Developing Grit - Dr Sangeetha Madhu and Eliza Abraham

Dr. Angela Duckworth a leading psychologist from the University of Pennsylvania is the one who coined the term “Grit”. This traitis a key factor in the personal success of individuals. Dr. Angela defined grit as “passion and sustained persistence applied toward long-term achievement, with no particular concern for rewards or recognition along the way” (Fessler, 2018).She first started studying grit while she was teaching mathematics to seventh-grade students in the USA. Post which she spent numerous years studying grit and its effects on the performance of individuals at work, academics, and interpersonal relationships. She later went on to publish a book titled; Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance, which also became a New York Times bestsellerand gave numerous TED Talks about it (Fessler, 2018).

Through her research, it can be understood that grit is an outcome of nature and nature and it is developed in individuals who have a growth mindset. She believes that grit is a trait that is developed through experience and along with a shift from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset. On the other hand, resilience is the ability to “adapt well in the face of adversity, trauma, or significant sources of stress” (“Building your resilience”, 2012).

Ways to develop Grit and Resilience

1.      Connect with others and be more social.

2.      Learn to control your response to unfavorable situations you encounter.

3.      Learn to accept constant change in life and to abandon goals that are not attainable anymore.

4.      Use the Kaizen principle on your goals, i.e. start with the smallest component that pertains to your long-term factor.

5.      Acquire decision-making skills so that you can make independent decisions in tough situations.

6.      Be open to learning from your struggles and bad experiences. It will provide you valuable insights.

7.      Refrain from negative self-talk/criticism and inculcate the habit of positive self-talk/affirmations.

8.      Life consists of ups and downs, learn to accept the low moments and bad experiences and try to have a different perspective while viewing your life.

9.      Be optimistic.

10.  Be self-compassionate, introduce exercise to your routine, laugh, and spend time learning something new (Miller, 2020).

Dr. Angela also developed a Grit Scale, which you can use to understand how gritty you are. This can help you to learn to develop the level of resilience and grit within yourself.

 

References

(2020). Building your resilience. American Psychological Association. https://www.apa.org/topics/resilience

Fessler, L. (2018, March 26). “You’re no genius”: Her father’s shutdowns made Angela Duckworth a world expert on grit.Quartz at Work. https://qz.com/work/1233940/angela-duckworth-explains-grit-is-the-key-to-success-and-self-confidence/

Miller, K. A. (2020, October 12). 5+ Ways to Develop a Growth Mindset Using Grit and Resilience. Positive Psychology. https://positivepsychology.com/5-ways-develop-grit-resilience/

 

 

 

Finding Flow - Dr Sangeetha Madhu and Eliza Abraham

Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi who is one of the co-founders of the field of positive psychology is the psychologist who identified and researched on the concept of “Flow”.

Csikszentmihalyi, 1990 defined flow as “The best moments in our lives are not the passive, receptive, relaxing times . . . The best moments usually occur if a person’s body or mind is stretched to its limits in a voluntary effort to accomplish something difficult and worthwhile” (as cited in Oppland, 2020).

Flow experiences varies among people, some experience it while engaging in sports and other in activities such as writing, drawing etc. According to Csikszentmihalyi, people experience flow when they have a task to complete and their goals need specific responses. He states that if the task does not have many challenges, then flow can only be attained when the challenges increase or if the individual learns a new skill to cope with the challenges. Having flow improves performance and skill development (Cherry, 2020).

Csikszentmihalyi gave the following 8 characteristics of flow:

1. Complete concentration on the task.
2. Clarity of goals and reward in mind and immediate feedback.
3. Transformation of time (speeding up/slowing down).
4. The experience is intrinsically rewarding.
5. Effortlessness and ease.
6. There is a balance between challenge and skills.
7. Actions and awareness are merged, losing self-conscious rumination.
8. There is a feeling of control over the task (Oppland, 2020).

Ways to achieve Flow

1.      The task or activity should be something, that you are interested, passionate and enjoy doing.

2.      It should have at least one component that is difficult or challenging.

3.      It should force you to stretch your current level of skills.

4.      You should have a clear idea about your goal and plan of action (Cherry, 2020).

 

References

Cherry, K. (2020, June 3). 'Flow' Can Help You Achieve Goals. Understanding the Psychology of Flow. Verywellmind.https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-flow-2794768#:~:text=Experiencing%20the%20State%20of%20Flow,The%20ego%20falls%20away.

