I am talking in this episode with Anvita Jain about her journey with generalized anxiety and how she navigates the workplace as a human resources professional.
Transcript
Betsy Furler 0:05
Welcome to for all abilities, the podcast. This is your host, Betsy furler. The aim of this podcast is to highlight the amazing things people with ADHD, dyslexia, learning differences and autism are doing to improve our world. Have a listen to for all abilities, the podcast, and please subscribe on whatever podcast app you’re listening to us on. Welcome back to for all abilities, the podcast. This is your host, Betsy furler. And I am here today with another guest. Today we have someone who’s going to talk to us about her diagnosis of generalized anxiety disorder, and how it’s affected her life and her workplace. So I met her through doing some things over at her employer and I’ll let her decide if she’s gonna say where she works. And I’m so excited to have on Vita, Jane here with us today. Hi, on Vita. How are you today?
Anvita Jain 1:08
Hi, Betsy. I’m doing well. Thanks for having me.
Betsy Furler 1:12
Yes, thank you so much for being here. So why don’t you just introduce yourself to our audience?
Anvita Jain 1:17
Yeah. So hi, everyone. I’m on Vita. I’m currently an HR advisor at Dell Technologies. And so I currently am based in Austin. And I’m in part of in a rotation program of red Dell. But I can kind of dive in, start with my childhood. So I’m originally from Portland, Oregon. And I grew up in a South Asian household around a lot of South Asian families, in a way very white city. So that was an interesting kind of being between two cultures, which definitely has impacted my mental health experiences. And then I moved to Texas about eight years ago, to pursue a bachelor’s at UT Austin and engineering, which I will dive into later, and then work in Dallas for about six months as a business analyst. And then, and that was where I got my diagnosis for generalized anxiety disorder, then, which actually led me to pivot to a career in human resources. And I landed at Texas a&m University pursuing a master’s, which eventually got me to Dell. Wow.
Betsy Furler 2:31
So your diagnosis really did make a huge difference in both your education and or your employment? What were you like, as a little girl? How did you do in school and all of that?
Anvita Jain 2:46
Yeah, so I was a very shy, emotional kid. And I did, very, I did traditionally high performing in school the way you know, through my masters, because my parents have set high expectations for me, and this is pretty common in the South Asian community. I also had a lot of opportunities growing up in terms of education, sports, hobbies, you know, my parents, they put me in a lot of activities and visits, and even outside of my education to nourish that, which I think, has really helped me now that as an adult, I’m just, you know, making sure that I’m pursuing my own interests, even outside of work, and in my free time, but I had a pretty healthy childhood, I would say, very nourishing. The one thing I think that’s very relevant to my mental health journey, though, and has impacted it is that we didn’t have a lot of conversation around emotional well being and mental health. And that’s not for the lack of wanting to talk about these topics. It was just, and this is pretty common, again, in South Asian communities is that it’s not something that’s modeled as something that should be talked about, you know, so my parents did not grow up talking about it. So I don’t think they, you know, felt the need to talk about it. And I don’t even think I recognized the value of talking about it until way later, right, when I actually had a diagnosis and how to deal with this mental health condition. And suddenly, it was like, oh, you know, I need to, I need to learn all this stuff as well.
Betsy Furler 4:14
Yeah, I think frequently families think one thing that it might make you appear weaker if you talk about it, or it might make things real, that maybe they can not address if you don’t talk about it, or we as people too. I know I’ve been guilty of that in the past as well.
Anvita Jain 4:34
And I also think it has to do a lot with the education system. You’re not really like you don’t take a class on emotional quotient or intelligence there to a few teachers here and there might you know, encourage it, but as a system, we don’t really talk that much about emotional well being and for me, being so emotionally sensitive and just having like huge emotions. That was Something that took me and I’m still coming to terms with it as a good quality and not necessarily a negative. Even, you know, women are more socialized to express emotions than men. But there are a lot of stereotypes against women for expressing their emotions also, and just emotional emotions, in general, like you said, are seen as weak. So I think that has definitely made it tougher for me to deal. And then emotional regulation plays into managing mental health conditions. So there’s that angle as well. So I think a lot and I didn’t see it as a strength, I think, until I got into HR, where it is a strength. So in that way of my this field, transitioning to this field has definitely helped me own that part of my personality, and then use that information to help manage mental health. So it’s been a whole journey.
Betsy Furler 5:50
Yeah. And now I’m so excited that you’re in this role at Dell, and you are active in the employee resource group, or groups at Dell. And so tell us about how you think having a diagnosis like generalized anxiety disorder has actually helped you in your career.
