Never has there been a better time than now during this coronavirus pandemic to address the adverse effects of loss, which are grief, trauma, and stress and to offer some ways to address the many emotions that accompany loss.
Even before the coronavirus pandemic, we were working in an environment that was constantly changing – at a tremendously fast pace! However, the COVID-19 virus changed just about every area of our personal and work lives in a very short time. We are all adjusting to the demands of learning how to work from home effectively, purchasing groceries, waiting for the closed businesses that we relied on to reopen (hopefully), to suddenly carrying the responsibility to teach our children, and many other changes. We are all adjusting to our new normal.
When suddenly faced with change that comes so quickly, with little or no control over that change, we can feel lost, angry, inadequate, frightened, and any number of emotions. There are so many decisions we need to make, so much information that we need to quickly absorb, understand, and act upon that it can be overwhelming!
Here are some thoughts for addressing your grief to reduce your stress.
We all have different stress/loss thresholds. How you react to the events happening to you depends on a wide variety of factors. Different stressors affect each of us differently. Whatever your feelings and emotions are, they are OK, and there is no need to change them or deny them. Try not to compare yourself and your reactions to others. Your day-to-day experiences may be very different from other people, even if that difference is not easily discerned.
Losses. During this coronavirus pandemic, the losses can be tremendous. Grief is a normal reaction to loss. For some of us, it is the loss of loved ones, friends, a co-worker, or someone you hear about through social media. For others, the loss is financial. The fear resulting from job loss, the inability to pay your bills often results in grief. For others, it may be a loss of control. Whatever loss you are experiencing, focus on the belief that you will get through this difficult time.
For all of us, remember to take care of yourself and your family during these very stressful times. That should be our highest priority and is what’s most important, now and in the future.
Is Your Workplace Prepared?
With trauma, it is not a question of whether or not it will hit your company; it is a question of when. My advice as a business coach is to be prepared for when. My newly published workbook entitled “Workplace Trauma Solutions – A Workbook for Managers” guides you step-by-step so that you and your staff are ready to deal with trauma, grief, and loss. Read more at https://www.griefcoaching.com/workplace-trauma-solutions-workbook/