 Do you ever feel like you're "running on empty" at work?
Maybe you skipped breakfast before working on a big presentation, or you struggled to speak up in a meeting after only a couple of hours' sleep. Perhaps you're emotionally exhausted because you feel like you just don't "fit in." If so, you've probably encountered the HALT risk states. HALT stands for Hungry, Angry, Lonely, or Tired. The model was first developed to help addicts in recovery see when they were most vulnerable to relapse. Since then, it's been useful for other people, too – both in the workplace, and in their personal lives. This article examines when you need to "call a HALT," and how to act quickly on the warning signs. What Are the HALT Risk States? If you keep trying to work when you're hungry, angry, lonely, or tired, your performance will almost certainly suffer. You may harm your physical and mental health, and you're at risk of damaging your relationships. You'll also be more susceptible to burnout. The word "HALT" is significant. It's a wake-up call to stop what you're doing and think about some key aspects of your well-being – and to change harmful habits. The four risk states are interrelated. For example, you may have heard the word "hangry" to describe someone who's irritable (or worse) through lack of food. "Slangry" is also starting to appear – describing a person who's grumpy after a bad night's sleep. But each of the four HALT states can be a serious problem on its own. How to Spot the HALT Signs To respond to the HALT risk states, the first step is to recognise them. This means becoming more aware of emotions and behaviors – your own, and those of the people you work with. Developing your emotional intelligence can help you to notice when you're feeling isolated within your team, for example, or the times when you've lost your "get up and go." It also lets you spot these feelings in others. Journaling your experiences, thoughts and feelings is a good way to keep track of any potential problems. You can monitor the amount of sleep and exercise you're getting, as well as whether you're eating regularly and healthily. Use your journal to help you spot patterns of negative feelings or behaviors – and clues about what's causing them! You can also practice mindfulness, to help you become more self-aware. Mindfulness has been shown to develop emotional intelligence. It's a way of observing your thoughts and feelings without getting "carried away" by them. If you think a colleague is struggling because of one or more of the HALT states, talk to them, sensitively and in confidence. This might require a difficult conversation, but getting the issue out into the open is the first step toward resolving it. With love from - mindtools.com www.mindtools.com/acd2ov1/what-are-the-halt-risk-states Comments are closed.
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