Video: Mental Health Strategies for Career Success: Expert Insights with Dr. Amanda Cassil
Project management specialist Kayla McGuire interviews Dr. Cassil about mental health in the workplace.
In this video, Kayla McGuire interviews Dr. Cassil about mental health in the workplace. While Kayla creates content specific to project managers, the themes discussed in this video apply across a wide range of career settings. Listen along as they discuss the following themes:
Imposter Syndrome
Habits like comparing yourself to others, as well as simply being in competitive environments can increase your experience of imposter syndrome and doubting your own abilities, intellect, and achievements. Imposter Syndrome can contribute to mood disorders like anxiety and depression, leaving you feeling isolated and stuck. Interested in a deeper dive on Imposter Syndrome? Join me Sept. 14 for a workshop on Imposter Syndrome and begin building your tool set for coping more effectively with it.
Boundaries at Work
The term boundaries is used a lot and can feel elusive and difficult, especially when dealing with power differentials and the expectations placed on you at work. Dr. Cassil talks about using compassion and empathy as you navigate discerning, communicating, and negotiating your boundaries in professional settings. Boundaries help protect us and also bring consequences, so being mindful and intentional with them is hard work. Lack of boundaries can contribute to burnout. Interested in learning more about burnout? Join me Oct. 12 for a workshop on Burnout, where we explore budgeting your limited resources to balance the level of drain you feel day to day.
Delivering Feedback
Both as a supervisor and as a direct report, feedback is hard to navigate. Dr. Cassil discusses using non-judgmental awareness to evaluate what is working and what is not in employee performance. Critical and harsh feedback is often counter productive to learning, problem solving, and improvement. This makes finding ways to give feedback that employees can actually hear and integrate not only beneficial for employee wellbeing, but also a matter of improving the bottom line for the company.
Highly Sensitive People and Introverts at Work
Many HSPs struggle with imposter syndrome, feeling like they “should” be more extroverted, and asserting themselves at work. HSPs can bring great strengths to companies, and contribute to the longevity and sustainability of teams and systems. Unfortunately, sometimes their strengths can clash with goals of colleagues or superiors, leading to conflict and philosophical differences as they approach their work.
Emotional Suppression and Work
Knowing when and how to process emotions around work and work relationships can be a unique challenge, especially if you are highly sensitive. Repression can lead to long-term problems, but so can being disregulated and uncontrolled with our emotions. Finding ways to compartmentalize, communicate directly and clearly, and have outlets away from work can all help with managing workplace emotions.
