The Owners' Manual | Issue 24 | Spring 2022

What is languishing & How does it impact us? Languishing is a feeling of “meh”. It’s a persistent sense of emptiness and stagnation. It’s going through life with low motivation and low enthusiasm. Languishing isn’t as severe as burnout or depression - you still have energy and aren’t hopeless - but things aren’t bright or dynamic anymore. Languishing impacts us in several key ways, both personally and professionally. When you’re languishing you may be easily distracted, unmotivated, and/or overly emotional. At work, it means you’re less productive, less engaged, and at risk for serious burnout. What causes Languishing? Languishing can happen whenever things feel out of our control. Things like a big life change, economic downturn, global conflicts, and pandemics create a sense of uncertainty and a loss of control which can lead to languishing. How do you overcome languishing? To overcome languishing, you need to create flow. Flow is created when we fill our lives with new challenges, enjoyable experiences, and meaningful work. That may seem like a no brainer, but with constant interruptions, notifications, and distractions it’s nearly impossible to stay present and find flow. The good news is there’s a way to find flow, even with a full inbox. How do you create flow at work? One of the best ways to create and maintain flow is to check-in with your manager (and yourself) to assess where you are and where you need help. Think about both what and how you are doing in terms of mastery, focus, and purpose, because these things together create flow. See the next page for suggestions to maximize check-ins to combat languishing.

Are you languishing? Read the list below and write down how often your felt each characteristic over the last 12-18 months. Did you feel these things Never, Occasionally, or Often?

□ My thinking feels foggy □ I am doing atypical

behaviors: being overly angry, impatient, frustrated with others, etc. □ I feel stuck on whatever I’m working on □ My work tasks don’t seem too important □ I’m not as energized as I can be or usually am □ I can’t get my creative juices flowing □ I’m easily distracted and/or not able to complete tasks □ I don’t feel as productive as I know I can be □ I find much of how I spend my day meaningless □ When I wake up, I’d prefer to just go back to sleep than start my day □ I’m not invested as much in outcomes of my work □ I bounce from one thing to another □ I spend too much time on distractions □ I do fear-based cleaning, sanitizing things (COVID germs)