 and some time out, which isn't always a reality that 0:16:19.400 --> 0:16:23.960 many of us have. Okay, so let's speak about, you know, 0:16:24.200 --> 0:16:26.960 a person. Let's speak to people who are feeling pressure 0:16:27.240 --> 0:16:30.480 at the time of the year, Karen, anyone who's feeling pressure, 0:16:30.800 --> 0:16:34.640 they feel like they can't take time out. They feel 0:16:34.680 --> 0:16:39.000 like they are suffocating, and they're being suffocated by their 0:16:39.080 --> 0:16:42.680 jobs or their obligation, you know, and all they have 0:16:43.040 --> 0:16:46.760 is home. What's a step by step approach that they 0:16:46.800 --> 0:16:50.440 can take in order to almost fight off the fatigue. 0:16:52.040 --> 0:16:56.080 I think it's first of all, to look deeply into 0:16:56.160 --> 0:17:00.000 themselves and see what is actually exhausting them, because it's 0:17:00.080 --> 0:17:02.280 it could be various different areas, and those are the 0:17:02.320 --> 0:17:04.320 areas that you need to change. I think from a 0:17:04.359 --> 0:17:08.080 work perspective, it's about talking to your managers. Managers need 0:17:08.200 --> 0:17:13.679 to be more open to listening. Companies are also forming 0:17:13.680 --> 0:17:17.480 what they call wellness committees and in training people up 0:17:17.480 --> 0:17:21.960 to assist, you know, with managing this work life balance. 0:17:22.480 --> 0:17:27.399 So it's about being able to approach your manager to 0:17:27.520 --> 0:17:32.120 start that process going. And as small as that may 0:17:32.200 --> 0:17:34.960 seem to you as a person that might be at 0:17:35.000 --> 0:17:39.200 the start of the struggle, that's probably the most important 0:17:39.240 --> 0:17:41.919 time to actually reach out and get the help that 0:17:42.000 --> 0:17:47.840 you need before it starts to become a serious condition 0:17:48.000 --> 0:17:51.439 that you know. We always say that burnout is so 0:17:51.560 --> 0:17:54.480 much more than anxiety, it's so much more than fatigue. 0:17:54.840 --> 0:17:58.040 But unfortunately, burnout is a reality, and it happens because 0:17:58.040 --> 0:18:00.320 people don't take the first step when they need. 0:18:01.880 --> 0:18:03.920 All right, let's take one of your voice notes. 0:18:08.000 --> 0:18:13.000 Working this talk together every hour every day, this is 0:18:13.119 --> 0:18:13.840 seven or two. 0:18:14.320 --> 0:18:15.440 Let's walk the talk. 0:18:16.280 --> 0:18:21.440 Good evening, Homoso, Homoso. The topic that we are having 0:18:21.440 --> 0:18:25.520 Internet is like you're talking about me. Let me tell 0:18:25.560 --> 0:18:30.520 you my story, Homos. I work for this company, I 0:18:30.520 --> 0:18:32.200 will name them, and I would like to remain a 0:18:32.280 --> 0:18:34.240 Minimus Homozo. 0:18:34.359 --> 0:18:35.600 My shift start at six. 0:18:35.480 --> 0:18:38.200 Dady in the morning when I pick up the kids 0:18:38.200 --> 0:18:41.440 to go to school, and then after that I came back, 0:18:42.320 --> 0:18:47.240 I wait for my boss for us to start doing 0:18:47.280 --> 0:18:52.320 his meetings, so he will do his meetings. Say, for example, 0:18:52.400 --> 0:18:56.679 round about three four five, He's done with his meetings 0:18:57.400 --> 0:19:01.879 and now start socializing with his friend. So I'll be 0:19:01.960 --> 0:19:06.679 there waiting for him until that time. Whenever it feels 0:19:06.720 --> 0:19:11.720 like going home, I'm killing you. Monday to Friday, I 0:19:11.760 --> 0:19:14.080 get home like every day run a bad eleven twelve 0:19:14.800 --> 0:19:18.120 Friday's even where sometimes I get home in the areas 0:19:18.119 --> 0:19:20.200 of the morning, like four or five in the morning, 0:19:20.960 --> 0:19:24.520 and that they need help us every day. So my body, 0:19:24.560 --> 0:19:27.639 I can feel my body that I'm fatigue, I need 0:19:27.720 --> 0:19:30.720 some rest. And on top of that, I don't get 0:19:30.840 --> 0:19:34.520 over time. I don't get paid over time. So I'm 0:19:34.560 --> 0:19:36.480 scared to lose this job because I'm the only one 0:19:36.480 --> 0:19:40.000 working in my family. My wife doesn't work and I've 0:19:40.000 --> 0:19:44.000 got children to support. Every time when I raise this point, 0:19:44.600 --> 0:19:48.400 I'm like, you know, told you that if I don't 0:19:48.440 --> 0:19:50.720 want to work, I can go there, They'll find someone else. 0:19:51.920 --> 0:19:56.280 So really, I think I think I need help and 0:19:56.359 --> 0:19:57.760 I think I need an agent help. 0:19:58.520 --> 0:20:01.360 Thank you, Homosom. Sure. I don't know if you could 0:20:01.440 --> 0:20:03.440 hear that, Karen. 0:20:03.600 --> 0:20:06.879 I did. It was quite soft, but I did hear it. 0:20:08.880 --> 0:20:13.359 Do you perhaps have an EAP and employee assistance program 0:20:13.400 --> 0:20:15.680 available to you? 0:20:15.680 --> 0:20:16.560 You know what I'm gonna do. 0:20:16.640 --> 0:20:21.159 I'm gonna try for us to try call Anonymous so 0:20:21.160 --> 0:20:23.399 that he can share more of these details with us, 0:20:23.400 --> 0:20:26.080 because I also have a couple of questions for him 0:20:27.280 --> 0:20:29.760 so that he can clarify and that we can try 0:20:29.720 --> 0:20:32.680 to find a way to help him through this, because 0:20:32.760 --> 0:20:35.400 it really does sound like it's weighing on him quite 0:20:35.440 --> 0:20:39.200 a bit, and it sounds you know, it sounds impractical. 