Oppland, M. (2020, October 12). 8 Ways To Create Flow According to Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi. Positive Psychology. https://positivepsychology.com/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi-father-of-flow/

 

Work life Integration: The New Normal - Dr Sangeetha Madhu and Eliza Abraham

COVID-19 has introduced the concept of working from home (WFH) to people of all ages and from all areas of life. We are not used to this way of functioning and it is difficult to maintain a good work-life balance during this pandemic. Lack of structure in work timings, taking on multiple roles & responsibilities, guiding children with schoolwork, technology issues, low work productivity, lack of social connections, increased stress & anxiety, diminished boundaries between work & personal life, lack of free time to relax makes it exhausting and demanding for all of us. It’s been approximately 4-5 months since and it is important to learn work-life balance even during work from home.

To-Do List to improve the quality of WFH

·         Design/ Allocate a particular area at home as the workspace: personalize workspace, use a comfortable chair, be assertive & set boundaries while working.

·         Maintain healthy systematic routines: work timings, breaks, sleep, appetite, physical exercise.

·         Secure Work Environment: Keep laptop/computer in a safe place to avoid loss of sensitive confidential information.

·         Increase productivity & reduce procrastination: Set clear deadlines for the day, set healthy work timings to avoid burnout.

·         Stay Focused: Control social media use, interruptions / distractions, utilize your time effectively during the day, with discipline

·         Plan Out: Set clear short term &long-term career goals with your team, work towards achieving them, prioritize & break down (To-Do-List) your workload to avoid stress. This will help you be more focused & motivated to complete the work.

·         Celebrating Success &Achievement: Reinforce yourself with small treats when you complete a difficult task, maintain a record of your achievements as this helps with increasing satisfaction. Celebrate success with family and team members over a video call, acknowledge people who helped you.

·         Quality Time &Relationship: allocate time to spend quality time with your family or reach out through social media/video calls.  Have informal team calls to catch up with colleagues and managers.

Following these tips could improve your work from home experience and maintain a good work-life balance. Although this is a very difficult situation and might go on for an undetermined amount of time, it is a season of life and it will pass and we will return to feeling healthy, safe, productive, and connected (“Working from home”, 2020).

References

(2020). Working from Home. MindTools. Retrieved from https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/working-from-home.htm

 

The Art of Delivering & Receiving Feedback - Dr Sangeetha Madhu and Eliza Abraham

 We all have heard the saying “communication is the key to success”. We tend to overlook the fact that effective feedback plays a major role in both our professional and personal lives. Feedback in the form of affirmations and criticisms tend to improve the overall performance of individuals. However, we all know that it is easier to give and receive affirmations or appreciations rather than to give out criticisms. It is a tricky situation that can become awkward or even lead to a heated argument. Feedback can strengthen a relationship, build trust, show support, and improve the quality of work and life for the individual and everyone around him/her (Petersen, 2015).

Therefore, it is important to understand and equip yourself with the skills to be able to provide and accept constructive feedback. Effective listening consists of openness, encouragement, acknowledgement, and reflection. The following suggestions can be followed to enhance your skills of providing and receiving constructive feedback.

Delivering Feedback

·         Have a private meeting and start with affirmations.

·         Be humble and empathetic towards the individual.

·         Provide feedback regarding the behaviour not about the kind of person they are/their personality. Cite examples.

·         Describe the effect/impact their behaviour had on you, as only You know how it made you feel or what you thought.

·         Use I statements: “I liked what you did” “I felt hurt when you said that”.

·         Be specific, realistic and focus on the issue at hand. Avoid bringing in unnecessary or past details.

·         Give regular feedback promptly, avoid delaying it a lot.

·         Understand the emotional intelligence and identify the emotional state of the individual before providing them with feedback.

·         Explain your expectations and the consequences if a mutual understanding is not reached.

·         Provide suggestions and be willing to help the individual.

·         Identify and state their strengths and positive to improve the morale and confidence of the individual(Seiter, 2018; “Giving and Receiving”, n.d & “Receiving & Giving”, n.d).

Receiving Feedback

·         Be open-minded & accepting.

·         Use active listening

·         Identify and understand nonverbal communication.

·         Clarify and reflect on the feedback.

·         Avoid being defensive.

·         Be aware of your emotions and feelings.

·         Have good self-control.

·         Have a growth mindset.

·         Identify your developmental areas and take accountability for your errors.

·         Follow up with the individual and ask for regular feedback.

