You are a serious runner, competing in marathons regularly and pushing yourself to your limits. You break your ankle on a run. You are in pain and need to seek help.
We are all aware that this scenario requires two things - help from a professional and time to allow for recovery. It does not mean you are a bad runner, nor does it mean your career is over. Merely you need time to rebuild in order to come back stronger.
So why do we ignore this when it comes to mental strains? Life can be extremely mentally challenging, as well as physically challenging. We can experience difficult life events and live through emotional turmoil. However, society often overlooks mental pressure and struggles, with an expectation of a ‘get on with it’ approach.
Why is ‘I can’t come in to the office today as I hurt my ankle and can’t drive’ more acceptable than ‘ I can’t come in to the office today as I am emotionally drained from yesterday, so need to recover?’
A great example of leadership and setting a precedent with this is Eric Ten Hag and Jadon Sancho.
Jadon is a young man and is a talented athlete. However, he works in an volatile, pressured environment. His every action is scrutinised and his abilities are questioned at every turn.
Eric Ten Hag saw this struggle, and allowed Jadon to go away, recover and work on himself. He could do this without the pressures associated with his job, focusing on purely coming back stronger.
This week he returned to action looking fresh and ready to go with a smile on his face again.
As a society we need to accept and acknowledge that our brains are vulnerable, just as our bodies are. Short periods of recovery are needed to avoid serious long term damage.
Credit to Eric Ten Hag and Jadon Sancho. Hopefully this can set an example and a precedent for the benefits of mental recovery.
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