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Defining mental health during COVID-19

Depression. Anxiety. Addiction.

 

These issues have intensified over the course of the last few months as COVID-19 continues to take its toll on our mental health, just ask Angela Englander, a registered psychotherapist and trauma specialist who operates Ways to Wellbeing Therapy in Cambridge and Tillsonburg.

 

“I’ve had clients who were perfectly stable pre-pandemic and now have completely fallen apart,” she says, noting some are in the healthcare profession which is facing much strain as this health crisis continues. “I’ve talked to a lot of doctors and nurses who want to go on leave. These people are the webbing of our health system and if their mental health crashes, everyone is going to fall through that gap.”

 

Identifying what mental health is, as well as trauma and therapy, will form the base of her discussion at our YIP Growth Learning series event on November 19.

 

“People have such a small amount of knowledge they’re working from when it comes to mental health,” she says, adding the amount of stress people are under right now is skyrocketing as the second wave of the pandemic appears to be escalating.

 

According to a CTV report, a recent federal study has highlighted a jump in alcohol and drug use during COVID-19, as well as an increase in opioid deaths. Also, according to that same CTV story, overdose calls in Waterloo Region have spiked higher since August and 68 people have fatally overdosed so far this year compared to 63 deaths in 2019.

 

Angela says at the start of the pandemic in March adrenaline was high as people went into ‘crisis mode’, putting their emotions on the backburner as they adapted to this new reality.

 

“But the bigger risks will be over the next year because that excitement and adrenaline has started to wear out,” she says. “People are starting to feel more hopeless and facing depression and anxiety.”

 

Angela says the approaching winter will only add to that negative situation since unlike the past few months, many won’t have the option to go outdoors and enjoy the sunshine and nicer weather.

“I’ve already talked to people who say they’re experiencing SAD (seasonal affective disorder) and are already getting their winter blues and we’re only in October.”

 

Besides current concerns such as increased addiction issues and a rise in suicides, Angela fears the ripple effect of COVID-19 could manifest in other mental health problems over the next several generations.

 

“Many people may become germaphobes or even become agoraphobic,” she says, adding people must learn to accept the negative emotions they may be facing now in order to deal with them in a healthy way.

 

“We are a very emotion-phobic society. The truth is you have to be willing to step towards those emotions and feel them and accept the reality that is.”

 

During her YIP presentation, Angela hopes to break down how the brain functions into several categories pertaining to mental health and outline how trauma works.

 

She intends to provide participants with some valuable takeaways.

 

“They’re going to get a lot of self-awareness and coping skills,” says Angela, noting more typical coping skills such ‘date nights’ with a partner or hanging out with a few family members may not be sufficient enough for some during this pandemic.

 

She says self-care and emotional awareness will play key roles in the presentation in hopes of giving people more understanding.

 

“No one is above this virus,” says Angela.

 

Our YIP Growth Learning series virtual event ‘Mental Health for Young Professionals’ sponsored by Deluxe will take place Thursday, Nov. 19, from 9-10 a.m. For more, visit: https://bit.ly/3efsfGG

 

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6 Things You Should Do In An Interview

You’ve graduated and now you want a job. It’s time to nail your interview. 

 

Interviews are one of the most important parts of any job you will get. In order for a company to get a feel of who you are as a professional, an interview lays the groundwork for who you are. This will be the standard you are held to throughout your job. No pressure, right?

 

If you want to start off on the right foot, take a look at these 6 tips on what you should do in an interview.  

 

1. Give a firm handshake and maintain eye contact

 

When you walk into your interview, you’re usually greeted with a handshake. Many employers use this to gauge your confidence levels. A handshake can say a lot. If a handshake is weak, employers might interpret it as a lack of confidence, the same goes for lack of eye contact. By failing to meet your interviewer's gaze, they will assume you have low confidence and that could potentially turn the interviewer off of hiring you. Always ensure you give a firm handshake while maintaining eye contact with the interviewer and remember to smile. Eye contact without smiling might give off a serial killer vibe and no one wants that. 

 

2. Do your research

 

It isn’t uncommon for a company to ask you what you know about them. In fact, it’s pretty standard. What isn’t standard is the deer caught in the headlights look. I doubt you want to be that deer. To avoid that, research all you can about the company. Most importantly, know what the company is and its function. Make sure to also research the interviewer. Bringing up an interviewer’s accomplishments will not only impress them, but show that you took the time to do the research. 

 

3. Dress professionally

 

This may seem like an obvious one but everyone’s definition of professional isn’t always the same. Black jeans might be professional to some people. Leggings might seem professional to someone else. It 's all a matter of opinion. To avoid accidentally showing up underdressed, show up overdressed. No one has ever lost a job because they dressed too well. If you even have to ask the question of whether you’re underdressed, you are. As a standard, dress pants and a blazer are always a good look, but the choice is yours. As long as it doesn’t have a drawstring of some kind, you should be fine. 

