This month, at KSS, we are very much focusing on wellbeing and doing all we can to protect and support Team KSS against what continues to be incredibly challenging times for us all. As Chief Executive, I take this responsibility incredibly seriously and am committed to supporting my team in the very best way I can in order to instil confidence within each of my valued team members that simply doing their best and protecting their wellbeing in whatever way they can is what I ask of each of them. That has to be our priority for 2021.
Challenges to overall wellbeing and mental health are escalating, meaning we must all focus on and prioritise what is more important than ever in current times. To varying degrees, we have all experienced the psychological and emotional toll of this pandemic. It is natural to experience a sense of exhaustion and despondency with the effort required to remain focused and optimistic becoming ever more challenging, making the prospect of physical and mental burn out increasingly likely. It has become very apparent over the last few weeks and months, that living through and overcoming this challenge is very much a marathon and not a sprint and marathons are known for being exhausting, mentally challenging and draining.
Taking all of this into account, caring for ourselves, our families, our colleagues, our friends, and our communities surely has to be what we all aspire to do. Caring means valuing the best ways to protect each other and slow the horrific spread of this pandemic by being responsible and following our lockdown restrictions. It also means practicing self-care, and connecting with and looking out for those who need support or simply someone to talk to. We need to help each other to cope with the ongoing stress, anxiety, fear and sadly for increasing numbers, grief, associated with what is undoubtedly the greatest health challenge of modern times.
As simple as it sounds, I believe we do need to take this one day at a time and not be hard  on ourselves for what we did or did not achieve. I have heard many of my friends and colleagues talk about each day being long and monotonous and yet so full of distractions and lacking in productivity. I would argue that getting through each day in the best way we can, and prioritising the wellbeing of ourselves and others, is the best form of productivity at the moment.
There will be much time for reflection, for learning, for catch up, for adjustment of expectations for what 2021 and the future will bring. For now, surely it is enough to care for ourselves, our colleagues and those we love. No matter how resilient we are as individuals, we all have our limits and these are being pushed. So, where possible, lets pause and prioritise looking after ourselves and each other.
#caringthekssway
