This pandemic has had a profound effect on our mental health. Here are a few insights from the last few months where our psychologists have worked with various leaders and teams to build positivity and resilience. There are also a few pieces of advice that can prove invaluable for leaders who need to lead remotely.
- Sense of time
Working from home can make us feel life has slowed down, think we are not achieving everything we were meant to. On the other hand, it can also feel like life is passing by so fast, with days blurring into weeks, into months.
Pro tip: Recognise the progress your team has made, and share it with each team member. You can include it in your Zoom meetings. The idea is to make every person feel valued, while also keeping track of progress.
2. Downtime
When we feel we have not achieved something, we tend to push ourselves. But it is important to take time off. Blurring the line between home and office has obliterated downtime.
Pro tip: While some of us have the luxury of taking a holiday as the situation improves, many people can’t. Have a little patience with your colleagues, customers, partners, and others, who maybe struggling.
3. Processing emotions
Isolation and lack of face-to-face interaction has meant we have not been able to process our thoughts and emotions. Give your team members the resources they need – like therapy – which will enable them to find a creative outlet.
Pro tip: We at Inspiron offer art-, music-, play-, dance-, movement- and animal-assisted therapy to process emotions and build positivity.
Process your emotions and take time off to do what you love. When you get back to work, it will help you focus on what builds expertise. Let’s work not just on physical health, but our mental well-being as well.
