Resources
Triple Threat to Wellbeing
Unstuck Monthly | November 2024
Triple threat to wellbeing: isolation, impact uncertainty, and motivational decline.
Hi Friend!
Today, I bring you the latest version of my leadership and executive coaching newsletter focused on breaking professional inertia and getting unstuck from issues at work.
Highlights in this issue:
Sticking Points: While remote work promised greater flexibility, it's inadvertently created a "triple threat" to workplace well-being: isolation, impact uncertainty, and declining motivation -- challenges that go far deeper than missing casual office interactions. For many, this is experienced weekly as the Sunday scaries or Monday dread, resulting in a deep sense of "stuck" not just in our current roles but also from our broader professional ambition.
From the Network: Clients and friends routinely share th internal and external forces can make us feeling stuck. For some, feeling like we cannot be ourselves at work can create an unhappy work setting, and make us less effective teammates. Meanwhile, external factors in the form of "golden handcuffs" can make us feel like we're forced to stick around when all other signs say we need to GTFO. Navigating these forces requires thought partnership.
Upcoming Webinar: I'm hosting another outing of "Get Over It, Get Through It, Get Out of It: Strategies to Tap Into Your Self-Determination and Accelerate Professional Growth". Join on Dec 12 (USA) / Dec 13 (Fiji) for practical ways to getting unstuck and improving your life at work. Register here.
Poll: Share your feedback here. Help me figure out what's working with this newsletter and what can be improved. Your feedback and encouragement is greatly appreciated.
Thank you!
Alex
Sticking Points
Lonely, Lost, and Lacking Motivation
Through conversations with friends and clients, it feels more and more that many of is in the modern workplace are experiencing a “triple threat” to our well-being: isolation, impact uncertainty, and motivational decline.
Remote work, while offering flexibility, has disrupted our natural sense of community and belonging. This physical disconnection makes it harder to see and feel the tangible impact of our work on others, which in turn dampens our sense of competence and purpose.
When we don't feel connected to colleagues or confident about our impact, the motivation to engage with work naturally declines - manifesting as weekend anxiety and Monday dread.
It's not just about missing water cooler conversations; it's about losing the psychological scaffolding that makes work meaningful.
Things to consider:
The neuroscience angle: When we're isolated, our brains process social pain similarly to physical pain, triggering stress responses (NIH). This makes it harder to find motivation for work that already feels disconnected from tangible impact.
The generational angle: Millennials and Gen Z, who entered the workforce seeking purpose-driven work and strong workplace communities (Deloitte), are particularly vulnerable to this triple threat. Remote work disrupts the very elements of professional life they value most: mentorship, visible impact, and collaborative meaning-making.
So, how do we get unstuck?
The most effective intervention to target all three challenges simultaneously requires creating structured opportunities for meaningful collaboration (fighting isolation) around high-impact projects (visible value creation) with clear purpose alignment (intrinsic motivation).
What does this look like for you?
If you feel like you're suffering from this triple threat, let's find time to chat about it.
A Deeper Look
Seeing the effects of our impact matters
While we logically know our work matters, the lack of immediate, visible impact in remote settings deprives us of the micro-affirmations and real-time feedback that traditionally reinforced our sense of purpose and competence in office settings.
With the upcoming holiday season, making one last attempt to deepen workplace relationships can be key to a strong start in 2025
Strong workplace relationships aren't just about social connection -- they create a feedback loop where seeing our impact on colleagues' success and growth satisfies both our need for relatedness and our desire to create meaningful value in the world.
If you're the boss, there's extra stress and strain because of your responsibilities as a people leader.
From the Network
In recent weeks, I've noticed more of us are wrestling with professional inertia in unique ways. While we may articulate our issue publicly one way, deep down there may be more going on:
Feeling like we cannot bring our whole self to work. A client considered turning down an offer at a top tier firm because, as an introvert, she was concerned about the pressures to be more social outside of work hours. It turns out, she was actually concerned that she couldn’t bring her whole self to work because of some unpleasant interaction with managers at the company. When she realized how much she was giving up, she adjusted her focus to figure out how to be herself in the new role at that top tier firm.
Golden handcuffs keep us stuck. There is an itch to leave current jobs and do something new, but "golden handcuffs" are a recurring obstacle for many. Clients share that they are afraid to leave an unhappy work situation because they’re either paid well or have the flexibility they need for their life outside of work. Nurturing our network helps to uncover where better opportunities may exist (with comparable pay and flexibility) and finding ways to “manage within the margins” can turnaround unhappy situations.
Do these resonate with your experience? I'd love to hear how these patterns are playing out in your context.
Worth Exploring
Resources that I've recently been inspired by and clients have felt helpful:
The Employee Advantage: How Putting Workers First Helps Business Thrive
by Stephan MeierRocket Fuel: The One Essential Combination That Will Get You More of What You Want from Your Business by Gino Wickman and Mark C. Winters
Happenings
Upcoming Webinar: Dec 12, 4pm ET USA | Dec 13, 9am FJT Fiji
Thank you to those of you who were able to join last month's webinar.
If you weren't able to make it, no worries, because we're doing it again next month.
Register for "Get Over, Get Through It, Get Out of It" to learn how to take back control of our work and careers, and to do it on our own terms.
During the session, we will explore professional inertia and how it manifests in our lives. Did you know that only 23% of employees globally are engaged at work? Many of us experience that feeling of being stuck - unhappy, unfilled, unproductive, lost, afraid of change. If this resonates with you, you're not alone.
I look forward to seeing you online in a few weeks.
WD-40 for Your Mind
When work is tough or unsatisfying, we process our experiences through humor and look for inspiration wherever we can find it.
Like WD-40 unsticks door hinges, may this and future quips help unstick your brain.
Find the magic from coaching
For Harry Potter fans: A coach is like an Expecto Patronum charm. You get help whenever you need a rescue from the scary demons at work.
For non-Potter fans: Give me a call. It's worth a 30 min chat.
You've survived another month. What's next for you?
Great conversations start with shared insights. My coaching practice, like this newsletter, thrives on connections — if you know someone who's navigating their own sticking points, I'd love for you to share this with them.
