While we can measure our body temperatures and financial health in degrees and numbers, we have no real way to measure our mental wellbeing.
Thermometers have replaced metal detectors as a safety check, screening our body temperature wherever we go, a constant measure of fighting with the invisible virus.
Covid 19 has united the world to fight against an invisible enemy. The invisible enemy is clearly a threat to our physical self and economic security but will have a long-lasting impact on our mental wellbeing. While we can measure our body temperatures and financial health in degrees and numbers, we have no real way to measure our mental wellbeing. We hope the virus cycle will break in a few months and everyone can get back to rebuilding the economy, but the anxiety it leaves behind in our minds will last for a long time.
The new ‘normal’ will bring in two paradoxical situations: A. Job insecurity, lack of market opportunities, low or no salary raise, strained family relationships are just few things that will fuel individual anxiety and a cycle of negativity. B. Organisations will race forward with new survival strategies to cover for the lockdown period. To do this, they will need a workforce more motivated and committed than ever.
How do we enable our talent force to stay positive and motivated, reducing their anxiety levelsa? Let’s start by understanding our own Anxiety Pins. What triggers our anxiousness?
Below are 10 statements, rank the top 5 that you can relate to the most:
A. I start feeling restless and angry when someone from my team does not pick the phone or shows offline during work hours.
B. I have a feeling my team is not understanding the gravity of this lockdown and is very relaxed and casual in their approach.
C. I feel this lockdown has worked against my team’s position within the organisation. Now we will not be as critical as before as new projects/growth will halt.
D. I feel I can be easily replaced by my next in line.
E. I keep thinking about my financials and recalculating my savings. I regret that I didn’t save enough.
F. I feel this Covid 19 crisis is out of control and nothing can fix it now. I am stuck.
G. I don’t think my team members will stay for long considering no hike this year. I will be in deep trouble once they leave.
H. I don’t think I can get a job in the market anymore. My kind of roles are obsolete now.
I. I have a feeling my company is making mistakes in managing this crisis and we will be in deeper trouble after this gets over.
J. I feel my spouse is not able to understand my workload and has started being more demanding in this situation.
I tried the above exercise with my corporate friends. Most of them struggled to pick just 5 and felt they connected with atleast 7-8 of the statements. What about you?
While processing our feelings and thoughts during this exercise, we reflected on our anxiety pins, including those which are not part of this list. What do we do next? How do we let go of these obvious negative loops of thoughts? For that, stay tuned for my next article.
