How Can We Reframe Fatigue

Research Highlight: Fatigue is a Key Risk

Are you often exhausted when you get home after work?

If your answer is yes, you may need a reframe.

Research Highlight: of the most successful 10% of people, only 2% scored “I am exhausted when I get home/after work” with ‘very often’ or ‘nearly always’. In other words they experience little fatigue.

Question: What is your relationship with fatigue

Condition: Control, own and master your energy

Discipline: Actively and skilfully combat the experience of fatigue

Caution: Prioritise your sleep, recovery and relaxation

Life isVUCA (volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous). We are juggling far too much information and far too many tasks. Most of us do not rest, recover and sleep like professionals. The consequence that most clearly differentiates success and failure is fatigue.

54% of the least resilient people answer that they are exhausted when they get home "very often" or "nearly always". Unfortunately they often tell others how tired they are.

Reframing Fatigue

Our super-skill series examined what the most successful people do. Reframing targets the top five habits that can undermine you. Fatigue is the first.

A CEO had been up all night organising a recognition of 2000 people’s excellent work. A colleague said: “you must be tired?” His answer: “I don’t do tired. It has been a great night.” Unsurprisingly, his resilience score was very high.

You may be thinking ‘what a jerk, he should be more honest.’ Our data shows that successful people do not indulge in the experience of fatigue. They find more skilful ways to reframe the situation. What if the response is: “Sure, it has been a long night but what fun. I will sleep well tonight.”

True fatigue is a very real and important signal that you need rest, recovery and sleep. Successful people know that life is demanding so they prioritise rejuvenation. There will be times when you have to work hard. When you tell others you are tired, can you really expect them to trust and respect you?

To reframe fatigue, think deeply on your relationship with fatigue. Do you experience it frequently? Do you advertise it to others? Do you take immediate action to remedy the signal?

Reframe skills for fatigue

1. Be alert for the fatigue signal. Check your body, emotions and thoughts. Assess it carefully and identify the level of risk. Act deliberately to remedy the situation.
2. If you are truly exhausted, take time out for recovery and sleep. If your life and job are important to you this is your priority. Learn the lesson and establish excellent recovery disciplines. Few do this well.
3. If you must work through fatigue here is a reframe:
4. Lengthen your posture and lift your chin
5. Breathe diaphragmatically and slow through the nose
6. Concentrate on the energy and life force in your being
7. Focus your mind and work in short, engaged bursts
8. Never think or say: “I am tired/exhausted/fatigued/wiped out”

*Research from our sample of 21,000, click for full report.