David Ko

And so that becomes a very vicious cycle, especially in the workplace. And that leads to a lot of unproductivity. What I found with the two is you really have to find that right balance and understand there will be, and just talk about it. There's a push. We're all going to make a push. We did it recently as a company at Calm around the elections.

And so that becomes a very vicious cycle, especially in the workplace. And that leads to a lot of unproductivity. What I found with the two is you really have to find that right balance and understand there will be, and just talk about it. There's a push. We're all going to make a push. We did it recently as a company at Calm around the elections.

And we treated the elections like our Super Bowl moment because we knew and we saw the data that people's stress was rising every day as that day, November 5, got closer and closer. We saw it in the App Store. We saw it in comments. We saw it on social. So we really came together as a company to do different types of things around that. Take a breath, 30 seconds or 15 seconds of silence.

And we treated the elections like our Super Bowl moment because we knew and we saw the data that people's stress was rising every day as that day, November 5, got closer and closer. We saw it in the App Store. We saw it in comments. We saw it on social. So we really came together as a company to do different types of things around that. Take a breath, 30 seconds or 15 seconds of silence.

We showed animals from the San Diego Zoo on Instagram. And we got so many people commenting that day that said, hey, thank you for the silence. Thank you for my 15 seconds in this world where so many things are happening. Now, people were dialing in from work because they were stressed at work. Stress doesn't just mean it's at home.

We showed animals from the San Diego Zoo on Instagram. And we got so many people commenting that day that said, hey, thank you for the silence. Thank you for my 15 seconds in this world where so many things are happening. Now, people were dialing in from work because they were stressed at work. Stress doesn't just mean it's at home.

It was like people were like during the elections coming in from work. And so we wanted to give them a little bit so they had a release so they could be more productive. So there's a lot of things around stuff that I look at for good stress and bad stress and recognize there's always going to be a push-pull. But that's the part where you can't do it alone. You got to have a good team.

It was like people were like during the elections coming in from work. And so we wanted to give them a little bit so they had a release so they could be more productive. So there's a lot of things around stuff that I look at for good stress and bad stress and recognize there's always going to be a push-pull. But that's the part where you can't do it alone. You got to have a good team.

You got to talk about it. You do this so well. and make sure that becomes part of your fabric, your culture, your DNA. And I think it's shifting, but it's slow. I think the conversation around mental health in everyday life It's the most approachable it's ever been, right? I talk about things with my own kids today around mental health.

You got to talk about it. You do this so well. and make sure that becomes part of your fabric, your culture, your DNA. And I think it's shifting, but it's slow. I think the conversation around mental health in everyday life It's the most approachable it's ever been, right? I talk about things with my own kids today around mental health.

When I was a child coming, I'd be curious for you, like immigrant family, we didn't talk about our mental health in my household, right? We talked more about powering through things. And I can talk about that later, but we didn't really talk about it. My kids talk about it. They may overuse it at times, not use it the right way. It's okay. They're having the conversation.

When I was a child coming, I'd be curious for you, like immigrant family, we didn't talk about our mental health in my household, right? We talked more about powering through things. And I can talk about that later, but we didn't really talk about it. My kids talk about it. They may overuse it at times, not use it the right way. It's okay. They're having the conversation.

Their friends are having the conversation. I think that's great. But when you go to the workplace, it kind of stops. And I go to so many places and I'm like, do you talk about your mental health at work? And they're like, no. And I'm like, well, let's change that dialogue. Let's make it as approachable as it is in everyday life. And how do we start to do that?

Their friends are having the conversation. I think that's great. But when you go to the workplace, it kind of stops. And I go to so many places and I'm like, do you talk about your mental health at work? And they're like, no. And I'm like, well, let's change that dialogue. Let's make it as approachable as it is in everyday life. And how do we start to do that?

Let's give you the tools and we'll start at the top. Yeah, you're so right.

Let's give you the tools and we'll start at the top. Yeah, you're so right.

And be transparent in that journey. You know, I speak to many CEOs in the Valley and over the world. And, you know, a lot of times I'll ask them, how do you prioritize things with your employees? How transparent are you? And I'll tell you, many of them are not that transparent. Or they'll be like, these are the most important things. And then they'll add five more and then five more, right?

And be transparent in that journey. You know, I speak to many CEOs in the Valley and over the world. And, you know, a lot of times I'll ask them, how do you prioritize things with your employees? How transparent are you? And I'll tell you, many of them are not that transparent. Or they'll be like, these are the most important things. And then they'll add five more and then five more, right?

And I'll be like, oh, okay. What did you take away? And they're like, what are you talking about? I mean, what did you take away? And they're like, nothing. And I'm like, well, how do you think that's affecting your employees? And they're like, I never really thought about that. So I've just compounded and stacked the problem as a leader and And you didn't take anything away.

And I'll be like, oh, okay. What did you take away? And they're like, what are you talking about? I mean, what did you take away? And they're like, nothing. And I'm like, well, how do you think that's affecting your employees? And they're like, I never really thought about that. So I've just compounded and stacked the problem as a leader and And you didn't take anything away.