Once upon a time there was an Orange named Oscar, who always seemed to be ripe and full of Juice. Oscar was happy to give a little slice of himself to others who needed him, and didn’t mind the squeeze from his employer. Afterall, he was good at his job and his Company needed him.
Over time, Oscar couldn’t see that the slices were getting gradually bigger, and the squeezing slightly stronger. Until one day he woke up and simply couldn’t get out of his basket. Instead of the plump Juicy Orange that he once was, he was a just a lump of pulp and skin…the parts that most people don’t want.
If Oscar’s plight feels all too familiar, it is because it is. According to a report by McKinsey, "Living in a fast-paced, digitally focused, hyperconnected world often means sacrificing the ability to step back and take a breath".
The demands of everyday life are often significant, at least it feels that way. I am sure the people who experienced the move from horse to car were also overwhelmed at the pace of the world.
The reality is that the pace isn’t going to change. The squeezing from all fronts is going to continue, and so the real question for each person to ask themselves is, 'what are you going to do about it?'
Personal wellbeing is like many things that run dry – cars, batteries, bank accounts! - unless there are strategies in place to conserve what is there and replace what was used, it gets depleted.
Self-replenishment is an essential skill...
Unlike Oranges, human beings have the capacity for replenishing our energy and vitality. But it is first a choice, and then a skill which is honed with practice, knowledge, and a little trial and error. Both now and in the future, others want to be around people who make this choice. Employers want to hire people who make this choice (and reward them well). And most importantly, you will want yourself to make this choice.
Will you end up like Oscar?