Oh, Earth is ghetto I wanna leave
Oh, Earth is ghetto I wanna leave (Ghetto)
I wanna leave
They have their hungry starving nothing to eat
The homeless, living out on the street
And the sick are dying, crooked police
Politicians lying, cramming laws on the street
I got five on fuel if you need it from me
I’ll sit in the back if you ride in too deep
Better lock the doors people lie, steal and cheat
Roll the windows up so we can head out in peace
Earth is Ghetto, Aliah Sheffield
Songwriters: Andrew Wansel / Daoud Ayodele Miles Anthony / Aliah Sheffield
Okay, okay, okay — I know the whole earth is not exactly ghetto — but I also know I’m not the only one feeling the mental, physical, and emotional fatigue of the state of the world over the last 3 years. With the constant onslaught of negative news and social media, it’s getting more difficult each day to manage personal and professional responsibilities. Meanwhile, our emotional health continues to suffer while being pushed to the bottom of our priority list.
Everyday I wake up, I am trying to manage my proverbial spoons. This is a concept I came across randomly one day. The Spoons method is a way to assess how much energy you have on any given day. This term is commonly used by those who suffer from chronic diseases. Basically — it’s math. We all have a certain amount of energy at the start of each day. Then we get out of bed and do things. Some of the things we do give us energy and some things tax our energy. I first used it when my wife asked me to do a chore after a day of tough meetings. There wasn’t any physical reason why I couldn’t do it, but I just didn’t have it in me. Since then having and maintaining our spoons has become shorthand in our household for how we manage life’s stressors.
According to Business Insider, 68% of Americans are prioritizing their mental well-being over their career. If employers don’t help our teams strike that balance, we will experience more business disruption as more people suffer burnout. I know I am in that 68%, so here’s how I’ve been managing. Each weekday, I say I start with a dozen spoons. Basic life things like preparing meals on time and showing up for my commitments (commuting to a meeting IRL, personal finances, chores, etc.) cost about 4 spoons daily. That leaves me with about 8 spoons for the day. The first half of any workday costs me about 2–4 spoons. I tend to do my challenging work during the morning hours. If there are difficult conversations to be had in the morning, I could find myself in a deficit before the day is halfway through. If that’s the case, a chat with my wife or playtime with the dogs usually help me re-up for the second half of the day. I’ve yet to consistently get rigorous physical exercise, but when I do, I notice that it also helps me recover a few spoons.
In the evening, how I unwind determines whether or not spoons get replenished throughout the day. To show up as a good wife, dog-mom or friend, I have to make sure that I end the day with spoons in reserve. That can take the form of spending a bit more time checking things off my to-do list so I get a hit of dopamine; or I do meditation to slow down before transitioning into family time. Being with my family in the evening or connecting with friends will inevitably bring me spoons, so I just need enough of a boost to be present and release the workday. My evening reprieve is sacred and sometimes, the good vibes add an extra spoon or two to the next day’s spoon-bank.
I share this as a useful tool for anyone who’s finding it hard to regain footing. We’ve been through a lot. Let’s normalize taking care of ourselves beyond the mythical “work-life balance.”
Next Steps
- Learn more about the Spoons method
- Listen to Aliah Sheffield’s Earth is Ghetto
#mentalhealthawareness, #mentalhealthadvocate, #mentalhealthmatters, #mentalhealthsupport, #butyoudontlooksick #mentalhealthintheworkplace
