Curated by the Knowledge Team of ICS Career GPS
Education
Heavy social media use damages teenagers’ mental health: Report
Excerpts from article by Cristina Criddle, published in BBC
Research from the Education Policy Institute said that well-being and self-esteem were similar in all children of primary school age. Boys’ and girls’ well-being was mainly affected at the age of 14, but girls’ mental health dropped more after that, claimed the report. A lack of exercise was another contributing factor – exacerbated by the pandemic – it mentioned.
- One in three girls were unhappy with their personal appearance by the age of 14, compared with one in seven at the end of primary school.
- The number of young people with probable mental illness has risen to one in six, up from one in nine in 2017.
- Boys in the bottom set at primary school had lower self-esteem at 14 than their peers.
Finding ‘solace or community’ in social media
According to the report, heavy social media use was linked to negative wellbeing and self-esteem, regardless of a young person’s mental state, with more girls experiencing feelings of depression and hopelessness.
“Those who feel worse may turn to social media for solace or community,” Dr Amy Orben, research fellow at Emmanuel College, University of Cambridge, said of the research.
The research uses data from 5,000 young people in England from the Millennium Cohort Study. Focus groups were also carried out in November to examine the effect of the coronavirus pandemic on these ages. The study found that family income, exercise and maternal health also contributed to young people’s mental state.
Regular exercise for better well-being
Regular exercise had a positive impact on both genders, the report said. Reduced participation in activities and sports due to school closures and lockdown likely adversely affected mental health & wellbeing. The report also recommended better access to resources for mental health support and physical activity for young people.
The transition from childhood to adolescence can be turbulent, and the findings of this report underline why addressing and supporting young people’s mental health will only become more crucial as the impact of the pandemic unfolds.
Career
5 ways uber-successful people handle burnout
Excerpts from article by Tony Ewing, published in Forbes
The cost of executive burnout to society is estimated to be something to the tune of $200 billion a year – stemming from bad decisions made under stress. And that was before COVID-19.
The definition of burnout (as per helpguide.org) is: ‘A state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion caused by excessive and prolonged stress. It occurs when you feel overwhelmed, emotionally drained, and unable to meet constant demands.‘
The negative effects of burnout will be felt in all areas of your life — home, work and social life.
Behavioural science offers us 5 ways uber-successful people handle burnout:
1. They realise and accept they’re burned out
Many of us buzz around unwilling to admit we are burned out. But if you feel exhausted—even after a long vacation—are noticeably less productive and feel exceptionally cranky, you could be burned out. Successful people don’t let their pride, overconfidence or their unrealistic expectations of themselves get the best of them. A better approach is to map out what you have to do but place a factor next to each related to how much you actually depend upon others. That helps you realise how much you might be taking on that really is impossible.
2. They get professional coaches
Evidence suggests that coaching can significantly reduce burnout. In an experiment involving 80 burned out physicians, they found that even after just 6 sessions of coaching, the experimental group felt less burnout and greater well-being.
3. They don’t ignore the problem
The group in the study which did not receive coaching became far more burned out during the course of the experiment, leaving burnout untreated could be dangerous. Successful people, in turn, try to address the issue directly. They are also known to pave their own way in organisations, once they realise the pace of environment could lead them to burnout.
4. They actively build greater emotional intelligence
Emotional intelligence—or the ability to read and understand one’s own and others’ emotions and respond to them—might seem unrelated to burnout. Yet, a study found that when professionals studied emotional intelligence, they exhibited greater resistance to burnout. This is at least partly related to their increased ability to handle stress. Emotional intelligence involves various stress coping strategies, as well as resilience training.
5. They’re okay with imperfection
Scientists have shown that setting clear goals and examining progress actually reduces burnout. The tactic of many successful professionals is to strive towards perfection but not worry about imperfections along the way. This actually enables a constant sense of improvement, which the researchers show further reduces burnout risk.
Certain burnout remedies are par for the course—such as better time, work, diet and sleep management. It’s understood now that, while these are necessary to do, they seldom constitute a sufficient regimen for reducing burnout that’s already present. Instead, science has shown uber-successful people take these extra steps to make sure they get a handle on the problem and rid themselves of burnout for good.
(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in the article mentioned above are those of the author(s). They do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of ICS Career GPS or its staff.)
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