It is noticeable in many people and teams: a feeling of lack of motivation, of disconnection, of not reaching that performance of before. All this can be described as languor, but don't panic: it can be left behind by recovering moments of socialization, setting guidelines for self-management and with new challenges.

If you want to know more about this feeling, how it affects people and organizations and, above all, what paths to follow to overcome it, keep reading!

Languor and mental fog, moods that kill creativity

In the last year, we have become familiar with a multitude of terms in virology, but also in psychology: cabin syndrome, pandemic fatigue, burnout... The most recent one is languor and it is not only accurate: it allows us to easily recognize this feeling, the first step to start overcoming it.

Languor refers to the intermediate state between depression and well-being. It is a feeling of stagnation, emptiness and aimlessness that has come to people at a generalized level after the distress experienced during 2020.

All the sudden changes and uncertainty that still surround us contribute to this languor. What are its symptoms or effects?

• Lack of interest
• Loss of ability to concentrate
• Inability to perform at 100%

All this generates a decrease in productivity, but it also initiates a vicious circle that makes it difficult for us to set resolutions to regain motivation.

Languor also fits with another pandemic sequela described by psychologists: the so-called "mental fog". This is poor cognitive function that includes short-term memory loss, lack of concentration and an absence of creativity.

Steps to leave languor behind and regain connection

Remote work has led to more distant relationships and a loss of informal communication, which affects trust and team motivation. All of this contributes to and feeds back into feelings of listlessness and mental fog.

One of the keys to overcoming this phase on a personal and professional level is to know that what is happening is normal: it is a common feeling shared by many teams. In addition, psychologists indicate a series of steps to overcome it that have a lot to do with life in organizations:

• Regain socialization among colleagues. It is true that some people need this part more than others, but even those who have been more comfortable working on their own need to re-establish lost bonds.
• Re-create new experiences. For example, introducing different workplaces: changes in offices, holding face-to-face meetings in inspiring spaces (a coworking space, a coffee shop) or connecting to a meeting from a park with wifi.
• Establish challenges and stimulating objectives, which is in line with the above. It is very important to break with repetitive months to see how creativity is reborn. In this, a leadership that knows how to re-engage its team with the purposes of the organization from a point of view of alignment and group work will be key.
• Maintain the boundaries between work and personal life, but also within the working day itself. Constant meetings and micromanagement only contribute to generate more languor and disunity. To regain the ability to concentrate, it will be vital to eliminate distracting factors that contribute nothing to productivity. Working in uninterrupted blocks dedicated to specific tasks is a great step forward to leave mental fog behind. Self-management of the day-to-day, knowing how to organize work and distribute our energy, together with self-care, are very important pillars to leave languor behind!

New experiences to regain commitment and realignment

Organizations must create spaces and moments that bring back the lost "tribe spirit": facilitate casual conversations, let ideas flow, help express what you feel, re-generate empathy and gain trust within teams.

As we said before, the role of leaders is crucial in addressing this recovery of commitment, in making it easier for people to reconnect on a personal and emotional level in order to bring the team back into alignment on a professional level.

At Ready for People we have also experienced a year full of change and uncertainty. Our own experiences have been transformed to adapt to the new reality and to address the emerging needs of organizations.

For this reason, we have a wide variety of experiences based on reconnection, trust, communication and engagement. Click here to see which ones are right for your organization and get in touch with us, we will be happy to advise you!

Teambuildings, with more or less playful ingredients, are also important tools to consider. We need to experience a different team activity! Follow this link to see our current programs.

In all cases, you will find options prepared to live online, face-to-face or hybrid. All of them can be adapted to the time and specific needs of your team and organization.

Are you ready to leave the languor behind? It's time to line up and set new challenges that motivate teams!