Change Fatigue

The last year has been full of major adjustments in my life. You may be experiencing the same thing. Life goes on, in spite of the pandemic, the political climate and all of the other strangely insane things that have happened this year. Through all of it, we are encountering the need to change or to become comfortable with things being ambiguous.

There is a term that has surfaced in conversations more than once recently: “change fatigue.” Essentially, it’s just what it sounds like — becoming extremely tired of dealing with change. How could you not be?  Even those who enjoy change or find it to be a welcome challenge have had enough this year.

Did I hit a nerve? I suspect I have.

What do you do then? How do you embrace this and roll with the punches? As much as you may want these constant changes and surprises to stop, they won’t. They may slow down or become less intense, but you will always have change staring you in the face and, for the most part, it won’t go away. It’s relentless and pervasive, always reminding you that it’s there.  Sometimes even laughing in your face.

Depending on the type of change, you may have more control over the outcome. During other times, you may have to handle the circumstances regardless of your preferences. So how do we make it easier? 

Here are a couple of tips.

Keep Your Eyes on the Goal

Sometimes it’s the anticipation or the process of change that causes the anxiety or uneasiness. Why is the change happening? Are you going through a reorganization at work? Moving? Have you been diagnosed with COVID-19?

Let’s say you’re moving.

That’s a pretty big change, and I think most people would agree it encompasses many things to worry about. What if you envisioned what it would be like to be in your new home first — then work backward into what you need to do? That at least helps you visualize the entire timeline and it will feel more controlled and manageable. Of course, this advice, taken broadly, can fit a variety of other examples.

Prioritize and Determine Importance

If you’re like me, you’re action-oriented and find that you jump right in on everything you can. Take some time to list out everything you have going on, including new items.  Does it all need attention right now?  Chances are that not everything needs to be taken care of right now. Instead of the 10 things on your list that you think should be done by October, maybe only four of them really need that attention.  Three can be done in November.  Another two in December.  Then, determine that one is something someone else can do or doesn’t need done at all.  Many items on your “list” likely require a change of some sort, leading to that change fatigue feeling.  You can help manage this.

Also, consider if you can combine some efforts. Do you have similar things happening in your life that could benefit from the same timeline or same resources?  Maybe you need to clean out two rooms in your home to make room for new furniture, but another item on your list involves getting rid of clutter in other areas of your home.  Could the same people help you at the same time?  That may not work and could feel too big, but it’s worth considering.  I often hear that splitting changes up into too many smaller efforts can sometimes feel like “death by a thousand cuts.”

Ask For Help

Finally… change is something we ALL deal with every day.  When people get tired of change, their effort diminishes, they feel overwhelmed and will often mindlessly go through the motions. Let others know what you have going on.  You will find that some people are willing to help or provide advice. It’s give and take, of course, and you should be willing to help others when your plate may be less full.  Whether it’s your work community, friends, family, schools, churches… don’t try to tackle it all on your own. 

Change is relentless.  It will always be around, so make it your friend. Remember these couple of takeaways to diminish the fatigue that will undoubtedly be waiting for you:

• Allow the end goal to be your north star.  Having your sights set on the end can make the process of getting there much more palpable.
• Determine which change efforts are most important, then prioritize so you’re not trying to do all things right now.
• Tap into your resources at work, home or the community to help you get through change.