Three challenges in times of COVID-19

With COVID-19 currently circulating the globe and disrupting life as we know it, a great deal of our certainty has dissipated. The pandemic is forcing most of us to stay home, reckon with uncertainty, and face the disruption of our daily routines. We’re finding ourselves more stressed, anxious, and nervous about our future than ever before.

Let’s explore three challenges that I found the hardest to deal with and how you can cope:

1. Work uncertainty. Some of us are still going to the office, some are working from home and some others have been laid off. We may be focussed on the worst-case scenario: what if I lose what I have? What comes next? This creates stress that damages our immune system. We need to destress and we can do so by envisioning a future that is bright and clear. It doesn’t matter how bad things are now, we need to assure ourselves that this will pass and our lives will resume. We need to put stock in our dreams, we need to be resilient and we need to focus on the good possible outcomes. Let’s keep ourselves informed, but stay away from negative news that feeds into our fear. Let’s put our focus squarely back on ourselves. Let’s schedule a video call with our business partners, take online courses, or update our LinkedIn profiles. Let’s take actions that improve our skills and our businesses, and, of course, let’s make sure the people we care about know they are not alone in this.
2. Kids at home. Our kids are not going back to school any time soon and fortunately many schools have already implemented e-learning. Moving classes online is allowing our kids to keep up with their scholastic curricula and maintain their relationships with teachers and schoolmates. We can support our kids at home too, by working with them as a family-team with a common purpose. Let’s all sit around the kitchen table and plan how to become the best family we can be. Let’s help our kids figure out their roles in this crisis and define their strategies to cope with the disruption. The whole household will benefit.
3. Disruption of routines. Complying with social distancing doesn’t mean we should abandon our routines entirely, in fact, we need them now more than ever. We need to re-adjust our good habits with our new realities. Physical exercise is one example. We need to keep two meters away from each other so jogging, walking, and even just taking in some spring sunshine are all still doable even if they are more challenging. Let’s keep in mind the two-meter physical distance and not forget to use the protective measures we’ve been recommended. However, there are also many apps and a handful of great live exercises and therapies available on different platforms. If you can’t get outside, you can use one of these resources, which target different audiences based on their physical needs and preferences, that will keep us in good shape while indoors.

Let’s keep our selves calm and purposeful during this time. Let’s invest this unexpected time in activities that feed our souls and help us connect with the people we care for. We can play with our children, help them with their homework, cook, bake, read books, or even explore meditation.  Let’s embrace these challenges and build our resilience so these days will be productive and full of positive energy.