Latest news with #RebeccaRay
ABC News
21-05-2025
- Health
- ABC News
What you can do when feeling overwhelmed
When we live in a society where productivity is constantly praised, it's no wonder we often ignore the signals that we're stretched too thin. If you've been feeling numb, disconnected or foggy, you could be experiencing symptoms of overwhelm. Clinical psychologist Rebecca Ray says it is one of the most common issues she sees in her clinical practice on the Sunshine Coast/Kabi Kabi land. But it's not always obvious to those experiencing it, she told ABC Sunshine Coast Mornings. "It's not necessarily an all or nothing response, where you're lying on the couch wrapped in a blanket," Dr Ray says. There are many life pressures that can lead us to feel overwhelmed; relationship difficulties, family breakdown, illness or injury, work pressures, parenting and financial difficulties, to name a few. So, how do we recognise the signs of overwhelm? And how do we deal with it when we're at capacity? Stress and overwhelm are similar but distinct experiences. Stress is the feeling of being under pressure, while overwhelm is the state of feeling burdened by too many thoughts, tasks, or emotions, leaving you feeling stuck or out of control. That feeling of being stuck is what Dr Ray describes as a functional freeze response. "That's the part of our brain that kicks into a survival mode that helps us to manage really stressful or intense situations," she says. "[It's] your nervous system trying to protect you when you're in a state of overwhelm. "You might still go to work, you might still parent your children or pay your bills, but you feel numb or disconnected or foggy." Other symptoms include: • Feeling irritable or frustrated • Feeling helpless or hopeless • Panic or anxiety • Task avoidance • Appetite changes • Sleep disturbances • Struggling to make decisions Over time, overwhelm may increase the risk of anxiety and depression, making it even more important to address early on. Dr Ray says simply trying to be more organised is not the solution. "[Don't] write yourself a to-do list as long as your arm," she says. "Because in Western society … that operates at a very fast pace, we can [feel like] if we just do more, then we'll feel better. National crisis support service Lifeline recommends some practical strategies: • Identify the cause — write down what is contributing to you feeling overwhelmed and stressed. Prioritise the issues and leave smaller ones to be dealt with at a later time. • Review your current coping mechanisms — identify how you have been coping to date. What tools and strategies have you found helpful? What things are you doing that are not helpful? • Talk to a trusted friend or family member — talking through your issues with someone you trust can assist you to work through them and identify possible solutions. • Check your thinking — often we put pressure on ourselves to be a certain way. When our thoughts are negative and self-critical we may begin to feel overwhelmed. • Make a positive plan — work out ways to deal with the situation or how to approach it step by step. Start at the beginning and focus on one thing at a time. • Take care of yourself — we need to be healthy in order to meet life's challenges. Take time out to engage in activities you enjoy and find rewarding. If finding the time to implement these strategies feels hard, a good first step is a mental health day. Organisational psychologist Rachel Clements, from Sydney/Gadigal land, says taking a mental health day when you need it, from work or other commitments, demonstrates self-awareness. "That awareness of, 'When is my stress now shifting from helpful to harmful?' is a very good thing for people to be able to monitor themselves. "Taking a mental health day is a proactive thing … to get it before it becomes a mental health issue," Ms Clements says. Grant Blashki, a practising GP at Melbourne/Wurundjeri and former lead clinical advisor for beyondblue, says there's no one way to spend a mental health day. "People can take that time to nurture themselves, be kind to themselves and maybe get some exercise," he says. Journaling, talking to a trusted friend, or allowing yourself some decompression time for an activity that puts you in a "flow state" can also be helpful. If one or two mental health days isn't making a difference, it's important to come up with a long-term plan with work and/or a healthcare professional. "Having a good recovery plan is important," Ms Clements says. "Reach out for support and assistance. A lot of organisations have employee assistance programs where people can go at no cost to receive confidential coaching and wellbeing assistance." Our experts also recommend reaching out to a healthcare professional, like a GP who might recommend doing a mental health assessment and subsequent Mental Health Treatment Plan. To start with, the plan offers up to six subsidised psychological sessions. And remember that powering on can be counterproductive. "I think sometimes the desire to turn off the overwhelm makes the overwhelm even more intense," Dr Ray says. "Accept that the overwhelm is there, you don't have to approve of it but also understand that there are things that you can do to help manage it." This is general information only. For personal advice, you should see a qualified medical practitioner.
