TrueTribe

In my work, I see it every day: mental health issues rarely come out of nowhere. Often, there are weeks—sometimes months—of signals from the body that we ignore. Poor sleep, tense shoulders, constant fatigue that you can’t shake off with exercise or planning. We call it “stress” or “just a phase,” until it doesn’t resolve on its own. We can literally make our bodies sick by how we treat them.

I recognize it in myself too. I feel it in my shoulders—like someone secretly placed a brick on them. Or I wake up with a foggy head, thinking I was “just tired.” For me, those are signals. My body often speaks before my mind does.

This understanding didn’t come out of nowhere. Back when I was on the ice, I also believed for a long time that training harder was always better—more hours, more miles, more pushing through. But through trial and error, I learned that recovery is just as important as exertion. No matter how strong your body is, if you don’t give it space to recover, you slowly drain yourself.

It’s frustrating at times, especially when recovery doesn’t “fit” into your plans. But with what I know now, I see these moments differently. Over the years, I’ve come to understand exertion and balance in a new way. It’s not about pushing for the sake of pushing but about learning to pace yourself.

Energy Is Not a Reward—It’s a Foundation

We often treat energy as something you earn after hard work. But that’s a misconception. Energy is not a reward; it’s the foundation you need to function—for focus, recovery, and clear thinking.

When that foundation is under constant pressure, problems arise: physical tension, hormonal imbalances, sleep issues, and eventually, mental exhaustion. Not because people lack resilience, but because their system becomes depleted. And a depleted battery doesn’t recharge with just a weekend of rest. It takes more: insight, space, and a new approach to managing effort and recovery.

What You Can Do as a Team or Leader

In my work, I see the importance of making room for conversations about physical well-being—not as a standalone topic, but as an integral part of sustainable employability. It’s not about treating “vitality” as a project but about treating energy as a prerequisite. This requires:

Discussions about rhythm, rest, and workload—not just performance.
Space for breaks, focus moments, and recovery—and leading by example.
Attention to subtle signals—from menopause to sleeplessness, from caregiving responsibilities to chronic fatigue.
Normalizing the need for recovery, even outside of absenteeism or illness.

Teams that dare to have these conversations notice a difference—not just in well-being but also in collaboration and focus. Small changes often make an impact: a fixed break time, a no-meeting morning, or simply the space to say, “It’s a lot right now.”

What We Learn from Data and Practice

When considering sustainable employability for individuals, teams, or organizations, we need a broad perspective: from physical energy to mental recovery, from hormonal health to focus and sleep. Not to aim for “perfect well-being” but to better understand what people need to stay balanced—or regain balance.

What stands out is that once people and teams gain insight into their own rhythm and energy, something changes. Not because their workload suddenly decreases, but because they make different choices. And because health is no longer an exception or addressed too late but becomes part of the workplace culture.

During this European Mental Health Week, I want to emphasize: mental health also starts with listening to your body.

Our bodies often speak before our minds. The challenge is to take it seriously—individually and collectively—before it has to shout.

Curious about how we help organizations have concrete conversations about energy, rhythm, and recovery without making it heavy or overwhelming? Let me know, and I’d be happy to share more.