It’s obvious that the pandemic brought huge disruption to our lives, but what might not be so obvious are the lingering effects that we just can’t seem to shake off. They represent a sort of “hidden hangover”, a business equivalent of long covid.

September is usually the time of year we associate with “getting back to normal” after the summer holidays. Traditionally, many of us would have taken time off in the summer to rest and recharge. And with children returning to school in September, we would return to work with a bit of added spring in our step. That’s something we can no longer take for granted.

Some of us may be approaching September without having had a chance to fully recharge the batteries. On the surface, we may be functioning just fine, but we need to be extra attentive to the mental health impacts of the pandemic, including burnout.

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