We tend to think of stress as something personal: a private burden carried by overwhelmed individuals. In reality, stress is often relational. It moves between people through tone, timing, silence, urgency and expectation. Uncover how you can prevent those around you from being stressed and lower our stress footprint. Read more on my blog and LinkedIn in page.
Prof. Renata Schoeman joins Die Groot Ontbyt to discuss untreated depression in pregnancy.
What are mental health professionals seeing, and what can we, as parents, caregivers and educators, do next? In this conversation, we chat to mum and psychiatrist, Prof. Renata Schoeman – to unpack the science around the impact of screens, apps and games on child and adolescent brain development, and reveal why parents and educators around the world are coming together to delay smartphones (and by default, social media) until high school.
This time of year, we all feel fatigued after a long year. But there is a way to navigate the busy holidays, social activities and in many instances, emotional strain. Awe is one of the most evidence-backed ways to give the mind and the body a brief, powerful reset. Awe offers something smaller but more realistic: a momentary widening that reminds you that your life is larger than this week and your identity is larger than your fatigue.
Solitude isn’t the same as loneliness. Loneliness feels like being cut off from others while solitude is choosing to be alone and finding peace in it. It’s in those quiet moments that we reconnect with ourselves, notice the thoughts we’ve been pushing aside and face the fears we often keep buried. In my latest blog post and LinkedIn article, I explore why we tend to withdraw during tough times, and what leaders can do to avoid falling into executive isolation.
A growing body of evidence highlights a concerning trend: an elevated prevalence of narcissistic and psychopathic traits among top leaders, with dire consequences for the mental health of employees. Dark leadership - a leadership style characterised by behaviours that are harmful to individuals and organisations – is consistently linked to an increase in stress, anxiety, depression, reduced job satisfaction and high employee turnover rates. Toxic leadership can create environments characterised by fear, mistrust, reduced psychological safety, and diminished employee engagement and productivity.
Intuition is often described as a rapid understanding or decision-making process without conscious reasoning — a “gut feeling.” It’s part of what researchers call the adaptive unconscious: a set of mental processes shaped by evolution to rapidly interpret the world, detect patterns and help us survive. Although intuition is real, it isn’t infallible.
Psychiatrist Prof. Renata Schoeman discusses the impact of ADHD that affects nearly 1 in 14 school going age children in South Africa, but many go undiagnosed, untreated and misunderstood.
As we become more engrossed in our careers, it’s only natural that some of our strongest friendships are formed in the workplace. But what happens when your friend becomes your boss or you become theirs?
ADHD medication is sometimes abused, for example, when university students without the condition use it to study better. The reality, however, psychiatrist Renata Schoeman tells Mia Malan in this podcast, is that the medicine doesn’t work for people without ADHD.
Why have we become so quick to correct, critique, and condemn? Criticism of others is often just a defensive mechanism.
In this video, we introduce Professor Renata Schoeman’s ADHD short course for healthcare and educational professionals, highlighting the engaging online learning experience, informative live webinar and the 15 CPD points that can be obtained for completion of this 15-hour, 3-week learning journey.
Prof. Renata Schoeman, Hoof van Gesondheidsleierskap aan Stellenbosch Bestuurskool, sluit by ons aan en ons gesels oor die skamele begrotings-besteding aan geestesgesondheid in Suid-Afrika.
Duvet days is a great way for you to take an unplanned day off work to rest and recharge. Unlike traditional sick or personal leave, these days are specifically for mental well-being.
When married and the relationship is strained it’s easy to ‘fall hard’ for your colleague. They offer an escape and little to no conflict.
Stigma surrounding mental health continues to prevent many South Africans from seeking treatment, with fears of discrimination, social rejection, and job loss playing a significant role.
Is the future of the workplaces focused on tech or human developments?
South Africa’s women are facing new pressures of toxic stress.
