How to Try and be Sane and Healthy During the COVID-19 Pandemic Crisis
As an HR/Change Management Professional and a Leadership and Career Coach, I feel I need to be setting a positive example and exhibiting good role model behaviors for my clients, friends and family. I have often been called a cheerleader by my clients and admittedly, I inherited somewhat, not totally, of a “Pollyanna” attitude – from my wonderful mother, Dorothy.
So, in the spirit of sharing and maybe making a small difference for some of you, I offer the following thoughts on how I am trying to maintain an equilibrium in both my work and personal life. As a self-employed person, I am worried on how my business will survive. But, there are many others who are not as fortunate as I. As we all “shelter- in -place”, here are some thoughts that may help as we all make adjustments to the changes we are facing.
1. If you are like me, I strive to find the right balance in reading new factual information from informed and reliable sources. I have stopped listening to the national news 24/7. I am now limiting my news intake to the local Washington, D.C. newscasts in the early morning and evening, reading www.nytimes.com, The Washington Post and only watching a couple of hours at night of CNN. I can't watch the daily press briefing anymore. Too hard. I am also trying to find the right balance between getting away from my computer and doing something else around the house... but not resorting to opening up the refrigerator.
2. Recognizing that I am single, am alone at home and do not have kid or pet responsibilities, here are some other things I am doing that may work for you all:
ROUTINE- Trying and succeeding for the most part to wake up around the same time every day- a little later on the weekends and even a little later on the weekdays than I did before. But hmmm.. in a few days, I am not going to know what day of the week it is! 🙂). Make the bed. Change out of sleeping wear into other leggings/nicer shirt. When I know I will be on a video call- actually put on some make-up and earrings!
EXERCISE- Take inside and outside walks. I’ve been successful at this- though if no outside walk is desirable (on those cold and icky days when the walk consists of getting the mail only)- t is very challenging to get in 10,000 steps- even with the all the stairs in my townhome. So, I am trying to
extend my "before bed yoga time" to longer than I used to. I need to try to bring in some of this during the day when walking outside is not conducive.
CONNECT- with my friends- either via Zoom or phone. I have made a list of friends/colleagues/clients that I want to speak to, check in with, etc. I am having LONG (for me) at least 45-60 minute conversations with them. I am also trying to have at least 2-3 types of these interactions a day. Also- am texting frequently with out -of -town family/friends and setting up zoom meetings for later days in the week. So, on some calls- mostly when I am in my family room- I am walking back and forth around the main floor of the house.
PRODUCTIVITY- Being productive and staying focused is getting hard.. quite frankly.... so similar to what my job search clients may be facing- I get it. Being on the computer and doing both work and personal stuff is now blending even more so than before. So, I am setting some nominal goals and realize that things I wanted to do one day that are not getting done- will just get moved on the calendar until the next. I suspect this is even harder for those with kids in the mix. Do what you can. Don't beat yourself up. For those with kids- actually put the entire family schedule up on paper so all can see it- including when you are available to them and when you are not- on an interview/ doing work, etc.
MINDSET- I also have come to realize that this "sheltering in place" will need to be in place for longer than we all may have thought last week. Things are changing constantly/hourly. You have to realize how you react to it. DON'T act when you hear something new that is unnerving. Breathe . Step away. Deal with it later. GO back to what you were doing - that was productive. I have to remember all the things I learned when I was studying change management and was asked to be a change agent for big projects when I was doing a corporate job at American Express. I remember back to 9/11 and what things I was asked to do as a leader for my own team as well as being an HR person. I had to take care of myself first before I could help others. Same thing here.
Hope this was helpful. I’d love to hear what you are doing to help you and your family get through the next few weeks.
Thank you for reading.