Anvita Jain 6:12
Sure. So I think, for me, it’s really ignited a passion for mental health advocacy, I’ve always been passionate about giving back and volunteering, but I could never land on a cause that helped B drive so hard for it and tell I had a diagnosis. And then it felt like I had a specific purpose in terms of advocating for something. And that’s what led me to become an active participant in true ability. Um, I used to be involved in a middle health nonprofit until very recently, that is specifically focused on the South Asian community. And one of the spheres that I kept mental health advocacy kind of out of was my professional life, due to a lot of the stereotypes that are associated and the stigma, until I started being involved with to ability. So my, you know, my involvement with this employee resource group has been really helpful and fully bringing myself to work. And also just realizing that I like owning that different perspective that I bring to the table, then maybe I don’t really like the term neurotypical but other individuals in general, and part of managing my mental health has forced me to really pay attention to my emotions, all of them, including the difficult ones and use it as information and a lot of viewing emotions as information has, has actually helped me in my job as a human resources professional also, because it helps to be attuned, it helps to be self aware. And I think that comes that comes naturally from having to manage my mental health so closely day to day.
Betsy Furler 7:52
And I think you’re also so much more aware and interested in helping other people who have, quote, unquote, differences, because of your personal background. My so I was telling you, when we were talking, before we recorded that I’m about to do a TEDx talk. And my TEDx Talk is actually on using our differences of superpowers. And basically, the bottom line is, I don’t believe any of us are normal. So if once we embrace the parts of us that aren’t in that imaginary box called the norm, then nobody actually fits in. I think, when we embrace our differences within ourselves, it’s, we’re able to embrace the differences of others so much better.
Anvita Jain 8:40
I love that I love the way you put that, because I think a lot of my appreciation for people’s individual value has come from, you know, like, owning my own value as a as an individual, because I think every individual kind of exists at their own unique intersection, which has so many identifiers that like you said, no one really fits into the norm. It’s just something hypothetical that society has, that you’ve been socialized to believe in. And then you realize, like, Oh, am I you know, what is normal? What’s the value of normal, that kind of thing?
Betsy Furler 9:15
Exactly. So at work, do you have any accommodations or anything, whether they’re official accommodations, or just things that help you do your job better?
Anvita Jain 9:29
Yeah, it’s I’m what I call them official accommodations. I have been lucky enough that I’ve, you know, been able to manage for the most part. That being said, I would say that a lot of unofficial accommodations, and a lot of it is just being lucky enough to have very understanding managers and colleagues who I can talk to openly about some of you know, my personal limitations that come around generalized anxiety disorder, and being able to be transparent. I think the biggest thing is that I am Give, I’ve been able to build that level of trust to where I can be very transparent about what I’m going through. Because sometimes it can. And this was a challenge before I felt comfortable being transparent about it was just writing it off as like physical sickness or you know, something else. It just didn’t feel authentic. And I struggle when I can’t show up authentically at work. So a lot of these kind of unofficial accommodations. And I, you know, honestly, it’s, it’s not accommodations, I think sometimes it makes it sound so big, you know, are so hard to do. But I honestly think it’s just like basic, like interpersonal skills, you know, building trust, openness, transparency, that kind of stuff. And it’s, you know, even just small things like that can be very, very helpful.
Betsy Furler 10:49
And I think one of the accommodations that should be really granted to everybody, regardless of a diagnosis is that you should feel like you’re able to, for instance, take a day off if you need a quote, unquote, Mental Health Day, and not call it a sick day, or one day if you want, but be honest and say, you know, especially in COVID times, I know, y’all are still working from home, and I am to for the most part, but as you know, as people are getting back into life, you don’t really want to say, Oh, I’m sick today, but I’ll, I promise, I’ll only be sick for 24 hours. You know, it and to be able to have to be able to be honest with your employer and not feel like you’re going to be stigmatized, or you’re going to be punished for that for needing to take some time off for your mental health.
Anvita Jain 11:44
Yeah, no, I, you know, for me, it’s been more overcoming internalized stigma, then anything else? I think sometimes I perceive that and that comes from, you know, external stigma. But sometimes I perceived that Oh, like, what are they gonna think of, I say, mental health day, I think the nice thing that we have at Dell is that we have a bucket of days that are called personal business allowance. So and that is, quite literally you can take it for whether that’s a mental health day or a sick day, it’s really up, it’s your choice, you know, you will have those days to use as you need to. And I think that really helps. Because, you know, some different people have different levels of comfortability with this, you know, revealing this kind of information. So I think when companies give employees more freedom and more autonomy, in terms of just trusting that, you know, they’ll use their their days wisely and giving them those, that freedom to use it how they need to that can also help with that.
