Our feelings are as unique as our sector, but during a crisis, feelings are more widely shared, even predictable. They include such a wide range of emotions, it's easy to feel overwhelmed. Acknowledging them without discomfort is a good start to taking care of yourself and those around you. Please remember that you are not alone. Like so many others, you may be experiencing the five common reactions that follow:

 

Grief

So often, we fail to examine this obvious, overriding emotion and wonder why we are experiencing a drop in attention and energy. Mourning is an active, even healthy process that allows us to move ahead in time. But right now, the losses can feel overwhelming and impact a wide range of concrete plans that will not be realized. The pandemic represents a death, a hard stop to much of what brought comfort and predictability. You may be mourning multiple losses, including furloughing good employees, reducing services, and delaying retirement due to personal financial losses.

 

Exhaustion and stress

I have not talked to anyone who felt they were working at their best. The sheer volume of tasks and decisions takes its toll, especially for those who are physically isolated from trusted colleagues. Troubled sleep and other physical manifestations can result in chronic health issues, including mental health challenges. Prolonged stress can lead to burnout and unhealthy behaviors such as overeating or the misuse of alcohol. The longer the pandemic keeps its hold over us, the more important it is to practice the basics of good health: sleep, exercise, appropriate foods, and relaxation breaks.

 

Loss of Confidence

It can be difficult for even the most seasoned leaders to make good decisions with so much up in the air. You may be moving at an unusually slow pace, reluctant to make choices for fear you will make the wrong one. Feeling tentative about decisions is a normal reaction to so much change. It may help to remind yourself that you cannot possibly review the entire universe of data, so determine what criteria will allow you to take a leap of faith. If you recall your decision-making history and successes, it should be calming as you face new ones. Fear is often expressed as paralysis, and life is moving too quickly to tolerate that for long.

 

A feeling of being out of control usually accompanies a drop in confidence. In many ways, we can only control how we respond to problems and try to influence what we can. You've done well in the past -- trust that you have what it takes now.

 

Technology Overload

The various video conference platforms provide some personal connection, but the technology itself often interferes with the content. Colleagues routinely comment on the reduced quality of information sharing as well as the resulting tiredness from having to focus so much. The frequent delays and gaps can leave participants feeling a bit off center and human services professionals particularly depend on nonverbal cues to assess both client and organizational needs. People are harder to read on a screen and this can easily lead to misunderstanding and faulty assumptions. We typically react to the energy in the room, and virtual meetings can feel flat. Don't underestimate how the technology is affecting you.