 

4. Show up early

 

Being late to an interview is a clear sign that you are scattered. If you can’t make it to the interview on time, how can you make it to work on time every day? To avoid looking sloppy, simply show up early. Now, here’s where it gets tricky. Showing up too early could actually be bad for you too. Surprising an interviewer by showing up half an hour early might agitate them more than impress them. A good rule of thumb is to show up usually around ten minutes early. That way you have time to collect your thoughts and the interviewer won’t feel rushed. 

 

5. Ask questions

 

If you’re interested in the job, show you are interested in the job. Most likely, there are a lot of things you won’t know about the job or the company. It’s important to ask questions so you not only get a solid idea of what will be expected of you but to show your enthusiasm about the job. An employer doesn’t want an apathetic employee who doesn’t care where they are or what they are doing. They want an employee who cares. Asking questions shows you care about the job and that you want to thoroughly understand the company itself.  

 

6. Follow up

 

The interview is over which means the pressure is off, right? Wrong. The pressure is still on. A mistake a lot of candidates make is to not follow up after an interview. By sending a quick email thanking them for the interview, you accumulate a lot of bonus points. Not only is it professional, it will make you stand out. Make sure not to wait too long after the interview either. The next day is usually a good time to send a quick email and will show that you are still thinking about the position. 

 

Good luck!

 

 

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Why Resolutions Are Still Relevant

The tradition of New Year's resolutions began with the Babylonians. At the beginning of each year, which began in mid-March, Babylonians would make promises to their gods that they would return borrowed objects and pay their debts. 

 

In a similar fashion, the Romans also made promises at the beginning of each year, but to one god - Janus. In 46 B.C. Julius Cesar decided to make January 1 the beginning of the year, naming the month after Janus for his ability to look to the future and the past. In turn, Romans would offer sacrifices to him and make promises of good conduct for the new year. 

 

Over the years, variations of this practice have trickled its way down into all parts of the world and molded itself into what we call New Year’s Day. So how is it, after all this time, we’ve managed to keep the tradition alive? 

 

It’s because as we enter the new year, it feels right to start it on the right foot. Sure, resolutions don’t always work out, but does that mean we should stop trying? 

 

In recent years, resolutions have gotten a bad rap. As the new year approaches, people feverishly write down all of their goals and dreams they have for the upcoming months and put their resolutions up where they can see it every day.

 

Come January, as if suddenly struck with amnesia, most of those carefully written resolutions are forgotten or thrown out and everyone is back at square one. By the time next year rolls around, no one wants to make resolutions because they never achieve any of them. 

 

Although the cycle might seem endless, it’s still important to make New Year’s resolutions. Even if the list gets lost in the pile, it’s still worth putting it out there. It’s still worth remembering all the things you want to accomplish. 

 

So, this year, write down your resolutions. Who cares what happens? Worst case scenario, you do it all over again next year. 

 

 

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Imposter Syndrome

Imposter Syndrome can be defined as an individual possessing feelings of inadequacy despite persistent evidence of success. According to a 2011 study, 70 per cent of people will experience at least one episode of imposter syndrome at one point or another. 

 

This issue has become particularly large in the tech industry with 58 per cent of those with tech-focused careers falling victim to the Imposter Syndrome, according to an informal study by social media site Blind. That doesn’t necessarily mean it only effects those in the tech industry. Anyone from any type of career can suffer.

 

Many people feel the effects of Imposter Sydrome due to the self-narrative that they are not good enough. Everything about this syndrome is based around professionals not believing in themselves. They often feel that although they have been hired and may already be succeeding in their job, they are not capable. It becomes the constant feeling that they are an imposter, pretending to know what they are doing when they feel the opposite. 

 

Over time this can have a significantly negative impact on the person, not only professionally but mentally. In order to make up for their feelings of inadequacy, the person will often give themselves extremely challenging goals that cause them even more stress. 

 

The constant negative self-talk can lead to more serious consequences such as self-loathing, self-sabotage, avoidance and job dissatisfaction. Everything may be going fine on the surface, but deep down they feel they are failing. 

 

As a young professional, it’s easy to suffer from Imposter Syndrome as everything is fairly new. Confidence often comes from the assurance of knowing what you're doing. However, when something new begins, doubt can surface as tasks become more challenging. 

 

To avoid these feelings, it’s important to be conscious of patterns. Celebrating success is not a crime. In fact, praise is often the fuel that pushes people along, assuring them that they are on the right track. 

 

Sharing success is also an undervalued practice. In an attempt to stay humble, most people keep their successes to themselves which in time, diminishes them. 

 

As a young professional, ensure you watch your thoughts and accept your successes. Doing these two simple things will allow you to flourish and avoid the negative impacts of the Imposter Syndrome. 