Betsy Furler 12:46
I totally agree. Yeah, I have a software solution that looks at strengths, needs and preferences of employees in the workplace, and then assigns accommodations or supports depending on what someone needs. And most of them are very inexpensive or free. And part of the reason for that is a lot of accommodations, even for people with a diagnosed disability or even something like ADHD or dyslexia. And even some of the vision and hearing accommodations aren’t things that need to be purchased in an extra on top, but more understanding and flexibility and the manager understanding what the employee does really well, and how they work really well. And I think that COVID For some people, that has been a huge benefit of staying at home because they do do better in their own home environment. And then there are others of us who haven’t, who would rather be out in a in an office someplace and are too distracted at our house. It’s like myself,
Anvita Jain 13:54
I completely agree with giving the employee again, autonomy to kind of work in the place that’s optimum for them and choose, you know, that model, like whether that’s how many of and sometimes some some people it’s a hybrid model, right? It’s somewhere in between, where it’s like part of the week at home part of the week in the office in an ideal world. For me personally, working remotely has actually helped a lot. I actually used to think that I wasn’t someone who could work remotely full time, and I’ve come to realize that I actually thrive in a remote work situation because I feel there’s something about my home that feels very safe. And it’s not you know, I’m lucky to work in a work environment where you know, I’m not watched like a hawk. And I have the autonomy to you know, kind of manage my own time. But at home, I just feel more comfortable taking breaks and being willing being able to step away from my work and I just I feel safer, and I don’t have the need to be around people. I think that’s for me, I’m an introvert. So being around people can be a very energy draining on certain days, depending on how I’m feeling So to have the ability to even switch off my video on a zoom call, or, you know, not physically be around people, but still have, you know, be able to have all my meetings really, really makes a difference. Yeah, and I’m an extrovert. So I miss being I miss being in with people. And in person so much, which I think that points out the difference between people still within the quote unquote, Norm, you know, oh, yeah, we all have preferences and strengths and needs. And where you’ve been so wonderful to talk about it all, especially being an HR person, it really makes my heart happy to know that somebody’s working in a position like that, where you really can make a difference for other employees. And you understand so much what other people are going through, I think, you you’re, you have a great career ahead of you. Yeah. And I really, really appreciate those kind words. And, yeah, it’s been amazing now that I’ve brought that mental health discussion at, you know, Dell has really given me that opportunity. You know, I have to think like a company, when it’s such an open culture, and just such great people, where I can, you know, I have that confidence to bring that conversation into the workplace. And now I can use, you know, a career like that to advocate. And I think that’s, you know, that’s a blessing and a privilege. And I really hope to be able to make strides in this area, because I just, I think it’s so important. And you know, COVID has really, unfortunately, you know, I think this conversation should have been more important pre COVID. But COVID has played a role in bringing mental health more to friend center than anything else, I think before this, and I hope to kind of use that momentum to keep advocating and especially now that I’ve kind of broken down my personal door and my personal insecurity around talking around my own mental health in the workplace, I’m hoping that I can make more strides, especially, you know, building a career in HR and continue just advocating for people, including candidates, and really that like deep level diversity. That’s just so important.
Betsy Furler 17:13
Yeah, so Well, I look forward to continue conversations, and hopefully working closer with you in the future, I think we have a similar mission. So I’m so glad you came on the podcast today and connected we have connected earlier about some things at Dell. So I’m so glad you were here. And I think you what you have said is going to help other people so much. And if people want to connect with you, how should they How could they do that?
Anvita Jain 17:41
Yeah, so feel free to reach out at by LinkedIn if you search on Vida Jain dal, you can find my LinkedIn and you feel free please feel free to email me at a en vida a NVIT a dot Jane J ai n 22. At you Texas, you te xas.edu
Betsy Furler 18:03
Awesome. Well, thank you again for being on the show. And it was a pleasure.
Anvita Jain 18:08
Thanks so much, Betsy for having me. I really appreciate it. It’s been amazing to work with you and learn from you so far. And I hope we stay connected.
Betsy Furler 18:16
Sounds great. And audience. Thank you so much for tuning in and listening today. Please like share rate review all of those things, this podcast for all abilities on whatever podcast platform you’re listening on. And please share it. If you want to know about more about me or connect with me. I’m on LinkedIn at Betsy furler. It’s F as in Frank, you are le AR You can also get on my website at for all abilities.com Thanks for tuning in. And I will talk to you all next week. Thanks so much for listening to the for all abilities podcast. This is Betsy furler, your host and I really appreciate your time listening to the podcast. And please subscribe on any podcast app that you’re listening to us on. If you’d like to know more about what we do and our software that helps employers support their employees with ADHD, dyslexia, learning differences and autism. Please go to www dot for all abilities.com You can also follow us on Instagram. And you can follow me on LinkedIn at Betsy furler. It’s F as in Frank, you are le AR Have a great day and we will see you soon
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