Is a Tired Mind an Unethical Mind?

Rest is one of the least appreciated ways of healing. When a doctor prescribes a pill, a course of treatment or something requiring effort, people rarely bat an eye, but being told to rest is one of the hardest prescriptions to follow — how much is enough and isn’t there an easier way are questions that are all too common. 

Energy is not infinite, and while we are in a dedicated and relentless profession, the reality is that with hard work comes a need for rest. Rest plays a crucial role in human health and well-being, affecting things like cognitive function, emotional stability and even physical recovery.

Decision-making and cognitive function

Memory, attention and problem-solving are all affected by rest. In its most recent analysis, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said nearly 700 people were killed in car crashes related to driving while tired, so just imagine what happens when making ethical determinations involving complexity and nuance while overtired. For our profession, which often requires complex analysis and judgment to be deployed, being well-rested allows for the best neural processing and making of sound decisions.

Empathy and emotional regulation

My father always used to say that being tired makes cowards out of us all, and when faced with a particularly challenging situation, it may be best to get a good night’s sleep before making a committed decision. When we are faced with the need to understand and weigh the perspectives of various stakeholders, we are at a disadvantage without sufficient rest. Fatigue can impair emotional intelligence and lead to suboptimal interactions, especially in emotionally charged situations.

Well-Being

Despite Its Status as a Buzzword, Community Still Counts

by Lisa Beth Lentini Walker

March 26, 2024

Commiserate, seek advice, gain experience or share a story

Read moreDetails

Stress management

Compliance and ethics professionals are often navigating stressful regulatory environments, possible ethical breaches, lack of resources, lackluster management buy-in and even managing crises or challenging incidents. By its nature, this job is primed for stress, and lack of rest just exacerbates the situation. Over the long term, this leads to chronic stress and even burnout. Rest is essential to proper resilience and stress management.

Ethical compass preservation

Fatigue can weaken one’s ethical resolve, making it easy to overlook or rationalize unethical behavior. When discussing fraud, we often look to the “fraud triangle,” which posits that for fraud to occur there must be (a) motive, (b) opportunity and (c) rationalization. Without rest, it is easier to excuse or rationalize cutting corners or behaviors that would be viewed as problematic under normal conditions.

Long-term health

Chronic lack of rest can lead to serious health issues like cardiovascular disease, diabetes and depression. Regular, high-quality rest is one way to invest in long-term health. Rest allows individuals to contribute effectively to their organizations and society.

Rest is an underappreciated but foundational aspect of maintaining a well and balanced life. It is critical for physical health, cognitive and emotional well-being; it’s absolutely essential to effective ethical decision-making. For ethics and compliance professionals, ensuring adequate rest is just as much a part of upholding the standards and responsibilities of their roles as continuing education and a formal program is. Supporting a culture of compliance means recognizing that rest and breaks from the sprints are integral to fostering an ethical environment.