·         Thank the individual for giving the feedback(Seiter, 2018; “Giving and Receiving”, n.d & “Receiving & Giving”, n.d).

References

 (n.d.). Giving and Receiving Feedback. Skillsyouneed. Retrieved from https://www.skillsyouneed.com/ips/feedback.html

(n.d). Receiving and Giving Effective Feedback. Centre for Teaching Excellence, University of Waterloo.Retrieved from https://uwaterloo.ca/centre-for-teaching-excellence/teaching-resources/teaching-tips/assessing-student-work/grading-and-feedback/receiving-and-giving-effective-feedback

Petersen, D. (2015, July 24). How to Get Better at Giving (and Receiving) Feedback Good constructive criticism takes practice.Inc.  Retrieved from https://www.inc.com/stanford-business/how-to-get-better-at-giving-and-receiving-feedback.html

Seiter, C. (2018, May 9). How to give and receive feedback at work: the psychology of criticism.Buffer. Retrieved from  https:/ https://uwaterloo.ca/centre-for-teaching-excellence/teaching-resources/teaching-tips/assessing-student-work/grading-and-feedback/receiving-and-giving-effective-feedback/buffer.com/resources/how-to-give-receive-feedback-work/

 

 

Growth Mindset - Dr Sangeetha Madhu and Eliza Abraham

 Throughout our childhood and adulthood, we have always heard from our parents, teachers, elders, inspirational speakers etc that hard work is the key to success. Working smart is figuring out your strengths and how to utilize it in achieving your goals quickly and efficiently. An individual who utilises both these aspects can achieve their goals in life. But then we hear about exceptional individuals who have extraordinary accomplishments in their lives. Most of us tend to attribute this solely on their internal talent. However, that is not true, it takes a tremendous amount of talent and hard work to become the best in any field.

Carol Dweck a psychologist has done extensive research which indicated that an individual’s mindset or attitude towards themselves predicts your success in life. Working hard plays a role to an extent in our success, but our belief in ourselves determines whether you will achieve your goal.This gave rise to the concept known as the growth mindset. This means that we can develop our abilities and understanding by putting in more time and effort. On the opposite spectrum an individual who believes that our abilities are permanent, and intelligence cannot be increased tend to have a fixed mindset(Acherman, 2019; Taher, 2019 & “Decades of scientific”, n.d).

An individual with a growth mindset will put in more effort,time, and believe that they can reach their goals.  While encountering situation such as getting a negative review from a boss or handling a difficult project, having a growth mindset will change the way we approach it. We would evaluate the review objectively, get another opinion and find solutions to overcome these shortcomings. To handle a difficult task, you would view it as a new learning experience, identify what skills you need, how to learn these skills, ask for help and look for other resources. This would lead to you developing further skills, gain new knowledge and new areas of expertise and also increase your self-confidence(Acherman, 2019; Taher, 2019 & “Decades of scientific”, n.d).

Tips for developing a growth mindset

1.      Create a new convincing belief: to believe in yourself, skills, ability to have a positive change.

2.      New perspective towards failure: consider it as an opportunity to learn.

3.      Inculcate self-awareness: identify talents, strengths, weakness, get feedback from others and analyse it all together.

4.      Always be curious and open to learning throughout your life: don’t limit your learning.

5.      Accept challenges and consider them as something you will encounter every time you try to learn something new.

6.      Develop a passion and do and love what you do: being passionate about your work makes you more successful in achieving your goals.

7.      Be tenacious: a lot of hardwork is needed to succeed, and you must accept failures, be diligent and get back to work every time.

8.      Inspire and be inspired by others (Zimmerman, 2016).

Always believe in yourself and your abilities, be always open to learn, grow, develop and it will help you achieve all the great things in life. It's not easy to have a growth mindset but work towards developing one.