 

 

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Strong Mentorships

If you were to ask yourself who were your best mentors in your life, I’m sure several people would come to mind from your childhood to even a person you currently see on a daily basis. Perhaps they were a great school teacher, a coach, an academic program advisor, or a supervisor from your first summer job. When you think about those mentors, can you truly remember what exactly they said to you that made you feel ...Supported? Inspired? Captivated? Chances are you don’t remember what they said, or what their hairstyle was, what they were wearing or their overall mannerisms. Often what shines though and has us thinking and reflecting about our time with them is how they made us FEEL. They encouraged, inspired, motivated, and enabled us to see a part of the world that we had not yet been exposed.


Now I’m going to ask you to reflect on another mentoring note – who were your WORST mentors in your life? Who were the tedious teachers, the exhausting coaches, the leaders with lack of patience or who showed favoritism to team members and did not foster teamwork? Those are unfortunately the people who had a large effect on your life in terms of your goals and your career choices. They may be a current co-worker or employer who doesn’t like to your ideas, micro manages you, and frustrates you to the point that you can’t focus on your actual work tasks. Fortunately, there is a silver lining to these negative individuals whom you have crossed paths in your life. It is the negative influence leaders who you should remember, and strongly take note of the choices they make since their role in your life demonstrates an exact OPPOSITE model of who you want to be when you are a leader, a mentor and a role model. Harness the energy, emotions and time you have had for these individuals and in turn, know that you will make choices as a leader to promote the passion of life-long learning, engage in new ideas and be patient as everyone cultivates into professionals and agents of change at a different rate.


I share these thoughts on positive and negative influence leaders in our lives because it is a great responsibility to be a mentor to others. It’s also a privilege. I have had the opportunity to not only mentor fellow colleagues but also be linked with a post-graduate school to be a preceptor to a specific student for 4, 6, and 8 week placements at a time. These weeks can feel more exhausting than a normal work week because all of your moves are being watched by a young professional starving to grow and make a contribution to the real world. Being a professional leader is often focused on the student in training yet what happens in a positive mentor/protégé relationship is that the mentor is the one who learns just as much as the student. I love when students/young colleagues ask me questions such as “Can you tell me why you decided to complete that task first?” or “How did you come to make that decision?” because these are the questions that we often forget to ask ourselves on a daily basis in the midst of our busy lifestyles and careers.


So the next time you are asked to take on a student or a new colleague in training, please don’t hesitate to help as you will benefit in your career as well. Mentorship is a beautiful experience full of reflection and engagement of both parties, bringing everyone to a level of asking more questions and deeper understanding of their careers – and quite possible themselves.  Remember, you could be that positive, influential role model that this young professional needs.
 

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Navigating the Multigenerational Workplace

As a young professional there are many challenges that one faces, not least of which is the reality that most of us nowadays work in a multi-generational environment – and it is probably only going to continue to get even more crowded. What I mean by this is right now you probably work in an environment that has at least one: baby-boomer, Gen Xer, Gen Yer and Millenial.


There are two main thinking points I want to start this article with before we continue, please consider:

  • Life expectancy is rising, people are living longer and so need to secure more income now to cover retirement costs later
  • Cost of living and inflation are out sync – meaning each generation has had less disposable income to help their offspring than the generation before (and you’ll have even less to help your children)

Quick explanation on that last point here:


http://www.economonitor.com/dolanecon/2014/07/23/what-does-the-consumer-price-index-measure-inflation-or-cost-of-living-whats-the-difference/

 

“As Bryan explains it, the cost-of-living concept arises from the role of money as a medium of exchange. When we say the cost of living increases, we mean that it gets harder to maintain a given standard of living on a given income. Either we have to be satisfied with fewer goods or services, or save less, or work harder. In the language of economics, a change in the cost of living is a real phenomenon.


On the other hand, we can best understand inflation as a change in the value of our unit of account, the dollar. When there is inflation, the value of the unit is smaller each day than it was the day before, for all transactions.”

 

So in essence, because each generation has been given less help, each generation has had to provide more for themselves, and what this really leads to is more profound sense of urgency when beginning your first career. Millenials, for instance, are seen as much more ‘pushy’ or ‘impatient’ by their older colleagues – which may or may not be true of ones personality on an individual basis – but when the group is looked at as a whole this is a general impression that is formed.


Take a step back and have a talk with your grandfather (or great-grandfather if you are so lucky) and ask them to tell you about their early professional life. I’ll be a good majority didn’t even attend a post-secondary school for one reason or another, meaning less initial debt when entering the work force, where as you are much more likely to hear that your parents did (and in those cases, you can rest assured that you definitely went to College or University – or at least that it was heavily expected of you).


