The cybersecurity industry has faced a growing problem – burnout. However, The Zensory, a wellbeing and productivity app, offers a solution that could help combat this issue. Yvonne Eskenzi, the app’s co-founder, has noticed a significant change in the industry over the past few years, with increased attack surfaces, more threats, and savvier cybercriminals. She recognised that the toll of these problems was having a negative impact on her peers and she wanted to do something about it.
Eskenzi and her daughters, Jasmine and Jade, created The Zensory during lockdown after they observed similar mental health issues affecting their respective peers. The app is currently used by over 30,000 desktop users. It harnesses the power of the senses, also known as sensehacking, to help its users focus and relax. Users can personalise their experiences according to their learning modality. The immersive and colourful touchpads work for some, while others prefer naturescapes and binaural beats.
The Zensory offers a toolkit that helps users ‘hack’ their mood, enabling them to replace stress with calmness, and an inability to focus with clarity – all of which are essential for building and maintaining a healthy work-life balance. A survey by Tessian found that one in five CISOs work more than 25 extra hours per week, missing special occasions, family commitments, and holidays as a result.
Eskenzi said, “The industry is known for attracting incredibly skilled professionals who take great pride in doing their job well.” She added, “They’re often committed to their working lives and making sure their organisations and networks are secure – and that’s a huge responsibility for any one person or team to undertake.”
Using the senses for mindfulness and to combat cyber burnout
Eskenzi believes that our senses are our greatest tools, which are available all the time and for free. She suggests using techniques like “box breathing” (inhaling for four, holding for four, exhaling for four, and repeat), or incorporating different scents that have the power to transform mood.
Eskenzi observes that while this may not entirely stop cyber professionals from working overtime, as a large part of this comes down to company culture and management. However, learning to consciously control the nervous system, through mindfulness techniques and harnessing the power of your senses, can help individuals improve their productivity, reduce stress, and make them feel more present. The result, if harnessed properly, can lead to people completing their work more effectively and then having more time for leisure or home activities, thus improving their work-life balance and overall well-being.
Breaks are essential for both wellbeing and productivity. Yet, as office workers, cyber professionals will spend 75% of their time sat at their desks, rarely getting up or having a break. The recent trend of incorporating frequent, short breaks throughout the day can increase mood, productivity, concentration, and success when completing tasks. However, these are often overlooked and frowned upon in the workplace.
The Zensory app includes a pomodoro timer and is backed by over 200 research papers and world-leading experts and professors. Various exercises in the app can help users learn techniques to establish a productive and mindful work-life balance.
In conclusion, Yvonne Eskenzi has led the way in helping cyber professionals combat burnout and stress by developing a mindful toolset that utilises the power of their senses to aid productivity and relaxation. The result is a user interface for professionals that aims to optimise well-being, efficiency, and productivity in an industry that has experienced a growing crisis of burnout in recent years. The Zensory is available on the Apple Store and the Google Play Store for a monthly subscription fee.