References

Acherman, C. E. (2019, November 8). Growth Mindset vs. Fixed + Key Takeaways from Dweck’s Book. Positive Psychology. Retrieved from https://positivepsychology.com/growth-mindset-vs-fixed-mindset/

Mindset Works. (n.d.). Decades of scientific research that started a growth mindset revolution. Mindset Works. Retrieved from https://www.mindsetworks.com/Science/Default

Taher,R. Al. (2019, November 20). Carol Dweck: The Woman Behind The Motivational Mindset Breakthrough. Positive Psychology. Retrieved from https://positivepsychology.com/carol-dweck-biography/

Zimmerman, A. (2016). Shift to a growth mindset with these 8 powerful strategies. Inc. Retrieved from https://www.inc.com/angelina-zimmerman/the-8-tremendous-ways-for-developing-a-growth-mindset.html

 

Practising Self Care - Dr. Sangeetha Madhu & Eliza Abraham

 For the past couples of months, our lives have taken a drastic change. From the usual hustle and bustle of the daily routines such as being stuck in loud annoying traffic, bargaining with vendors at the market, taking water breaks with our colleagues, to planning meals for the week and going out for dinner, shopping, movies, parties etc it has all changed. These days, we wake up and are stuck within the four walls of our homes. Initially, it must have been a well-appreciated break from the hectic lives we had.But, after a few weeks, it does get monotonous, frustrating, stressful, and aimless.

Personal self-care is the process of taking care of our mind, body and soulwhich is essential in building up a resilience towards stressors in our lives that cannot be eliminated. Engaging in self-care also known as “Me Time”allows you to have a good quality life. However, most of us tend to not keep self-care as a priority and consider it to be a luxury in life. Hence, we are burnt out, exhausted and unable to cope with stressors. Self-care is something that re-energizes us instead of tiring us out. It is important to do constant check-ups on the variousareas of self-care practices(Scot, 2020; Tello, 2020; Davis, 2018 & Bard, n.d).

How do you take care of yourself?

1.      Physical Self Care

There is a strong link between your mind and body. When the body is well-rested and taken care of your cognitive abilities automatically function better.

·         Maintaining a regular sleep cycle- 6 hours minimum& take power naps.

·         Following a healthy & nutritious diet and not skipping meals.

·         Engaging in daily physical exercise oryoga.

·         Getting regular physical check-ups & adhering to medications prescribed. 

·         Taking breaks during your work & use sick leaves.

·         Treat your body- food, clothes, spa etc(Scot, 2020; Tello, 2020; Davis, 2018 &Bard, n.d).

 

2.      Social Self Care

Human beings are social beings and socialization and close relationships are necessary to increase our overall well-being.

·         Prioritising and investing time and effort to maintain close relationships with family & friends.

·         Spending quality time with family & friends- in person or virtually through video/audio calls.

·         Get a pet/plant or have a good laugh(Scot, 2020; Tello, 2020; Davis, 2018 & Bard, n.d).

 

 

3.      Mental Self Care

Keeping your mind sharp and active stimulates better thoughts and learnings.

·         Create a “no” list of things you do not like to do or no longer want to do.

·         Reading books, listening to music.

·         Learning a new language/skill or taking up a hobby.

·         Learn to say no to othersand yes to self-care.

·         Take a self-care trip and get in touch with yourself.

·         Caring for your mental health- asking for help(Scot, 2020; Tello, 2020; Davis, 2018 & Bard, n.d).

 

4.      Emotional Self Care

Learning to be in touch with your thoughts, feelings, emotions and using healthy positive coping habits.

·         Engage in self-affirmation talk.

·         Check-in with your emotions.

·         Start journaling your thoughts and experiences.

·         Get positive feedback.

·         Try to do a good deed every day.

·         Choose how to spend your time and with whom(Scot, 2020; Tello, 2020; Davis, 2018 & Bard, n.d).

 

5.      Spiritual Self Care

Nurture your spirit and find a deeper sense of meaning, appreciation, and link with the universe.

·         Follow a holistic outlook on life.

·         Connect with nature

·         Engage in yoga, attend a religious service (virtually now) or pray(Scot, 2020; Tello, 2020; Davis, 2018 & Bard, n.d).

Develop a personalized self-care kit that can be used to meet your individual needs. It's important to take of ourselves during this time. Do not try to change or address all the issues immediately, take it one step at a time and do so.

 

 

 

 

 

References

Bard, E. (n.d). 45 Simple Self-Care Practices for a Healthy Mind, Body, and Soul.TinyBuddha. Retrieved from https://tinybuddha.com/blog/45-simple-self-care-practices-for-a-healthy-mind-body-and-soul/

Davis, T. (2018, December 18). Self-care: 12 ways to take better care of yourself. PsychologyToday. Retrieved from https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/click-here-happiness/201812/self-care-12-ways-take-better-care-yourself

Scott, E. (2020, March 21). 5 Self- Care Practices for Every Area of Life. VerywellMind. Retrieved from https://www.verywellmind.com/self-care-strategies-overall-stress-reduction-3144729