This is really what Navigating the Multigenerational Workplace is all about – realising the differences in situations not just at the current point in time, but the differences from every other generations point in time at the initial stages compared to your current stage. My personal belief is that before you can have effective dialogue with someone, you need to be able to see how you are perceived from their point of view.


That’s probably the longest intro to a blog post I’ve ever written – so I’ll try to be briefer the rest of the way, feel free to stretch your legs and come back and finish the rest of this.


So the purpose of this post was to try to offer suggestions on how to go about handling the different generations so maybe I’ll list a few out and then get into more detail; these suggestions by the way are targeted at the Millenial group:

 

  • Go slower with your communications and be more exact
  • Communicate with people based on how they like to communicate
  • Be prepared to have the same information in different formats for different audience members
  • Remember that while you like to move fast, it took those ahead of you a long time to get where they are
  • Everyone loves sharing their own story


These five points are probably the five strongest points that have helped me in my careers, they may not all apply to you in every situation but here’s a breakdown of what I mean by each:
 

Go slower with your communications and be more exact


The #1 thing our CEO hates is when he has to reply to an email to extract more details on a particular subject. It results in an increased number of communications and a slower overall turn-around time. Remember, everyone above you in the chain of command probably makes more money than you do – so not to be trite, but that means their time is more valuable than yours. Take 5 extra minutes of your time to save them even 1 of theirs, and it’s worth it – even if they don’t notice. Because trust me if you try to save 5 minutes of your time and end up wasting 20 of theirs, they will notice.


Communicate with people based on how they like to communicate


I still remember the first time I had to send my grand-father an email, I work for a family owned business so at one point we had all three generations here at the same time – you can imagine the communication challenges that presented. About 5 minutes after I had hit send, he was standing over my desk, email printed out in hand, with sections highlighted that he wanted to discuss. I quickly learned that email was probably not the best way to communicate with him if I was hoping for a quick turnaround time.


Be prepared to have the same information in different formats


One of the positions you might find yourself in one day, if you aren’t already, is being a mid-level manager and having a few people that you “report” to in a sense. One of the best books I’ve read about how to deal with the expectations of various levels of management and staff is John Maxwell’s The 360 [degree] leader. If you have a chance I recommend picking up a copy and giving it a thorough read through. Some people are purely analytical, some people are purely visual – most are somewhere in the middle. Be prepared to provide arguments, charts and graphs in different formats, sometimes as simple as having several different ways to word the same information is good enough.
 

Remember that while you like to move fast, it took those ahead of you a long time to get where they are


This point speaks more to the fact that often times us youngsters are perceived as impatient (mentioned above). Most companies that are large enough have clear guidelines as to how long you have to be with the company or how long you have had to have been in your current role before you can apply for a different role or a promotion. Focus daily on being the best at what you’ve been assigned to do and when it comes time to fill other roles you’ll be in a much better position to be asked to fill it rather than applying to every opportunity that comes up.
 

Everyone loves sharing their own story


Human beings are natural story tellers. That’s not to say that everyone feels comfortable standing in a room of 500 people and giving a speech or lecture – but find a quiet relaxing environment to engage with those of different generations around you. This can be especially effective if you spin it in a way that makes it look like you’re asking them for advice in a situation you’ve found yourself in and, because you value their expertise, you would like their opinion on how they would deal with the situation or if they ever encountered a similar situation in their early careers. Above all else when considering this as a strategy you need to be sincere in your request to learn from them.

 

So, if I haven’t completely bored you, you may be wondering why I started the article off with two points:

 

  • Life expectancy is rising, people are living longer and so need to secure more income now to cover retirement costs later
  • Cost of living and inflation are out sync – meaning each generation has had less disposable income to help their offspring than the generation before (and you’ll have even less to help your children)
     

First, so long as you maintain a moderate lifestyle, you will probably be around for many years to come and you may in fact need to plan to work well past the age at which your fathers-father worked until to support that (I could go into the whole CPP fiasco.. but that might turn political, a side lesson here is try to avoid politics in work environments).


Second, you’re entering the work force with different stresses than those ahead of you, and alternatively when you become the “old guy” at the office, those entering will have different stresses than you. While it’s probably not likely that coworkers will begin assisting one another financially, be mindful of others situations and how much you would have liked extra help at your current age when you’re older (I sure hope I do) – and remember, advice and guidance is always free no matter what generation you grew up in.


Sources and / or resources:

 

http://www.economonitor.com/dolanecon/2014/07/23/what-does-the-consumer-price-index-measure-inflation-or-cost-of-living-whats-the-difference/

 

http://www.adecco.ca/EN/knowledge-centre/employers/Documents/whitepapers/managing-multigenerational-workforce.pdf


https://www.johnmaxwell.com/store/products/The-360-Degree-Leader.html


 

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Brian Rodnick
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