Psychological Stamina: What it is and why your people need it

David Nikolich

In our soon-to-be post-pandemic world, I predict you will be seeing and hearing a lot about psychological stamina, but what does it mean? It is the mental capacity to sustain a prolonged stressful effort or activity, otherwise known as endurance.

Well, like it or not, the way we turn up for business has changed. Whether you call it ‘flexible working or hybrid working’ is probably not going to be important. What will undoubtedly be important is how we maintain our strength and focus as we navigate our way through the complexities of delivering our productivity with our best efficiencies from home and from the office.

It is simply not strategic enough to just wait and see. Therefore, here are a few easy principles for you to apply if you want to remain fit for purpose and be in it for the long haul.

Principle 1. Create a Framework of Activities.

Understand what is required from you on a regular basis. As Steven Covey famously said, “keep the main things the main things”. With productivity and efficiency in mind, sieve these activities into home and office preferences. Now you have a framework of home and office activities, you just need to roughly divide your week into appropriate locations and fill in the gaps.

Principle 2. Adopt a Test and Learn Philosophy.

Appreciate that this will be evolution, not revolution. Be prepared to trial things and fail fast. Note what works well and what does not work so well and adapt accordingly. Be aware of intermittent frustrations or anxiety creep as you try and keep up with what you expect of yourself or what is always expected of you by others. Regularly take on board tiny amounts of new knowledge and learn miniscule additional skills to keep you fresh. This is the power of small…

Principle 3. Respect your Ultradian Rhythms.

Very few people can work flat out all day, every day. It is scientifically proven that we are more productive and efficient when we focus in short cycles of 90 minutes with a 20-minute mind break or distraction doing something that requires lesser concentration in between. The fastest way to build or assist psychological stamina is to sleep well and for the duration without being disturbed or waking up.

Principle 4. Form Flexible Communities

Your network is arguably more important to you now than it has ever been. So, don’t be disappointed if the flexi-desk you booked has you sitting amongst people who are strangers from other departments. Use this as an opportunity to introduce yourself and build your network. Not to be confused with idle chit chat though, step into short bouts of ‘talk therapy’ with people you know and people you perhaps don’t.

Principle 5. Have Alternative Purpose

Having an outside interest or something to look forward to after all the hard work is completed is essential for sustainable psychological stamina. Otherwise, you begin to ask yourself ‘what is the point?’ After everything that is achieved at work, we all need our own kind of purpose elsewhere, even our guilty pleasures!

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