Tello, M. (2020, April 16). 6 self-care steps for a pandemic- always important, now essential. Harvard Health Publishing. Retrieved from https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/6-self-care-steps-for-a-pandemic-always-important-now-essential-2020041619563

 For the past couples of months, our lives have taken a drastic change. From the usual hustle and bustle of the daily routines such as being stuck in loud annoying traffic, bargaining with vendors at the market, taking water breaks with our colleagues, to planning meals for the week and going out for dinner, shopping, movies, parties etc it has all changed. These days, we wake up and are stuck within the four walls of our homes. Initially, it must have been a well-appreciated break from the hectic lives we had.But, after a few weeks, it does get monotonous, frustrating, stressful, and aimless.

Personal self-care is the process of taking care of our mind, body and soulwhich is essential in building up a resilience towards stressors in our lives that cannot be eliminated. Engaging in self-care also known as “Me Time”allows you to have a good quality life. However, most of us tend to not keep self-care as a priority and consider it to be a luxury in life. Hence, we are burnt out, exhausted and unable to cope with stressors. Self-care is something that re-energizes us instead of tiring us out. It is important to do constant check-ups on the variousareas of self-care practices(Scot, 2020; Tello, 2020; Davis, 2018 & Bard, n.d).

How do you take care of yourself?

1.      Physical Self Care

There is a strong link between your mind and body. When the body is well-rested and taken care of your cognitive abilities automatically function better.

·         Maintaining a regular sleep cycle- 6 hours minimum& take power naps.

·         Following a healthy & nutritious diet and not skipping meals.

·         Engaging in daily physical exercise oryoga.

·         Getting regular physical check-ups & adhering to medications prescribed. 

·         Taking breaks during your work & use sick leaves.

·         Treat your body- food, clothes, spa etc(Scot, 2020; Tello, 2020; Davis, 2018 &Bard, n.d).

 

2.      Social Self Care

Human beings are social beings and socialization and close relationships are necessary to increase our overall well-being.

·         Prioritising and investing time and effort to maintain close relationships with family & friends.

·         Spending quality time with family & friends- in person or virtually through video/audio calls.

·         Get a pet/plant or have a good laugh(Scot, 2020; Tello, 2020; Davis, 2018 & Bard, n.d).

 

 

3.      Mental Self Care

Keeping your mind sharp and active stimulates better thoughts and learnings.

·         Create a “no” list of things you do not like to do or no longer want to do.

·         Reading books, listening to music.

·         Learning a new language/skill or taking up a hobby.

·         Learn to say no to othersand yes to self-care.

·         Take a self-care trip and get in touch with yourself.

·         Caring for your mental health- asking for help(Scot, 2020; Tello, 2020; Davis, 2018 & Bard, n.d).

 

4.      Emotional Self Care

Learning to be in touch with your thoughts, feelings, emotions and using healthy positive coping habits.

·         Engage in self-affirmation talk.

·         Check-in with your emotions.

·         Start journaling your thoughts and experiences.

·         Get positive feedback.

·         Try to do a good deed every day.

·         Choose how to spend your time and with whom(Scot, 2020; Tello, 2020; Davis, 2018 & Bard, n.d).

 

5.      Spiritual Self Care

Nurture your spirit and find a deeper sense of meaning, appreciation, and link with the universe.

·         Follow a holistic outlook on life.

·         Connect with nature

·         Engage in yoga, attend a religious service (virtually now) or pray(Scot, 2020; Tello, 2020; Davis, 2018 & Bard, n.d).

Develop a personalized self-care kit that can be used to meet your individual needs. It's important to take of ourselves during this time. Do not try to change or address all the issues immediately, take it one step at a time and do so.

 

 

 

 

 

References

Bard, E. (n.d). 45 Simple Self-Care Practices for a Healthy Mind, Body, and Soul.TinyBuddha. Retrieved from https://tinybuddha.com/blog/45-simple-self-care-practices-for-a-healthy-mind-body-and-soul/

Davis, T. (2018, December 18). Self-care: 12 ways to take better care of yourself. PsychologyToday. Retrieved from https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/click-here-happiness/201812/self-care-12-ways-take-better-care-yourself

Scott, E. (2020, March 21). 5 Self- Care Practices for Every Area of Life. VerywellMind. Retrieved from https://www.verywellmind.com/self-care-strategies-overall-stress-reduction-3144729

