Resilience is your ability to deal with
adversity. It reflects strength and flexibility.
When major changes occur, being resilient
helps make the most of it. The pandemic
impacts us differently. What helps to
maintain your resilience?
Look after your body
Sleep, exercise, and good nutrition help your
body. Get outdoors and move if you can.
Avoid mood-changing drugs and too much
alcohol.
Face the issues
Address problems don’t ignore them. Resist
reacting to every news report. The first aim
of media is to keep you engaged, and we can
be easily swayed by this. Follow medical,
government, and workplace guidelines, not
gossip and innuendo.
Interact with support – family, friends, colleagues
Talking helps. Seek positive social support
that encourages and provides feedback with
people who will be honest with you. Set
boundaries with those who will not. When
social distancing limits these conversations,
use technology to stay in touch.
We are all in this together. Don’t be a victim
of self-focus. Identify how you can contribute
and do so. Acknowledge the help of others –
it reduces stress.
Aim to keep other changes small
Mostly just focus on urgent issues. Make
major life decisions only when you are at
your best. Stabilize your work and home
environments as much as is possible.
Learn from your past
What has worked in the past? Confidence is a
valuable ally in combating stress, and it
builds on memories of past successes.
Review successes you’ve had with other
stressful life situations. Recall some of the
specific things you did to cope and do them.
Rest
Stress is exhausting. At least once a day, take
time to unwind by relaxing: listen to soothing
music, take a walk, garden, read or exercise.
If you can, use relaxation techniques like
deep breathing or meditation.
The mind makes things seem worse than
they are by creating versions of impending
disaster. Because the body can’t tell the
difference between fact and fantasy, it
responds with heightened physical response.
You can calm both your mind and your body
by keeping your mind in the present, which is
seldom as stressful as an imagined future or
regrettable past.
Control what you can
Focus on what you can control. Maintain a
regular schedule of familiar activities. Engage
in concrete, easily achievable tasks. Action is
a powerful stress-reducer: your body lowers
its level of epinephrine, a powerful stress
hormone, when you shift into action. Let go
of what you can’t change.
Your Longevity Plan
Start or revisit your Longevity Plan to prepare
for the future. It’s a calming and positive
resource.
