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Feeling Disoriented

I met the group of people I work with after a year of having been part of the team. The first day was awkward, the second was better and the last day was a relief - both to have had this chance to see people in person and to also have it over with. It was with very mixed emotions that I left my intense foray into "normal". The a different sort of reality was shaped in the last couple of years where the person slides into the virtual behind a screen showing up only sometimes on camera. The intensity of the in-person interaction could be a little much to recoil from and return to the quiet, secluded zone. I was very glad to have performed my obligations and being able to head on the flight back home. I might not be alone in the sense of disorientation in the wake of an event like this one which used to be very routine back in the day.

According to the American Psychological Association (APA), 79% of employees had experienced work-related stress in the month before the survey, which was done in 2021. Nearly three in five employees reported negative impacts of work-related stress, including lack of interest, motivation, or energy (26%) and lack of effort at work (19%). Meanwhile, 36% reported cognitive weariness, 32% reported emotional exhaustion, and an astounding 44% reported physical fatigue — a 38% increase since 2019, the report said.

Although burnout isn't a medical diagnosis, according to the Mayo Clinic, it can affect your physical and mental health. The World Health Organization declared burnout an official occupational phenomenon in 2019

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