You’re there, but not really there.
Janet Barrett shares her lifelong journey with presenteeism, which is when someone shows up for work or life but isn't mentally present.
She used work as a way to escape or to numb herself from her problems.
But after 49 years, she broke. Her husband wanted a divorce and it was that turning point where she realized she had to unpack her giant backpack full of emotional baggage that she kept putting away her entire life.
Key Takeaways
Key Moments
{02:23} “Presenteeism showed up across the board in my life where I would be physically at my kids' game. But mentally I wasn't there. I wasn't really watching, I wasn't really engaged in what was going on. I was thinking about a million other things and I was distracted by things and I was thinking about emotions and whatever.”
{03:36} “I used work to numb all of my emotions. I used work to distract me from problems that were happening in my life. And I was one of the most productive people.”
{07:07} “Prior to my break, I had no awareness that that isn't how life should be. I had no understanding that there could be more, that you could actually really feel an emotional connection with something.”
{20:32} “If you know your warning signs, they can help prevent that break from happening and help prevent some of those stressors from being in the pressure cooker that explodes, or the Pandora box that opens.”
More about Janet
Janet is a proactive mental health advocate, speaker, and writer. She is the Founder and CEO of Cerebral Health, a company focused on eliminating the stigma around mental health and helping individuals learn to thrive. She earned her Master of Arts in Organizational Psychology in 2022. Prior to this, Janet worked for and advised some of the largest retail and wholesale consumer brands on category management, product and consumer segmentation, and merchandising strategy. Janet and her four children reside outside of Boston. When she’s not spending time with her kids, you can find her outside or in the yoga studio working on staying in balance!
Get in touch with Janet
www.StopTheBreak.LIFE
Share your Story
Send it to us at podcast@jennylynnerickson.com
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