Stressed, Bored and/or Lonely?​ Shelter-in-Place Self-Care Remedies

In this unprecedented time of COVID-19 and shelter-in-place mandates, we are living through a landmark event that we will all remember for decades to come. In my conversations with clients and colleagues who are fortunate to be salaried and still employed, it seems that most business people are either highly stressed with the demands of the crisis or bored with not enough to do. And, many people are lonely because of the inability to get out and socialize during these times.

We are also finding a good amount of free time on our hands. Without the daily commute and the distractions of the office, we find several more hours a day to fill. It’s important to create a schedule or at least a checklist of daily activities that you can commit to. I’d like to provide some suggestions for self-care activities for you to consider during this uncertain time:

• Get outside once a day to exercise or just enjoy the beautiful spring weather. Walk your dog and make him/her very happy.
• Practice gratitude for every small blessing that comes your way. For example, on my morning walk with my dog, I notice each tree that has new buds on it and give thanks. Gratitude rewires your brain to be more positive.
• Set aside time every day to amp up your inner life through meditation, prayer, inspirational reading or mindfulness.
• Garden! They say that gardeners are eternal optimists because they plant something and expect it to grow. Feed your optimism by getting your hands into the dirt.
• Improve your mind! Read some of the business books you’ve been meaning to but didn’t have time. Some of the books I’m reading right now are:

      o The Hedgehog Effect: The Secrets of Building High Performance  Teams by Manfred Kets de Vries
      o Your Brain at Work by David Rock
      o No Ego by Cy Wakeman
      o Humble Inquiry by Edgar Schein

• Call and talk to at least one friend or colleague daily.
• Cook healthy meals for you and your family.
• Limit your diet of news to once or twice a day to limit your exposure to fear-provoking statistics.
• At the end of the day, review your day and note at least three highlights of the day. Share these “best parts of the day” with your family members.
• Get more sleep. Experts say adults need between 7 and 9 hours of sleep nightly. Too many of us still get by on far less sleep than we need. Enjoy sleeping longer during this time, as it’s also a great immune system booster.

Lastly, Brio Leadership is offering pro bono, laser coaching sessions to anyone who needs them. These laser coaching sessions are focused and short, no more than 30 minutes. The client comes to the coach with a specific problem, like how do I keep a brave face for my team when I'm falling apart inside during this crisis and we work on it immediately and with laser-like intensity. And, it's OK to cry in these sessions. 

Perhaps you'd like to try one out? If so, please reach out to me at
[email protected].