According to the latest Gallup report, 36% of the South African workforce experience excessive daily stress and more than 71% are either disengaged or actively disengaged at work – some of the alarming signs of burnout. This is not surprising considering that according to the Mental State of the World Report, South Africa, with a mental health quotient of 50, ranks 69 out of 71 countries and has the greatest percentage of distressed or struggling respondents at 35%.
Burnout is a state of emotional, mental, and often physical exhaustion brought on by prolonged or repeated stress. It’s a workplace phenomenon that cannot be confused by daily stressors of everyday personal life responsibilities.
Suid-Afrika het die hoogste verbruik van skermtyd in die wêreld met negatiewe gevolge vir ons gesondeheid – fisies en emotioneel. Wees bewus van die onnodige tyd wat jy en jou kinders op fone en rekenaars buite werk- en skoolverband spandeer, en gebruik eder daardie dooie tyd vir gesinsaktiwiteite, kreatiewe projekte en in die buitelug.
It’s not easy reaching your goals and sticking to your plan. When motivation runs low it’s very difficult to stay on track. In the final of the three part series focussing on how to become unstuck and goal-setting, I explore the measures you can put in place to ensure that you reach your desired goal.
With a growing interest and rise in the prevalence of ADHD amongst both children and adults, a wide range of medical, psychology and educational practitioners, as well as organisational leaders, I have developed an ADHD short course to equip the professional community in terms of understanding, diagnosing and managing of ADHD.
We have all been there where we lack the motivation or willpower to stick to a new routine or changing our habits. Becoming unstuck with the correct mindset is set one and after that we need to set realistic and measurable goals to keep us on track. Read more on my blog about how to go about this and find some insight into how as a leader you can implement change in the workplace.
Access to healthcare is a basic human right, but achieving the healthy nation that South Africa needs for productivity and economic growth will take more than universal free healthcare. Social determinants of health such as lifestyle choices - diet, exercise, and substance use – play a crucial role in ensuring a healthy South Africa.
We have all experienced being stuck not being able to take action, overcoming indecision and deliberately avoiding having to make a decision. This sense of stuckness can last for days, weeks, months and even years. Break free from inability to act by following these steps.
There are many misconceptions about ADHD. It’s increasingly common to hear a child, or an adult, say they have ADHD. But that doesn’t mean the disorder is well understood. If you are a medical professional, sign-up for my online course on ADHD and be better equipped to diagnose and treat ADHD. (https://renataschoeman.co.za/courses/leadership-mental-health-short-courses-by-renata-schoeman/)
We all have a unique story that play a pivotal role in shaping our identity, helping us navigate our personal journeys, and influencing our perception of the world. Our inner narratives directly impact our emotions, self-perception, choices, and ultimately, our success. However, many of the stories we keep locked away and repeatedly replay in our minds tend to be negative and become distorted over time.
Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is the most common psychiatric disorder in children, affecting approximately 1 in 20, and follows about 65% of them into adulthood, affecting about 1 million adults in South Africa.
Creativity has an important role to play in our mental health and well-being. It helps us to find meaning, a sense of purpose and offers an escape from daily hassles through total absorption whilst engaging in the activity. Although there are very talented and successful artists, musicians and writers, creativity is not necessarily about having talent but rather creating space for imaginative thought.
Prof. Renata Schoeman gesels oor die geesteswelstand van maatskappye op Die GROOT Ontbyt, 07 Julie 2023. Jenna-Leigh en Jennifer gesels met Prof. Renata Schoeman oor die geesteswelstand van maatskappye in Suid-Afrika se besigheidsektor.
Health economists estimate that unaddressed mental health conditions cost the South African economy R161 billion per year due to lost days of work, presenteeism (being at work but unwell), and premature mortality.
Conflict whether personal or at work is never pleasant and most of us try to avoid it. But when you do find yourself in a conflict situation take note of these tips on how to manage these situations better.
You don’t have to be in a leadership position to be a role model to others. A role model is a person who others look up to, admire and who provides inspiration and motivation. You can start changing the way you view being a role model by following these helpful tips.
