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Handling Fear and Stress During a Prolonged Crisis
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WELL-BEING

Handling Fear and Stress During a Prolonged Crisis

By Shawn Healy

COVID-19 stress has affected all of us in ways we never expected. The ups and downs of working remotely, school closing and opening protocols, vaccine requirements and endless Covid variants, resignations and increasing workloads, the pressure of the financial roller coaster. As time passes, new stressors rise up to replace the old.

How Are We Supposed to Cope With So Much Rapid Change in Our Lives?

Begin with an acknowledgment that it feels very unsettling to be reminded how little direct control we have over our lives — particularly over the elements of our lives that are most important to us. It is completely normal to struggle with this. In fact, I’d be concerned if you were not struggling at all with our current situation.

While unforeseen crises in our lives are stressful, however, they can also be opportunities. Now don’t get me wrong. I’m not trying to convince you to put on rose-colored glasses and pretend all is well. I am suggesting that it can be helpful to remind yourself that the coronavirus crisis is affecting all of us.

You are not alone. We are all in this together. We are all figuring this out together as we go. The stressors you are handling are the same stressors your friends, colleagues and neighbors are trying to handle. Simply reminding yourself of this can be comforting.

So, What’s the Best Approach to Handling the COVID-19 Stress We’re All Feeling?

First, to deal with the control issue, distinguish between what is within your direct control and what is not. Then direct your time and energy at the former.

Start with a personal check-in. How are you doing with this “new normal”? What are you feeling? What aspects of this change are the most challenging for you? What potential benefits do you see from spending more time at home, working remotely, having more time on your hands, having your children home from school?

Then, based on what you need, consider trying a few of these suggestions.

Stick to Routines and Reinforce Habits

Working remotely or staying at home for extended periods can be disorienting because it disrupts routines and habits. Routines and daily habits not only keep us centered, but they also save time because we have to make fewer decisions. I don’t need to decide what I’m going to do if I have already committed to something as part of my routine. The absence of that routine now forces me to spend time and energy making more decisions. To reduce this demand on your time and energy, form new routines in your current situation. Give yourself a schedule to follow at home just as if you were going into the office.

Don’t Neglect the Basics

Prioritize healthy sleep routines, diet, exercise, breaks throughout the day, and healthy boundaries with yourself and others. Social supports are crucial, so keep up your social interactions, too.

Seek Out Social Connections

If you are used to interacting with people effortlessly as part of your typical routine, you may not have had to consciously seek out social interactions in the past. If you are more extroverted, you might have been energized by these interactions and not even realized it. We often do not realize how important those regular social contacts are until they are gone. Even though it might feel clumsy to initiate those contacts now that your routine has changed, take the chance that your co-workers or colleagues also miss socializing and would appreciate you reaching out.

Consider Technology Your Friend

It’s no surprise that many organizations have suddenly started using videoconferencing programs and cloud-based project management systems to connect across disparate work locations. In addition to using more technology to complete work and enable client contact, explore how technology can offer a temporary replacement for the social connections you are suddenly missing due to the disruptions in your routines.

Help Others

In situations where we feel significant stress, it is common to feel disempowered. One way to feel more confident in the face of uncertainty is to find ways of helping others. Especially if you are losing work hours or unemployed, identifying ways to help those around you can be very healthy for your self-esteem and overall mental health.

Drink More Water

It may sound a bit silly, but we all need to drink more water. A common way to pass the time is to snack when you feel bored … or when you’re hungry … or when you want a break or … whenever. Drinking more water can help us stay hydrated, allow us to better distinguish our hunger from our thirst, and give us something to do when we are bored instead of snacking on carbs that we will later regret.

Get Outside

Again, it might seem silly to put this on the list, but there is a significant benefit to going outside every day, breathing fresh air (even if it is cold and rainy), and looking at a tree for even just one minute. Seriously, research shows that looking at a tree for 60 seconds has a positive impact on your well-being.

Use Downtime to Accomplish a Neglected Household To-do List

I know I am not alone in having a long “I intend to get to this someday” list of tasks that I have long neglected, usually because I feel too busy with other pressing matters. If you aren’t able to use your time as productively as you would like (whether due to a lack of work, distractions at home or a wandering mind), give yourself permission to try accomplishing one of the tasks on said list.

Resurrect Old Hobbies and Explore New Ones

Instead of filling your time with activities that have little to no reward, try reconnecting with hobbies that you once enjoyed. If they brought you enjoyment when you were younger, they might once again. Also, explore new hobbies, given your current situation. Hobbies that involve creating something or cultivating a new ability provide a lasting reward that reminds us that our time and energy can produce something tangible and long term.

Change for the Good: Take Advantage of What You Learn

One benefit of a drastic change to our routines is the opportunity to re-evaluate them. It’s easy for people and organizations to get into the “this is just how we do things” rut. Now that so many things have turned on their head, brainstorm about making changes that would be helpful not only in the present moment but in the future. This could be far-reaching — for example, allowing more flexible work options permanently, or moving your practice to the cloud.

Or, the changes might focus on your personal productivity and happiness. For example, right now I am experimenting with playing some upbeat instrumental music while writing this article. Normally I would be concerned about how music might affect my co-workers. Since they aren’t physically in the same workspace, I feel freer to experiment with what might be helpful to accomplish tasks.

Remember: We are all in this together. Even though the future is uncertain, we are going to figure it out together.

Be well.

Photo by Matthew Henry on Unsplash

Reclaiming Your Time, Setting Priorities

The Lawyer, the Lion, and the Laundry Book CoverFind Your Calm in the Chaos

In her book, “The Lawyer, the Lion, and the Laundry: Three Hours to Finding Your Calm in the Chaos,” lawyer and certified health coach Jamie Spannhake shares a better way to enjoy the life you truly want. Join her for an enlightening journey to learn how to CHOOSE, ACT and THINK in ways that will clarify your desires so you can reclaim your time and enjoy your life.

Order in the Attorney at Work bookstore, here.  

Categories: Attorney Work-Life Balance, COVID-19, Lawyer Health, Lawyer Stress, Well-Being, Work from Home
Originally published March 23, 2020
Last updated December 20, 2021
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Shawn Healy Shawn Healy

Shawn Healy is a licensed clinical psychologist with Massachusetts Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers, Inc. (LCL). He runs stress management groups for law firms and provides training sessions on time and stress management to bar associations, solo attorneys and law firms. A frequent writer on the topics of conflict resolution, anxiety management, resilience and work-life balance, he is a contributor to the LCL blog and tweets for @LCL_MassLawyers.

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