KEEPING THE CONNECTION
DURING COVID-19
An 8-10 minute read…
As we move into a new era of uncertainty, there’s no denying that we need to find a way to stay calm, centred and connected.
I’d be pressed to find a single person in my team who is not working and contributing above and beyond right now. It’s what’s needed, and I have to say that I am extremely proud of the way our team has pulled together, collaborated and helped each other create new ways of working and living.
Working remotely from home might seem like a dream at first, but there’s a real possibility that the isolation, lack of structure and endless distractions might get the better of us! To work and live (eat, sleep, play) effectively in the same place is an art. I’m sure all of us at some point in our careers have worked from home on an ad-hoc basis. But every day for weeks or months on end? Perhaps not.
CONNECTION:
Right now, we need to be socially more connected than ever (albeit remotely). We need to reach out to each other, check in on a personal level, ask each other how we’re doing, share how we’re feeling and lift one another as best we can.
I know that we have an enormous capacity to navigate the unknown and shift gears. I also know that we have an enormous capacity to dig deep and come together to support one another in times of need. Working remotely is going to mean showing up and looking for alternative ways of personal connection and collaboration to meet the challenges we are going to face: sharing a laugh, sharing a meme, sharing music, sharing a glass of wine, just to name a few.
MENTAL WELLBEING:
In these Covid-19 times, it’s so easy to operate from a place of fear and uncertainty. Fear is a natural human instinct. I suspect fears will (or perhaps has already started to) go beyond actually contracting the Covid-19 virus. We can’t see our friends or colleagues in the ways we are used to (personal and genuine energy exchange), we are watching on as our friends and strangers lose their jobs and livelihoods, and we watch as the global economic future is unknown. People are suffering. Our planet is suffering.
We’ve all heard the advice on social distancing and washing our hands. But what about the psychological disruption working from home has on all of us? Establishing psychological safety amongst our team and our loved ones is paramount.
We will all be wrestling with some level of fear right now, and perhaps a little ‘wobbliness’ and overwhelm. We’ll waver between “yeah I’m doing okay, we will all be okay” to “OMG, what the hell is going on right now; I’m totally freaking out”.
Some of you will be feeling extremely uncomfortable or anxious, others will be feeling alone, and some might be feeling indifferent, confident or optimistic. Whatever you’re feeling, it’s so important to acknowledge your feelings as they fluctuate day by day, week by week. We are human beings. We feel. And it’s ok to let others know how you’re feeling. It’s ok to tell your co-workers “I’m having a hard time,” or “I cried last night”.
Emotions need motion, so it’s really important that we acknowledge what we are going through, share how we feel, and feel safe to know that we won’t be judged (share your feelings and experiences with those who have earned your trust).
COLLECTIVE STRESS AND MAINTAINING SANITY:
I believe that what we are collectively experiencing right now is a heightened level of stress, grief and trauma. Whether we’ve realised this or not. We are living in an uncertain and unpredictable time right now. The world has changed. We know it is temporary, but it doesn’t feel that way. We know things are going to be different, but we don’t know how. So, all we can do is lean into the process and into our daily lives with some sort of normalcy, and as best we can.
My biggest tips for maintaining our sanity and a level of ‘normal’ in these uncertain times include:
Create a welcoming working space at home
Maintain your routines and rituals
Don’t use extra time to work
Don’t work from your bed
Maintain perspective
Drink lots of water
Move your body
Set boundaries
Ask for help
Stay calm
And….wash your hands! ☺
BOUNDARIES AND ROUTINES:
One thing I’d like to emphasise is “Don’t use extra time to work”. Over time, this will lead to increased stress levels, which can interfere with our balance between rational thinking and emotions. I’m definitely guilty of using extra time to work! When we work from home, we tend to work more. As we no longer have the commute, we tend to use the extra time to catch-up on our work and our Inbox.
But we need to stop this and create time boundaries for ourselves, and appreciate that our co-workers need to do the same.
Clock on and clock off
Don’t be afraid to tell your colleagues that you’re signing off for the day
Don’t be tempted to check one last email at 10pm – go to bed! Rest your mind and your body
And, use the extra time to do something else for yourself
What did you previously do in your commute to work? Chances are, you took that time to listen to music, read a book or walk or bike ride to work. Don’t stop that routine. Ride or walk around the block during your usual commute times. Sit on your balcony and read for 30 minutes before your work day starts and again as it ends. This is the transition period between ‘home’ and ‘work’. So, keep your routine ‘commute’ going, otherwise the lines between home and work will start to get blurred. Long term, it’s not healthy.
LOOK AFTER YOURSELF AND OTHERS:
We don’t know how long this pandemic is going to last and what additional restrictions are going to be placed upon us. Find ways to keep your mind, body and soul moving. Look after yourself and others for the long haul.
Walk to your local café and pick up a takeaway coffee
Take mini-breaks and stretch your muscles (especially your neck, shoulders and lower back)
If you have a laptop, find spaces in your home that you can move to throughout the day
Consider the ergonomics around your workspace (chair, keyboard, etc)
Meditate or practice mindfulness
Play or listen to music
Exercise, dance, move your body
Read a book or watch a movie
Stock up on compassion (not toilet paper!)
Let go of the things you can’t control
FaceTime your friends and loved ones
Have a virtual dinner party (support your local restaurant, get takeaway or home delivery, get comfy, then connect with your friends over Zoom or FaceTime.
Take a virtual tour of some of the world’s most beautiful national parks and museums – you don’t need to travel the world to experience the world (click here)
Be present and ground yourself. (Your mind might start going to the future and imagining the worst. To calm and ground yourself, check out Elizabeth Gilbert’s simple trick 5-4-3-2-1. Look at your current surroundings, then:
5 – Name 5 things that you can see
4 – name 4 things that you can hear
3 – name 3 things that you can feel
2 – name 2 things that you can smell
1 – name 1 thing that you can taste.
There. You’ve come into the present moment. Breathe and Smile).
Most importantly, keep things in perspective and find certainty amongst the chaos. The biggest thing that fuels us in times of fear and uncertainty is FAITH: knowing that we can handle whatever comes our way. We maintain this faith best, by connecting with others; so, don’t be tempted to withdraw or keep small during these challenging times. Humans are amazing when we are connected, especially when all hell breaks loose – we create an emotionally fit team, we create a collaborative inner strength and a group psychology of resilience. We learn together, adapt together and grow together.
Finally, the team at Headspace pulled together a free collection of resources to help us through the stress and anxiety of the current global crisis. To help us all lead with kindness and understanding through the uncertainty. https://www.headspace.com/covid-19. And if you want a quick stress-relief meditation that you can do right from your desktop, then click here.
I look forward to seeing you online, hearing how you’re feeling, and watching any funny videos and images you might share on our Facebook page.
I’ll leave you with this quote from Dave Hollis:
“In the rush to return to normal, use this time to consider which parts of normal are worth rushing back to”
Stay Safe. Stay Connected.