Forbes
30-04-2025
- Business
- Forbes
AI Is Reshaping Work—It's Time For CHROs To Lead The Change
Generative AI Anadolu via Getty Images By now, it's clear that generative AI is not just another HR tech trend. It is a general-purpose technology—like electricity or the internet—that will permanently reshape how work is designed, executed, and governed. But while most of the conversation has focused on productivity gains and cost efficiencies, the real question for CHROs is this: How can AI adoption be managed to create sustainable financial value? At the intersection of HR, Finance, and Governance, CHROs have a unique opportunity—and responsibility—to ensure that AI enhances human capital rather than erodes it. This is not just about keeping humans in the loop. It's about redesigning the loop entirely to reflect new workflows, risk realities, and value drivers. Let's start with the ground floor: entry-level roles. As AI tools become more capable of drafting communications, synthesizing research, and automating workflows, organizations are quietly phasing out internships and junior positions. On paper, this looks like efficiency. But in practice, it severs the pipeline through which companies develop future leaders and institutional knowledge. A study entitled "Experimental evidence on the productivity effects of generative artificial intelligence" found that professionals using AI reduced their writing time by 40%. Another study entitled The Impact of AI on Developer Productivity: Evidence from GitHub Copilot showed a 55.8% productivity boost among developers. That productivity is real—but how we allocate the time saved will determine whether organizations create more value or just hollow out career development. As discussed in Are Entry-Level Jobs Going Away? The Hidden Workforce Shift, replacing entry-level labor with AI may improve short-term margins. But it raises long-term governance questions: Who are we training? Where will the next generation of managers come from? What happens to culture when new employees never learn by doing? AI governance is no longer the CIO's domain alone. As I've written in collaboration with Rebecca Ray, Ph.D., formerly of The Conference Board, CHROs must actively design how AI is integrated into HR programs, performance management, and workforce planning. This includes: Managing AI adoption isn't just about ethical governance—it's a financially strategic imperative. With people-related costs comprising 50–70% of operating expenses, AI investments must deliver measurable returns in the form of improved HCROI, reduced attrition, and increased productivity—not merely headcount reduction. This also requires a mindset shift: treating human capital not as a cost center, but as an investment in a long-term intangible asset, fully aligned with how the SEC is beginning to frame human capital disclosures. AI isn't just about replacing human labor—it's about creating capacity. But the capacity to do more does not automatically translate into strategic advantage. If AI saves an employee two hours per day, the CHRO must work with finance and line leaders to determine: Do we expect more output? Do we redirect that time toward innovation? Or do we treat it as white space for creativity and learning? This decision is a financial one. It affects productivity ratios, employee engagement, and long-term value creation. It also affects governance—because misalignment here can lead to burnout, misallocation of labor, or worse: value leakage through disengagement. There's a paradox emerging in the research: AI can improve individual creativity (especially for less-experienced workers) but often reduces group originality. Outputs become more homogenous, and divergent thinking fades. If HR leaders retreat from workforce development or DEI efforts in favor of 'efficiency,' the company risks becoming less innovative over time—just when innovation is its biggest competitive edge. Preserving human originality isn't a soft skill issue—it's a governance priority. Innovation correlates to intangible value, brand strength, and long-term equity returns. Homogenization is a hidden tax on your future enterprise value. The role of HR is evolving from function to sense-making system. Generative AI demands that CHROs master three new competencies: This is governance in motion. It's how organizations protect human capital as an asset class and align it to enterprise outcomes. AI doesn't just change jobs. It changes workflows. This is where CHROs must collaborate with COOs and CFOs to unlock strategic value. From automating performance reviews to streamlining internal mobility, AI enables smarter work design. But if those workflows aren't tied to outcomes—like margin improvement, time-to-productivity, or customer experience—they become shiny distractions. Just as factories had to rewire operations when electricity replaced steam, we must rethink workflows—not simply layer AI on top of outdated processes. AI is an accelerant. But only human judgment, creativity, and empathy can direct it toward value creation. The organizations that will win aren't those that replace the most people with AI. They're the ones that redesign work so humans and machines together generate more value than either could alone. That's not just a workforce strategy. It's a financial one. And it puts the CHRO—uniquely—at the center of enterprise value creation in the AI age.
