Who knew working from home could be so challenging!? How could something so simple – stay home, stay safe, get your work done – be so hard?
I’m guessing you may have experienced some challenges over the past two weeks. Maybe you can relate to some of the following:
· On your way to settle into getting some work done, a brief comment to your partner turns into a 15-minute conversation.
· A quick glance of the news in the morning paper, or worse, on the TV or your phone, turns into 15-minutes (or more!) of following yet another story or angle to COVID-19.
· If you are a parent, your focus time is very limited, between fixing meals, cleaning up meals, getting the kids going on an activity, keeping them going on the activity, getting them outside somehow, fixing a snack because they are hungry again, etc.
· Working, collaborating and connecting with coworkers has become a challenge in itself as VPN networks, teleconferencing networks and even phone networks are becoming overloaded.
· There are far more ways to putter, tidy up, put away, clean, organize then you ever imagined before.
· It can be really hard to stay focused when you see other people out for a walk, a run or a bike ride.
Yikes! And we are only two weeks into this crisis, and we will likely be here for a while. As a CPA, this is all happening during the busiest time of the year when you really need to be at your most productive.
So, what can you do?
Focus on Your Mental Wellbeing
By now you have likely heard lots of practical tips on how to manage your time at home. Things like:
1. Start your day like your regular workday and establish a new routine that works for you.
2. Schedule breaks.
3. Have a specific workspace.
4. During breaks, use physical activity and movement as a healthy way to occupy your kids and spend time together.
5. End the workday at a clear time. Etc.
This is all good stuff and these suggestions will definitely help.
But what I don’t hear being talked about enough is the stress of being cooped up day after day with the same people. Even the people we love most can get on our nerves and they often know best how to push our buttons!
And many people have the reverse problem. If you live alone, you now have very limited human connections. We are social beings and prolonged isolation can be damaging to our mental health if we don’t find alternative ways to connect.
Added onto to this, the current COVID-19 context and constraints have added stressor upon stressor upon stressor to our lives. Particularly for those like CPAs who happen to need to work harder than ever at this time of year. And it is here, amidst stress on top of stress, that self-care and mental hygiene become critical.
The risk is that, if we don’t take care of our mental wellbeing, we can start to unravel in unhealthy ways. We may not even see it at first. Little things like a decreased patience with others. Or an inability to stay focused or think clearly. Your sleep and your mood may be affected. the pandemic has definitely brought out the best of many people, my concern is that many others will struggle through this time.
We may see interpersonal conflict arise, or existing issues amplified, as we spend far more time together with our families or housemates than we are used to. Stretching and straining our relationships to their limits.
Or in the privacy of our own homes, we may reach too often to unhealthy coping strategies, be they alcohol, drugs, overindulgence in food, internet, TV, etc. While they seem like they provide temporary respite, they are largely a numbing out strategy. They certainly don’t help reduce our stress or improve our resilience, and they typically end up adding to our problems.
These are significant and consequential challenges we need to face.
Here’s What You Can Do
So, with that in mind, here are few additional suggestions to help you manage your mental wellbeing during these challenging times (which will pay big dividends not just in terms of productivity, but also in your relationships and peace of mind as well):
1. Accept That This Will Be Different. Recognize that we are fighting a global pandemic and everything is different. Acceptance is simply coming to terms with reality. Accept that we may not be as productive as usual, and that we are all doing our best. Practice self-compassion that you are doing your best.
2. Focus on What’s in Your Control. So much these days is not in our control. One of the most powerful things you can do is claw back control where you can and on the simple things that matter most. Sleep is one of the best things you can give both your physical immune system and your mental immune system. Take charge of your bedtime routine and the time you go to bed. Make sure that you get enough exercise. Be mindful of what you eat and what you don’t eat. Be choosey about what you read and how much news you consume. This is where mindfulness and being intentional really come in. Otherwise we are all at risk of sliding into unhealthy patterns and behaviours.
3. Take Care of Yourself. All of us will be feeling stress in one form or another and it isn’t something to ignore. This is why self-care becomes so important (versus numbing). There is so much I could add here, but let’s start with meditation. When has there been a time where having a few minutes to step out of the fray, pause, breathe and calm your nervous system was more important? Then I would add gratitude. When has there been a time where noticing and appreciating the blessings all around you was more important than now?
Meditation and gratitude aren’t whimsical notions. These are two of the top, science-proven, time-tested practices that help humans get through challenging times. And you will most likely need something to help you too.
Conclusion
There is a purportedly Chinese saying, “May you live in interesting times”. Ironically, it is considered a curse because ‘uninteresting’ times offer more peace and tranquility. Yet, here we find ourselves amidst a global pandemic and the repercussions are unlike anything any of us has ever experienced.
To be our best (calm, clear, connected, focused, and positive) and allow ourselves to make the most of our workdays and our lives, we need to be very intentional about our choices and where we put our focus.
We can do this by accepting our circumstances (rather than trying to fight things we have no control over) and making the best of it. Then we can shift our focus to what’s in our control. And we need to make our self-care and our mental wellbeing one of our highest priorities every day (knowing that not doing so puts ourselves and others at risk).
Thank you for reading this post. Please share your thoughts and comments, as we all learn from each other.
I train amazing people like you on how to delete the overwhelm, discern what matters most, and drive their future. If you want to level up your resilience to better manage through tough times, please email me at scott@mindfulwisdom.ca. I would love to learn more about your world and to explore what you are looking for in a “physically distant but socially connected” phone conversation. Stay safe, stay healthy and stay positive.