It’s difficult to be motivated all the time, especially when we are faced with change, returning back to exercising from illness or to start a new healthy way of living. Dopamine is our secret weapon and assists us in building on our motivation.
It’s become socially acceptable to drink far more than what is healthy for us. Alcohol abuse, even if you function everyday, negatively impacts your physical and mental health and can ruin your relationships.
If you find yourself more tired than usual and envious of others seemingly boundless energy, it’s important that you reflect on the reasons.
ARE YOU DISENGAGING? Quiet quitting – whether doing the bare minimum at work or in your relationship has enormous consequences for your mental and physical well-being.
We’ve all noted the social media meme It’s OK not to be OK reminding us that bad times are inevitable and that feeling emotionally overwhelmed is normal at times. The daily stressors of work, family, commitments, and external triggers such as load shedding, all add a cumulative strain on our mental health. It is difficult to have a positive mindset when we are overcome by a multitude of stressors.
We are all frustrated by loadshedding and it’s taking its toll on our mental health and wellbeing. Discover ways in how you can better cope with situations like these that are out of your control.
Guilt can so easily creep into every aspect of our lives that we second-guess ourselves. Live a lighter life and stop carrying unnecessary guilt!
We all try and steer clear of confrontation, difficult conversations and drama. But it’s important to know when and how to speak up. Understand bullying in the workplace and how it affects your self-worth, confidence and health. Learn to be assertive and stand up for yourself with dignity and pride.
Presenteeism, being physically present at work but mentally absent and unproductive due to illness, injury, stress or burnout, comes at a greater economic cost than absenteeism, and during the Covid-19 pandemic, it has not only increased but gone digital and virtual.
Although change is inevitable, we all fear it because we don’t know the outcome. This uncertainty creates a lot of stress and anxiety and during this process we are prone to paralysed by the fear of the unknown.
A culture of giving at work is the backbone of a happy work environment. Mentorship is a powerful tool and selfless gesture whereby senior and experienced staff can offer advice and support to younger employees as they grow in their roles. Mentorship cultivates a sense of belonging amongst employees, reduces stress, increases productivity and builds trust. In this video I share some useful guidelines for mentors.
We all have our emotional baggage. The key is developing stronger muscles, knowing when “the things we’ve packed” along our life journey, have no relevance to our future journeys, and how to unpack, repack and leave behind those items that weigh us down.
Two years ago, the world came to a complete standstill and we all entered the uncertainty of lockdown. The hard lockdown aimed at flattening the curve had a devastating impact on our country’s economy, unemployment and the virus itself brought many losses: loss of life, freedom, connection, and interaction.
After 730 days of lockdown, navigating the aftermath of Covid-19 is one of the biggest business challenges of our time. Although the lockdown had a negative impact on employees’ mental health, there had also been positive lifestyle changes. Businesses should consider how to incorporate these into the post-Covid workplace.
Top 3 secrets in finding more time in a day We all wish we had more time in a day to do all the things we want. But are there really not enough hours in a day or are we managing the time we have poorly? In this video I share three strategies I have found to be effective in my daily time harvesting struggle.
Sleep? Last had that in the early 90s Self-care is a buzz word we hear a lot but never seem to find time for. We think it’s not important, selfish or we literally don’t have a minute to spear in a day. The reality is that if you don’t practice self-care you will deplete yourself, and that very to-do list that is keeping you from looking after yourself will never be completed.
The global hit Netflix documentary Tinder Swindler has sparked massive debate and interest around the lies and swindling of Simon Leviev, with many commenting that “the women should have known better”. However, it is not as straightforward as assuming the women were merely gullible.
New Year’s resolutions are tough to keep! Many times over we start with good intentions only to fail miserably towards the end of January. I unpack the difference between a resolution and goals and offer some insight and handy goal-setting tips. One of these mindset changes I believe essential in achieving success is reflection.
Prof Renata Schoeman talks about work after Covid.
