“The greatest danger in times of turbulence is not the turbulence; it is to deal with yesterday’s logic”. This quote by Peter Drucker, the management guru, resonates truly during the current medical, social and political situation in the entire world. Never have we, a collective group of people, had more need to be resilient and calm than during an unprecedented worldwide lockdown.
Right now, even the best of us are riddled with anxiety, paranoia, a sense of impending doom and fear of the unknown. Many of us are bored, unable to focus at work, frustrated at having to stay home with limited supplies, and are picking fights with our family members for the smallest of inconveniences. We need to change our old ways and find creative methods to deal with recent stresses.
These times need us to be resilient, to adapt well in the face of adversity, trauma, tragedy, threat and stress. It’s a process rather than an event that happens in a flash. We need resilience to move through hard times, manage chronic conditions, decrease negative thoughts, find meaning in life and improve the quality of our lives. We individually need to engage in task switching, where we focus away from our personal problems and start working on possible solutions while keeping calm. Remember, the whole world is in solidarity where we are all facing the same problems, our situation is not unique to ourselves anymore, and everyone is trying hard. However, the solutions that we can bring about can be unique to ourselves and our individual situation.
Our usual attempts at staying mentally and physically fit are thwarted by this unforeseen global calamity. We have no option but to sit tight and wait for the situation to improve. Now, when we feel that we have limited control over our lives, simple pro-health activities can add to our resilience. These might involve eating healthy, following a set sleeping cycle, getting some simple guided physical exercise, regular brief meditation, and engaging in meaningful hobbies.
Along with staying physically healthy and mentally alert, we need to be aware of our situation at an individual, familial, social, national and global level. Our focus needs to change depending on our current state of personal and emotional strength. There may be times where we need to entirely focus on our own selves, turn the news off, and engage in self-care. Other times, we may feel stronger and wish to take responsibility for our families or society. Either case, we must allow ourselves what we need and maintain our personal resilience reserves while helping others.
If we are aware of our own situation and needs, we can then take positive actions that will prove healthy in the long run. Hope is a big factor that helps us stay resilient, have our eye on the goal and take things in a good stride. Another important factor is flexibility and adaptability. If we can be flexible, and give space and respect to our loved ones, the lockdown will be easier for the entire family.
Another important focus during the lockdown, along with staying healthy, is to continue to have a growth mindset. It can get difficult to focus on growth among all the information, changed physical situations, quarantine, household chores and anxiety, but if we focus on keeping our skills updated and using the time well, we can stay on top of our work once we are able to resume our regular lives.
So, in order to maintain resilience, we need to focus on:
- Task switching
- Pro-health activities
- Self-awareness
- Awareness of the situation
- Positive actions
- Hope
- Flexibility
- Growth mindset.
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