Manage Yourself in Crisis and Be Effective
We never thought of the kind of crisis which COVID — 19 has created globally. The whole country kept in lockdown and we are experiencing a world that is quite different than we used to. Most of the people are working from home — a concept which many people thought hard to put into action. The crisis leads us to do things that were unthinkable in some cases just a few days ago. Team members working remotely — collaborating through Skype, Zoom, and messaging platforms like WhatsApp and Viber.
Contributing effectively to the team in this crisis has become even more significant to achieve business results. And to do that, keeping your mental and physical fitness in shape is very important. The following things you can do to be in your best self in this situation
Stress Management:
We all feel stress more or less. And to feel stress in these trying times is normal. But to work effectively we must find a way to come out of it. We may feel overwhelmed about the fact that regarding the Coronavirus crisis nothing is in our control and get stressed thinking uncertain future.
Think different! Since we can’t control what’s happening in the world due to the Coronavirus pandemic, let’s focus on what we can control in our lives. First and foremost we have full control over our thinking. Our thinking has a tremendous impact on the way we feel. So if you could see the good side in a crisis, you will be able to reduce stress levels.
Rather than reaching out to your phone, scrolling Facebook, and reading updated news about the crisis in the morning, you can start your day with breathing exercises. Try this
Take a long deep breath and then exhale longer than you inhale for 10 minutes. During this time think about the things you are grateful for in your life. This could be the people in your life, your job, and even health. While thinking, try to feel it. Whenever you feel stressed out or anxious, repeat it.
Positivity:
Positivity is contagious! Instead of infecting everybody around you with negative news about the crisis, choose to spread positive news, inspire people, and help people in need around you. Whenever you are communicating with team member pick positive words and information more to boost team morale. If you choose to spread positivity around you, your life will be filled with more of it in return.
Learning New Things:
Focus on learning something new every day. It could be picking up new skills, gaining knowledge in your line of work. Learning brings us new information and knowledge that can be useful for solving present problems and makes us better equipped to face future crises. Learning also helps us to feel that we are continuously growing and developing thereby becoming more competent. This strengthens us psychologically and enables us to build resilience in crisis.
Communicate Effectively:
In today’s open office culture, communication with each other is easy. But working remotely makes communication with the team a bit difficult. Though we are communicating mostly digitally during this critical time, do not be robotic instead be interactive and lively. Do video conferencing with family, friends, and colleagues often. Whenever you are facing any difficulty with work ask the relevant person and also reply to people who need your help. During this crisis, it is very important to choose the right word while communicating with the team. Select word that is easy to understand and boost morale within the team.
Connection:
Social distancing is the new norm now. This digital age creates an opportunity to connect with people even when we are at home. Use this properly. Reconnect with people with whom you lost connection because of your busy schedule. Keep regular contact with family members who do not live with you and with friends. Love your family! Love people! Remember our time is limited in this world and during this short time, the best thing we could do is spreading love to people around us.
Abdul Mukaddes is a Customer Service and Marketing Expert and Trainer having more than 10 years of working experience in corporate, tech and startup companies. I would like to hear from you about how you think about this article. Let’s discuss! You can also reach me in abdulmukaddes@gmail.com