Readiness
Ironically, we’re talking about Readiness this week as I sit at home recovering from the stomach bug. Nothing like spending a Tuesday flat on my back to rethink what readiness means.
So, what DOES Readiness mean? Readiness is the foundation of the skills Gen Z needs to build to be adaptable and thrive in the face change. It’s the ability to show up to work as our best selves, rested, well, and ready to be productive. Ultimately, healthy minds and bodies are the foundation of the skills pyramid. Without this baseline, the whole thing topples over.
Yesterday, I had plans. Big plans for productivity. But when unexpected things happen, like the sudden onset of a quick and dirty norovirus, I have to adjust. So, for an entire Tuesday, I addressed the bottom of my pyramid, and watched movies all day, interrupted only by sips of 7up.
For Gen Z, readiness is a different challenge for a number of reasons:
Sleep: Gen Zers are the worst sleepers out of any generation, thanks to constant distractions, blue light, and a never-ending stream of negative information. This creates a loop known as the sleep-stress cycle. For more on this, check out my article Pillow Talk with Gen Z.
Social Media: As much as social media is an integral part of modern society, it’s one of those distractions that disrupts our sleep, especially if we are scrolling right before bedtime.
Work boundaries: Work and our lives have merged, and so the boundaries have blurred. With emails and chats accessible at all times on our phones, even after hours, these notifications can disrupt our focus even in our sleep.
*Note: We'll dive deeper into these factors in the upcoming Control article
When Gen Z thinks about showing up as our best selves, we need to remember that the obstacles we face are quite different from those previous generations dealt with. When our parents began their careers, they likely arrived at the office at 9:00 AM and didn’t think about work after 5:00 PM. They certainly weren’t getting pinged on their iPhones.
At BillionMinds, we approach readiness through the lens of wellbeing. There are 8 dimensions of wellbeing that are commonly measured. When I’m having a particularly rough day, it’s helpful for me to break down these dimensions and address the root of what is going on.
The 8 Dimensions of Wellbeing:
Emotional & Mental - How you process feelings and cope with stress.
Financial - How you manage expenses and plan for the future.
Environmental - How you interact with your physical surroundings.
Intellectual - How you expand your knowledge and keep yourself sharp.
Social - How you interact with other people.
Occupational - How you gain satisfaction and enrichment through work.
Physical - How you maintain a healthy body.
Spiritual - How you find meaning and purpose in life.
For example, when I am particularly stressed out in my emotional dimension, I know that I will shop on my phone. It’s inevitable. This depletes my financial dimension. When I am feeling well, I know I do a great job with my physical dimension, and I will be in the gym more often. While I realize some of this should be reversed, I am still able to pinpoint which dimensions to work on rather than having a general sense of stress and unhappiness.
When we understand the challenges that affect our readiness for work, we can start to make adjustments. For Gen Z, these challenges are new, and we haven't been fully equipped to handle them. By assessing where we stand across the 8 dimensions of wellbeing, we can start to make targeted changes that help us show up as our best selves—even if it means bouncing back from a Tuesday spent bedridden with norovirus.
Coming Up at BillionMinds:
10/24 LinkedIn Live - On Thursday, October 24th, we will be hosting a LI Live on our professional content production. If you’re interested in a new way to deliver your content, whether it’s corporate training, your latest book, or you just don’t know where to start, please register here!
10/31 LinkedIn Live - On Thursday, October 31st, we will be hosting a LI Live on how to turn your book into recurring revenue. Authors, we’d love to see you there! Please register here.
About Me
Hi! My name is Gigi, I am the Head of Growth at BillionMinds. If you enjoyed this article, I'd love to hear from you! Even if you didn't, I'm still up for a chat. Feel free to message me or comment below, and follow me for more similar content.
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