Cristina Zenato

Cristina Zenato Instagram – Three signs of mental fatigue for diving professionals
I am sure many of us have heard of: “Find a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.”
The fact is, instead, we work harder and longer when we don’t feel like it, when we are sick, and even when we are demoralized.
Here are three signs that, as professionals, we should pay serious attention to. These signs can indicate mental fatigue, which if not addressed, can lead to burnout. We can apply this to any profession:
1. Difficulty concentrating. We might find it challenging to focus on the schedule, the layout, or the performance requirements; we might find it hard to feel comfortable in the gear, fluid in the preparation, and present in the moment.
2. Lack of motivation and enthusiasm: We love diving, we love it very much, but we find it difficult to summon the energy to teach another class, guide another dive, or even take another picture despite feeling full of energy.
3. Increased irritability or emotional sensitivity: This might be the most important one to pay attention to. Our small mistakes, or even the ones of our students and divers, make us overly sensitive and frustrated.
We become incredibly annoyed with our performance and any possible feedback. This is a clear sign that our minds need more recovery time than our bodies do.
Finding a job we love requires finding a way to balance our well-being so we can keep doing it.
As someone who has spent thirty years of my life on what I call the front line of scuba diving, always diving, teaching, dealing with people, never moving in more ‘dry’ positions like working for manufacturers or training agencies, I pay extreme attention to the signs I described above. I have learned to balance my time with my work time to avoid burnout after so many years. As I love diving, a particular part is always dedicated to my diving, exploration, adventures, and passions. Some strategies I use to maintain my well-being include setting boundaries, and it goes to the extent of deciding when to say no to some requests, although the extra income would be very appreciated.
Remember, “if it costs our peace of mind, it’s too expensive.” | Posted on 09/Aug/2024 18:55:51