0:20:39.600 --> 0:20:42.440 There's no working around this, and it sounds like a 0:20:42.520 --> 0:20:46.440 nightmare more than a more than a job. So I'm 0:20:46.480 --> 0:20:50.000 gonna I'm gonna ask our producers U s intending to 0:20:50.080 --> 0:20:54.399 try call Anonymous and get him on the line so 0:20:54.440 --> 0:20:57.119 that he can explain to us exactly what's going on, 0:20:57.200 --> 0:21:00.000 and then we can try and give him some advice. 0:21:00.920 --> 0:21:04.800 And you know, sure, Karen, I think what he's raising 0:21:05.160 --> 0:21:08.760 is the reality of many South Africans. You know, the 0:21:08.760 --> 0:21:14.359 fatigue really is coupled with fear of losing the jobs 0:21:14.359 --> 0:21:17.520 that they have because of the economy and just their 0:21:17.520 --> 0:21:18.520 financial position. 0:21:20.760 --> 0:21:20.960 Yeah. 0:21:21.000 --> 0:21:25.399 Absolutely, And it's a ripples it's a ripple effect because 0:21:25.400 --> 0:21:27.720 you're unhappy at work, but if you leave your job, 0:21:27.920 --> 0:21:33.919 then you financially stressed, which creates mental, you know, health issues. 0:21:34.600 --> 0:21:38.760 So I absolutely agree with you, But there does need 0:21:38.840 --> 0:21:44.560 to something needs to happen within his personal and workspace 0:21:45.080 --> 0:21:49.679 because what he's going through, unfortunately, is not sustainable. And 0:21:49.800 --> 0:21:52.919 he might be okay now, but it's first going to 0:21:52.960 --> 0:21:55.800 affect him unfortunately, and then what you find it will 0:21:55.800 --> 0:21:58.920 affect the family as well, because silently the family is 0:21:58.960 --> 0:22:02.480 struggling with us him being there. So when he does 0:22:02.520 --> 0:22:07.879 eventually get home, he's too exhausted to you know, to 0:22:09.520 --> 0:22:12.879 be with the family and and just you know, spend 0:22:12.960 --> 0:22:17.639 quality time with the people that he loves. And I 0:22:17.680 --> 0:22:21.360 think what what is so sad, unfortunately, is that because 0:22:22.200 --> 0:22:24.600 you know, it's not easy to find a job these days, 0:22:24.640 --> 0:22:29.040 and for any employer to put somebody you know in 0:22:29.080 --> 0:22:31.920 a position, well you can walk away if you don't 0:22:32.040 --> 0:22:35.920 like it. It's it's really really unfair. But I I 0:22:36.320 --> 0:22:39.160 would I would definitely try and reach out to one 0:22:39.200 --> 0:22:42.080 of the other managers within the business. I would have 0:22:42.160 --> 0:22:46.800 the conversation about what is the expectation of my current position. 0:22:48.400 --> 0:22:52.639 Was this something that I find for signed up for initially, 0:22:53.640 --> 0:22:56.720 and then try and look at maybe even if there 0:22:56.760 --> 0:22:59.800 are other positions within the business that you could grow into, 0:23:00.760 --> 0:23:03.560 because then that might help you as well. Because I 0:23:03.600 --> 0:23:06.840 would never ever recommend that anybody walk away from a job. 0:23:07.320 --> 0:23:11.000 But I certainly believe that if you take the right 0:23:11.040 --> 0:23:13.480 steps and you look at what you really want as 0:23:13.480 --> 0:23:16.239 a person and where you really want to be, you 0:23:16.280 --> 0:23:20.360 can slowly work towards that and then move yourself out 0:23:20.400 --> 0:23:24.879 of situations that don't suit you. And that could certainly 0:23:24.920 --> 0:23:27.600 be one of the solutions he could look at. So 0:23:27.680 --> 0:23:30.800 it's really about having the conversation, and that's the important 0:23:30.840 --> 0:23:31.439 first step. 0:23:32.560 --> 0:23:33.879 Okay, I think. 0:23:33.760 --> 0:23:37.040 We have Anonymous on the line for him to just 0:23:37.320 --> 0:23:40.560 share more with us about the situation so we can 0:23:40.560 --> 0:23:43.560 try and find a way to advise them going forward. Anonymous, 0:23:43.560 --> 0:23:46.400 thank you so much for speaking to us, and thank 0:23:46.480 --> 0:23:48.639 you for opening up in the way that you have. 0:23:49.680 --> 0:23:52.359 You know, the one question, Karen, I think you had 0:23:52.359 --> 0:23:56.199 a question actually where you are asking whether there's an 0:23:56.240 --> 0:23:57.600 agreement that he has. 0:23:58.640 --> 0:24:00.879 Yes, I was actually just saying, whether there is an 0:24:00.880 --> 0:24:05.160 employee assistance program available to the employees at your company. 0:24:06.400 --> 0:24:10.679 Now? Actually, there's nothing like that in our company or 0:24:10.680 --> 0:24:13.000 relend just explained this to you. When it's been three 0:24:13.040 --> 0:24:14.800 years now, I've been working for this company and this 0:24:14.880 --> 0:24:19.280 thing has been happening every day. When I start waking 0:24:19.280 --> 0:24:21.600