Self-care is not a new concept but has gained more traction in recent years as people become more open to having conversations about mental struggles and healing. It is a much needed move to remove the stigma around mental struggles so that anyone could seek help without being judged or perceived negatively. The Gen Zs joining the work force grew up with such open conversations, are (generally) not shying away from taking a mental health day off work, to self-care or step away from work that do not allow them to have work-life balance. With more of them joining the workforce, organisations will have to place significant importance of making this part of their culture and benefits provisions to their employees, if they are to attract and retain Gen Zs.
As an Enneagram Type 9 – Peacemaker profile, self-care and taking a mental health day are really not part of my DNA. Despite experiencing a burnt-out at work more than 10 years ago, I continued to struggle with putting myself first. It was only after understanding my Enneagram core type that I understood why this is a challenge for me.
The Peacemaker in me has a core fear of conflicts and it is outmost critical for me to take care of everyone’s needs so that peace and harmony could be preserved. Having the strength to understand others’ perspectives means that I am spending the bulk of my energy focusing on not creating conflicts through my actions and speech. Saying “no” and holding my boundaries are just not in my DNA. As a result, my work load increased steadily, no matter which organisation I was working in. I gave silent permission to supervisors to use my non-work hours for work discussions and to attend to urgent matters (that were not in anyway, life-threatening emergencies). Driven by my core motivation to keep peace, I did not express any displeasure but continued to clock units of frustration in my emotion bank.
Without knowing my Enneagram type, I began working on being more firm and assertive as it was required of me as a team lead. I started to develop the strengths of my wings (Type 8 – Challenger and Type 1 – Perfectionist) to have structures and boundaries. That said, I could only do so selectively as I still would want to keep peace and avoid conflicts. While my Enneagram scores showed that I have indeed made progress and developed in this area, I have also gained insights on how to continue to deepen this practice and to address my inner self-talk.
Curious to find out your Enneagram type for self-development? Connect with me to find out how understanding your Enneagram Type can support your development.