Kyocera Newsletter
Message of the week 01 - 05 September 2025
The emotional drain of work—and how to bounce back
As we head into September, it’s time to reflect. We’ve navigated eight intense months of 2025, and now face just four more. Realistically, only August to November are productive as December in South Africa quickly turns into holiday mode. And once the public holiday hits on 16 December, our workdays become fleeting.
Productivity and collaboration become tricky, especially when we’re managing tight deadlines, constantly adapting to change, and trying to stay connected in a virtual world. The emotional labour piles up silently. But if it remains unchecked, fatigue doesn’t just slow us down, it undermines our health, performance, and connection with others.
That’s why I wanted to share three simple recovery steps found in this Harvard Business Review article as they are practical, intentional and helpful:
1. Reflect to build emotional awareness
Take a pause after a tough moment and ask yourself: What am I feeling? Where do I feel it in my body? What is the emotion telling me? Capture your thoughts, write them down or record a quick voice note, or simply share with a peer. The goal isn’t to linger in heavy emotion, but to understand it and release it, so it doesn’t weigh you down and get in the way of productivity and collaboration.
2. Reframe to change your perspective
Tough days can cloud our outlook. Instead, ask yourself: What’s the lesson here? What have I learned? How am I growing? Be kind to yourself and treat setbacks with the same compassion you’d offer a colleague.
3. Restore to rebuild your energy
Your energy isn't bottomless, it needs refuelling. Intentionally, schedule time to detach: go for a walk, read, laugh, or lift your hands away from your desk. Small rest rituals aren’t indulgences, they’re essential self management tools.
This thinking and approach is deeply rooted in the Kyocera Philosophy. As Dr Kazuo Inamori expressed, “Rather than a vertical relationship of managers to workers, employees are bound by lateral partnerships, working toward the same goals and thereby realising their individual dreams.” When we work with this spirit of partnership, acknowledging one another’s emotional realities, we create the kind of trust that helps people recover, reconnect, and re-energise.
With just three truly productive months left in the year, let’s use them wisely, and gently. Let’s put resilience and self-awareness first so that we can finish 2025 strong, and start summer with our health, focus, and team spirit intact.