Three Strategies To Support Your Wellbeing In Lockdown
Back in May, a friend shared the New York Times article, Feeling Blah During the Pandemic? It's Called Languishing. At the time it didn’t really resonate, but a few months months later, as we enter a second month of lockdown, it’s making a lot more sense.
Are you having trouble concentrating? Struggling to stay motivated? Lacking your usual joie de vivre? That’s languishing. While not as severe as depression, it’s far from ideal and can have a very real impact on the quality of your life, work and relationships.
So as we continue on this path together, what strategies can you use to help restore your sense of wellbeing? We reached out to practitioners Leonie Cutts, Cathy Duvel and Robyn Katz and asked them to share their top tips.
Talk about how you are feeling
Facilitator, Coach & Creator Leonie Cutts, recommends finding people you can talk to on a regular basis. “I’m not talking about polite chit chat, I mean people you can have a real conversation with, and share how you are feeling, warts and all!” says Leonie.
It’s age old advice and the latest neuroscience shows that verbalising how we feel actually changes our brains response. The more we talk about how we're feeling, the better we really feel.
“A safe space to share is probably the most important thing you can offer your employees right now,” explains Leonie. “It’s not something we are used to doing at work which is where our CCS Cards can help. The cards give people a different way to communicate that is less confronting and leads to a deeper conversation.”
2. Practice gratitude and appreciation
Leadership Consultant & Thinking Environment Specialist Catherine Duvel, recommends building appreciation into every day.
“Research shows our wellbeing and life satisfaction is strengthened when we cultivate the ability to notice and focus on what we appreciate and value daily,” explains Cathy. “We are hardwired to notice problems and threats - we need to for our survival - but it can lead to anxiety, stress and even depression if we don’t make a conscious effort to also notice, and name, the positives.”
When we express gratitude and receive the same, our brain releases dopamine and serotonin, which makes us feel good. Similarly, receiving praise activates the same reward system in the brain as receiving cash! So if you are looking for a way to both reward and motivate your employees, while improving your own sense of wellbeing, finding ways to express your appreciation for them could be your most effective strategy.
Working with teams and individuals over the years however, Cathy noticed people are not often comfortable with or skilled at giving appreciation. She developed ValueYou™ Appreciation Cards to help individuals and leaders cultivate this practice - click here to find out more.
3. Help others
Community Builder and Leadership Educator Robyn Katz, recommends finding ways to be of service to others.
“While we are all in this together, our circumstances are different and far more difficult for some than others,” she says. “Being in a position of relative privilege, I have found myself longing to give.”
This strategy makes a lot of sense as recent studies suggest if you feel you have a purpose, you’re more likely to feel both physically and mentally well. A global health crisis can make our day job seem insignificant but we will always find meaning in helping others. And focusing on what others need, also helps take our minds off our own worries.
“It doesn’t have to be a huge gesture or large expense,” explains Robyn. “Small acts of kindness, offering to pick up some shopping for an elderly neighbour or popping a homemade gift in a friend’s letterbox, brighten our day, as well as the recipients, and connect us to our community.”
As an act of service, Robyn is offering a free drop-in space for women to gather heart-to-heart online to be in community, supporting each other during this time. To be invited, click here.
Shift Practitioners offers a range of online learning opportunities to support your wellbeing, connect with others, and grow your capacity to lead through uncertainty with confidence and compassion. Sign up to our monthly newsletter to receive the latest insights and invitations to events.