Navigating COVID-19 While Maintaining Workplace Performance

As we transition into a new normal amid the ongoing pandemic, we are grappling with both professional and personal adjustments. We reached out to a few thought leaders who are experts on guiding organizations through times of change, coping with uncertainty and maintaining performance, for their insights on guiding us through these uncertain times.

Here, we talk with Jonathan Alpert, who is a psychotherapist, executive coach and author living in New York City.  He is an expert in helping clients overcome a wide range of challenges who then go on to achieve success. His 2012 book BE FEARLESS: Change Your Life in 28 Days has been translated into six languages worldwide. Alpert continues to provide advice to the masses through his Inc.com and Thrive Global columns. He shared with us his thoughts on how to navigate COVID-19 while maintaining performance in the workplace.

For many, working and navigating life through COVID-19 has been mentally challenging. When it comes to work and stress management, how do you suggest people cope?

To best understand how to cope with the stress and anxiety related to COVID-19, it’s first important to look at fear and how it plays a role. Just as the actual virus can be highly contagious, so can the fear and anxiety that stems from it. In my book, Be Fearless: Change Your Life in 28 Days, I talk about the contagion effect of fear.  It’s our instinctual and primitive nature to spread fear. In fact, it can help us to survive. In the days of early humans, if danger lurked, one person would tell the next, and the next, and then the whole clan was notified.

It’s this instinctual response coupled with modern technology that can cause fear to go viral. With the push of a button, in a split second, the entire world is informed of this information. Given what’s going on, this can help people to stay safe, but it can also fuel anxiety and make people feel worse and ill-equipped to handle the crisis.  Here are a few suggestions for keeping your anxiety in check:

• Stick with a trusted source for your information. Have one local news outlet and a national/international outlet.  For example, your local news network that you regularly watch, and then another such as the CDC.
• Separate fact from fiction. Create two columns.  On one side list the things you know to be true and factual.  On the other side, list things that you can’t substantiate. Then, put an X through the second column, sticking only with facts. Know that the anxious mind attempts to create information to bring predictability to an unpredictable situation.  The problem with this is rarely does it actually provide accurate predictability, just panic. 
• Limit your exposure to social media. Social media has, in part, become a place for people to vent, project fear, spread rumors and misinformation, etc.
• Check the news less. It’s overkill to want to know every minute or even every hour the latest news. Limit the frequency of your updates and notifications.  Instead, allow yourself to check the latest news at certain points during your day.
• Give yourself a break. Rest assured, feeling anxious and concerned is very normal right now.  Such a reaction is an indicator that you are a healthy-minded person facing new circumstances.  But thinking the end of the world is near is not healthy or normal. 
• Make peace with uncertainty. When else in your life have you faced a crisis and weren’t exactly sure what would happen? How did you fare? Know that you’ve faced uncertainty and anxiety in the past and survived. 
• Think ahead. What steps would you actually take if you felt sick or tested positive?  Play this through and have a plan in place, just in case. By playing this out in your mind you’ll feel better equipped to handle a potential illness.

What is the best way to work from home to ensure good performance?

• Set yourself up for success the night before. Plan your day ahead, cut off technology an hour before bedtime, and have a healthy sleep routine.  Even though you don’t have the morning commute to deal with, make sure you get to bed at a reasonable hour to allow for 7-8 hours of sleep.  So count back 7-8 hours from your desired wake time.
• Act as though you’re actually going to your office. That’s right – shave, shower, eat breakfast, and wear clothes you’d ordinarily wear for work.  You’ll feel more professional and more ready for work than if you lounge around in your pajamas or sweatpants.
• Set up a schedule. Plan out your day, schedule every hour (even if it is lunch or walking the dog) and be sure to include all calls, deadlines, tasks, etc.
• Set up a workspace. If possible, create a separate space in your house or apartment to be used for work.  Do not work from your bed! Make sure the space is comfortable, has proper light, and is conducive to work.
• Clearly define your work hours. By defining your work hours you’ll be less likely to get distracted and will be better organized. If you live with people, communicate to them what your hours will be so they can respect them and will know that you aren’t fully available during that time frame.
• Build into your day time to interact with colleagues. Most people thrive on some level of human interaction, especially in the workplace.  It’s an opportunity to share ideas, get feedback, and feel like you are part of something important.  So make sure you schedule such time.
• Create downtime. Make sure you actually take a lunch break and do not work at your desk. Also, if safe, consider getting outside, so long as you’re keeping a safe distance from people and being mindful of proper hygiene. 
• Go for a walk before and after work. Under normal circumstances we frame our work day with the commute.  The commute in allows us to mentally prepare for the day while the commute home gives us time to unwind before entering the home.  Consider creating faux commutes by taking a brief walk before and after work.

The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

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