Managing the emotional stress of COVID
COVID fills every aspect of our lives. We follow the numbers of cases and deaths; watch businesses close and unemployment skyrocket; struggle with how to continue to educate our children and keep them safe. In the middle of trying to survive, we sometimes forget that COVID is also taking a toll on our emotional well-being. One more thing to worry about?! Maybe not – it turns out that simple acts of kindness can help us short circuit fear, stress and anxiety in ourselves and others. It is an accepted phenomenon that doing good does you good!
Let’s Talk About How We Take Care Of Ourselves
Like the oxygen mask on a plane, we first need to take care of ourselves, so we can take care of others. The article, Be kind: Five tips for coping with COVID-related anxiety, by COVID.JoinZoe, a COVID research site created by Massachusetts General Hospital, outlines a number of ways kindness can help us combat our anxiety and fear.
Here are some things we can do right now to take care of ourselves:
- Be kind to yourself and others: Medical research has found that kindness and mental health are connected. Even the smallest acts of kindness can make a difference. What we often forget is to be kind to ourselves. Take it easy on yourself. You’re doing the best you can in the moment.
- Limit time on social media: There’s more information than can possibly be absorbed on social media and the veracity of much of it is in question. Stick with trustworthy sources like the CDC, NHS, and the World Health Organization. Resist the desire to pass along information that has not been verified. It can only increase your anxiety and the anxiety of those who read it.
- Stay in touch: As an introvert, it’s easy for me to build a wall of books and ignore the rest of the world, but it’s not healthy. Reaching out to friends, family and colleagues – video or no video – helps reduce stress.
- Focus on what you can control: There are so many things that are uncertain and that can be really scary. It’s hard to take things one day at a time – we all want to know what to expect. Unfortunately, for now, that’s not possible. A good tip is to write down what’s worrying you. Figure out what you can control and make a plan. Let the rest of it go. Worrying is like paying interest on a debt that is not yet due.
- Create some structure: Working from home, going through online learning with the kids, cooking at home instead of going out can all be components of creating a structure for yourself. It helps things feel more normal.
Consider scheduling some other things such as: Exercising at a specific time each day. A walk in the neighborhood counts as exercise! Being purposeful about relaxation time, whether it’s yoga, meditation or a walk in nature – anything that makes you feel calm and peaceful. Doing something you enjoy. It can be anything – reading, gardening, baking, crafting, music – indulge yourself in something that makes you feel good and contributes to a calmer mind. Find a steady pace that works for you. Use these suggestions to help ease your anxiety so you can help others when anxiety threatens to overwhelm them.
Caring For Others
Throughout the challenges of COVID, people have found ways to help each other. We’ve given of our time, our money, our love and support. It’s as if our intuition for what we need and can do for others has led us to increasingly creative acts of kindness. We’ve all seen the bumper sticker – ‘Practice Random Acts of Kindness’. Now it’s time to really put that to work. It can take just a moment from the comfort of your sofa to make a significant difference for someone who may be experiencing anxiety, fear, or isolation. At the same time, you’re taking care of yourself because “doing good does you good.”
The Mental Health Foundation of the UK has kindly created a wonderful list of random acts of kindness. Some are listed below, but you can find the full list here.
“No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.” ~ Aesop
- Contact someone you haven’t seen in a while and arrange a phone catch up.
- Arrange to have a virtual cup of tea (or coffee in the US) with someone you know.
- Plan to watch a film at the same time as a friend and do a video call together.
- Send a motivational text to a friend who is struggling.
- Lend your ear – call a colleague and ask how they’re finding the change in routine.
- Help with chores at home.
- Send someone you know a picture of a cute animal, a joke or an article.
- Reach out to call a friend, family member or neighbor who is experiencing loneliness or self-isolation.
- Tell a family member how much you love and appreciate them.
Caring For The Organization
Whether it is the disruption of social distancing, redesigned working processes or working from home, these dramatic changes in the workplace have made it difficult to maintain key working relationships. Caring for the people in our organizations calls for changes in leadership focus. An article posted by EY (Ernst & Young, LLP – a Professional Services and Consulting Firm) outlines 5 important people-centric areas for leaders during this challenging time.
- Be aware and mindful of both the mental and physical health of our employees
Make it easy for people to find mental health information. Many companies have Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) through their health insurance, but until now they were seldom used. Promote this benefit and make it easy to find and use.
Don’t wait for people to come to you. Reach out and “check-in.” Build trust and ask questions that elicit more than “I’m fine,” so you get a real idea of how people are.
Be aware of changes in performance or behavior that could signal something serious and be sure that someone reaches out quickly.
- Keep everyone connected
We’re all pretty comfortable with video conferencing. Consider opening meetings with some “water cooler” time to check on how people are doing on a personal level.
Plan to spend some one-on-one time via video with staff to maintain relationships, provide support and keep people informed at a personal level
- Keep motivation and engagement going
It’s difficult in the best of times to keep people engaged. Now we need to be more purposeful and take extra steps to make it happen.
Be explicit about the organizational values and objectives. Share the company strategy for navigating COVID and connect individual and team goals to the process.
Remember to recognize people for their work and project accomplishments and also for being a support and resource for their teammates.
- Develop resilience and performance
Everything about work has changed. Be sure people have the resources they need to work from home. Be flexible with time, taking into account the extra challenges of working at home with spouses, children, and make-shift workspaces.
Continue to offer opportunities to learn new skills that will support career growth and increase the capabilities of the organization. Help people focus on the future and how they fit into it.
- Nurture your emerging leaders.
Unexpected leaders often show up in challenging times. When you see them, empower them to grow, provide unflagging support and encourage them to continue to take ownership and accountability for their own resiliency and leadership.
This is an unprecedented time for people and organizations around the world. Fear and uncertainty permeate every aspect of our lives. But there is one simple thing – kindness – that can help us all get through this. And when the outbreak is over, we may find we have created a much better world for all of us.
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