Leading Through Overload: Mental Health, Digital Pressure, and Self-Management in the AI Era
Digital acceleration has placed unprecedented cognitive load and emotional pressure on project and program managers. Mental health challenges are no longer isolated incidents - they have become a global epidemic. Depression and anxiety are now among the most prevalent workplace conditions, with one in five employees reporting poor mental health. Burnout and chronic stress are at an all-time high across professions.
The question is: Why? What is driving this widespread internal struggle? According to Ayurveda—the ancient science of life—this modern epidemic has its roots in intrinsic disease, known today as psychosomatic imbalance. More than 80% of conditions, including stress, anxiety, and depression, arise from internal disharmony and emotional dysregulation. The good news is that these are not fixed states. They can be fundamentally transformed through self-management and self-regulation. This is where ancient wisdom meets modern challenge.
In an environment defined by relentless demand, today’s leaders must not only deliver outcomes but also protect their mental bandwidth and emotional stability.
This session explores the root causes behind the rise of mental-health issues in the digital age and examines how digitalisation, AI-driven pace, and lifestyle patterns disrupt internal balance. It offers a practical, holistic understanding of how self-awareness and self-management operate across the physical, emotional, cognitive, and energetic layers of the human system, and actionable techniques to regulate stress, restore clarity, and strengthen emotional resilience.
Presenter
Renuka Ayri is a Senior Project and Program Manager
(PMP) and Change Manager with over 30 years of
experience leading complex, multi-site transformations
across IT, engineering, facilities, and public-sector
environments. Known for her structured yet
human-centric leadership style, she guides
organisations through change with clarity, empathy, and
strategic discipline.
Renuka is also a Certified Holistic Health & Wellness Coach with advanced training in NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming). She integrates behavioural insight, communication patterns, leadership psychology, and self-management practices to strengthen sustainable project leadership. As the founder of AyuRA, she focuses on the intersection of human sustainability, emotional resilience, and strategic project delivery.
An active PMI Belgium volunteer since 2009, Renuka served on the Board as Director of Marketing & Communication from 2018 to 2022 and continues to contribute to the PMI community through thought leadership, mentoring, and professional development initiatives.
Renuka Ayri, PMP | LinkedIn
