As we continue to deal with the COVID-19 outbreak we are working 24/7 to take care of our students’ food, learning, and emotional needs. We have also been attending to our staff; helping them cope without students, addressing their loss of personal connection with colleagues, and mitigating their worry about the unknown. Digital connections help, but they lack that intangible human interaction which we all need in our lives. Although as leaders we are working hard to address these issues in many cases we are forgetting one key element, which is fundamental to getting through this crisis.
The one key element, which we often forget in situations like we are facing, is how can you take care of yourself? Are you getting exercise, taking mental breaks, finding ways to connect with others? It likely looks different for each of us, but we well know, if we don’t take care of ourselves we can’t help others. Right now “others” are counting on us, thus PART OF OUR JOB IS TO TAKE CARE OF OURSELVES.
Here are few ways to make that happen.
Take Breaks – Force yourself to get up from your computer and talk to a family member about a non-work topic, or get a healthy snack, or listen to a podcast, or fix the sink, or pet the dog. Clearly how we take breaks is highly individualized based upon our interests, desires, and what fits our unique needs. The bottom line is taking a break gives us time to rest, reflect, and ultimately reduces fatigue.
Get Outside – I must admit that I live in Arizona and it is beautiful right now, but even if you are in Minnesota (where I used to live) you can still get out, hopefully enjoy some sunlight, and do something outdoors. I believe there is something refreshing and renewing about getting outside and thus it is an important part of how we can take care of ourselves.
Unplug – During this period when we are tethered to our phones, computers, and other devices we need to build in time to unplug. Checking emails, reading texts, searching social media sites for information can become addictive, thus a vital part of taking care of ourselves requires disconnecting from the world for a bit.
Clearly there are many ways to take care of ourselves which we hear about often such as getting exercise, eating right, or meditation and prayer. In this post I wanted to specifically address items which you can do during the course of your workday, and will have an immediate impact on your resilience and mood.
My hope is that some of you will share ways you are taking care of yourself in the comments section below. As always, we all gain when we share thoughts, ideas, and wisdom with each other. My hope is that each of you are staying safe and please don’t forget to take care of yourself!
Howard-Thanks for this important reminder, at a time when we are even more prone to forget to take time to take care of ourselves. It is tough to lose many things that we take for granted. For example, I miss my 30 minute daily trip to the YMCA which is, of course, closed. I take those 30 mins to walk, and do old fashioned exercises like pushups and situps, without gym equipment, in my backyard.
Manny,
It is difficult that we are not only dealing with the stress of trying to address this situation, but also we have had to break routines, like working out. I think you provide a great example of not giving up, but rather finding a different way to address the routine.
Please stay safe as we progress through this situation!
Howard