WORKING FROM HOME COPING STRATEGIES DURING UNCERTAINTY

I.   Why do we need coping strategies?

• Inherent in the question is that we are dealing with stress
•  Usually when we deal with stress, there is a particular stress environment [work, home, community], but today’s pandemic has created unusual stress across all of these venues.

•  Stress is individualistic.
•  Ask yourself, “What is specifically stressing me today/during this time?”, etc.

II.   How do we begin dealing with the stress? Do we need to change?

       Ask yourself, “Is how I’m managing actually working well?” 

       [Change Readiness Scale: Rate yourself on a scale of 1 to 5 to determine if you are ready to make changes to challenge the stress]

A, B, C, D, E   Model

Aggravators

• How am I handling the stress? Am I choosing ineffective ways of dealing  with it?

    Examples: Negative behaviors in excess [eating, drinking, shopping,  irritability/anger]

• How am I interpreting this season of time? Self-talk [internal dialogue] – reduce the negativity and watch descriptor words.

Boundaries

• What do I say “yes” to? What do I say “no” to?
• Chronic stress demands daily recovery!
• Designate work area.
• Designate relaxation area.
• Designate a tech free time [meals].
• Boundaries on start/stop times if work is online.
• Individual personalities determine what you may need
• Hourly breaks [2-5 minutes per hour if working online; move to new location, stretch, quick walk, listen to music, etc.

[hourly breaks help in cognitive focusing]

• • Sanguine: “How do I incorporate fun into my life?”
  • Melancholy: “How do I incorporate silence and alone time?”
  • Choleric: “How do I feel as though I’ve accomplished something?”
  • Phlegmatic: “How do I slow the pace and make simple choices so as not to feel overwhelmed?”

[Managers and Employees: Understanding this concept could impact work productivity and efficiency!]

Control

We’ve discovered that much has been taken from us. How we used to “do” life.

• Uncertainty implies those variables for which we cannot decide, thereby making control minimized [“external locus of control”]
• Goal: Shift to what is certain

• What you can be certain of/gain mastery in

    Examples: 

• •     Eating
  •     Exercise [10-15 minute/ day to reduce cortisol levels]
  •     Sleep [7-8 hours; 1.5 wind down before bedtime; blue light]

Why are these “simple” behaviors important? Mastery and confidence in what we can do in a time of uncertainty [internal locus of control]

• Create a Top 10 List 

• •     Simple, positive behaviors that give you joy.
  •     Used from this point forward to build a resilience cushion [resilience   is a buffer for all stress]
  •     Creates confidence and mastery in your environment that comes from within [“internal locus of control”]. 

Decide on Daily Gratitude

• Implication on choice/volition/free will.
• Neuroplasticity: the ability to create new, neural connections in our brain by “rewiring” our thought process.
• Dr. Barbara Fredrickson [UNC Chapel Hill] – clinically proven ratio
  • >3 to 1
  • “1” is the pandemic and the way life has changed.
  • At least 3 things that are going well in a given day.
    • Start or end your day.
    • Byproduct of gratitude: “Broad and Build” – helps you see options.

Expectations

• Examine expectation of self and others.
• Often, expectations can come across as demands.
• Managers and Supervisors: How are you communicating work goals?
• Focus on the issue, not the person (self and others).
• Ask yourself, “Am I holding unrealistic expectations during this season of time?”