Thank you, Kate Harry Shipham, for including my thoughts in this timely, important piece: http://www.khspeople.com/1/post/2021/05/may-mental-health-awareness-month-lets-talk-about-it.html …

Kate writes, “May is ‘Mental Health Awareness Month’. I’m not sure I can remember a more important time to acknowledge this and have a real conversation about mental health.

“Luckily, I see a positive change in our firms; there is more of a willingness to have the conversation, continue the conversation, and show vulnerability when it comes to the topic of mental health.

“I have asked some of our marketing friends – Logan Tracey, Cheryl Foster, Roy Sexton, Tahisha Fugate, Jennifer Gessner Shankleton – to share how they are trying to avoid burnout and how they are looking after themselves. Burnout is an issue I’ve been watching closely (and providing data on). It is a very real topic for marketers right now. Put another way, self-care is critically important and these marketers capture this sentiment beautifully.

“These sentiments highlight good self care and positive mental health practices for us all to take in and replicate.”

Kate writes: “Roy is a shining beacon for all of us. His ability to share and show vulnerability with his work family is inspirational.” Thank you, Kate! My contribution to her article follows:

“I do feel like I’ve been burning the candle at every end possible. I’m not sure there’s any wick left! That said, I’ve also found this to be a strangely rewarding time because it has, at times, leveled the playing field, allowed us marketers to drive our firms toward digital tactics that actually work, and has afforded us a kind of singular focus one rarely gets in this career. But that comes at a price – low energy, neglected relationships, no exercise, spending far too much money at Amazon.

“I’m trying to ease back into balance and reclaim my time. Shutting down the computer at 5:30 or 6 instead of 7 or 8. Avoiding work email on the weekends. Taking walks with my husband. I’m also more forthcoming than I’ve ever been with colleagues and leaders about what I need for balance, and the response has been positive. By the way, THEY are feeling it too. But none of us are necessarily brave enough to be the first to say it out loud. Sometimes that is the best way to resilience – telling people how you feel. And if they can’t accept that or don’t want to, life is far too short to put your energy into a person or organization so selfish.”