Tello, M. (2020, April 16). 6 self-care steps for a pandemic- always important, now essential. Harvard Health Publishing. Retrieved from https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/6-self-care-steps-for-a-pandemic-always-important-now-essential-2020041619563

 

Coping with Stress during COVID-19 Times - Dr. Sangeetha Madhu & Eliza Abraham

The World Health Organization recently published a set of coping strategies that can be used by individuals while managing this newfound stress of COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic has escalated various stressors for individuals, such as financial difficulties, lack of social support/socialization, children not being able to attend  school, increased workload, poor work-life balance, increased care giving burden & responsibilities, relationship & family conflicts/violence, displacement from homes, theuncertainty of future threat to physical health, disease, vulnerability to anxiety, depression, and lack of self-care (WHO, 2020).

Signs of Stress

The concept of working from home (WFH) is now applicable to people from all areas of life. Changes in sleeping patterns, appetite, motivation, difficulties in concentration, increased fatigue & tiredness, negative feelings (anxious, anger, sadness, worry, guilt), temper loss, crying spells, physical discomfort and a pessimistic outlook towards life maybe some of the signs of stress (WHO,2020).

Strategies for coping with Stress

We will explorea few strategies that can be learnt to cope with stress that we are facing.

A.    Being Hooked

When something is on a hook, it is trapped and it’s difficult to getaway. Thoughts & feelings form an important aspect of stress and we tend to get hooked by them. For example, you might be enjoying a meal with the family or having a conversation and some trigger may get you hooked by angry/sad/guilty thoughts or feelings. It makes us feel like we are being distracted or pulled away from the current situation. The thoughts can be about giving up, blaming others, judgments, future, past difficult memories, worry etc. This leads to conflicts, withdrawal from loved ones, lethargy etc. These behaviours can be known as “Away Moves” as they pull us away from the values, we hold close to us

Unhooking

1.      Focus- bring your attention back to the task at hand.

2.      Engage- give your complete attention & be involved with the task.

3.      Pay Attention Bette -If you learn to focus, pay more attention to the present moment and engage more, yourcan observe that your stress will begin to reduce. This will lead to improved concentration, motivation and contribute to satisfying relationships .This works with stressors that are not very intense.

B.     Grounding

This works with emotions & thoughts that are very overwhelming and intense. Learning to ground ourselves, during these overwhelming situations helps us handle the stress better.

·         Notice: your feeling & thoughts

·         Slow Down & Connect:

-          Do a relaxation technique to slow your breathing

-          Press your feet on the floor slowly

-          Stretch out your arms & then bring them together and press your palms.

·         Refocus: ( 5 senses)

-          Name 4 things you can see around you.

-          Identify different sounds/smells around you.

-          Notice where you are & what action you are doing.

-          Be aware of the taste in your mouth.

-          Pick up an object around you and notice how it feels

These techniques help us to focus, re-engage with our life and bring back our attention to the task in hand. This helps us feel more in control during an overwhelming/ stressful situation. It's important to practice them as frequently as possible for you to feel the change.

C. Acting on Your Values

Values describes the kind of individual you would like to be, how you want to treat yourself, others & the world.

• Notice: the difficult thoughts
• Name: describe what you are feeling and where in the body.
• Engage: with the world using all 5 senses.
• Identify: an important relationship & 2 important values.
• Action Plan: Decide on how to act on this values.

3 approaches to a difficult situation

• Leave
• Change what can be changed, accept the pain that cannot be changed, and live by your values
• Give up and move away from your values.

D. Being Kind

• Notice a harsh self-judgment/ unkind/ self-critical thought.
• Use Grounding techniques (Engage & Ground)
• Be self-compassionate/ kind to yourself.

E. Making Room

Another way to cope with disturbing thoughts & feelings.

• NOTICE:  difficult thought or feeling with curiosity. Focus your attention on it. Imagine the painful feeling as an object, and notice its size, shape, colour and temperature.
• NAME the difficult thought or feeling. Eg: “Here is a difficult feeling”
• Allow the painful feeling or thought to come and go like the weather.
• Relaxation: As you breathe, imagine your breath flowing into and around your pain to make room for it (WHO, 2020).

 

 

References

World Health Organization. (2020). Doing what matters in times of stress: an illustrated guide.

 Coping with Stress during COVID-19 Times

Dr. Sangeetha Madhu & Eliza Abraham

The World Health Organization recently published a set of coping strategies that can be used by individuals while managing this newfound stress of COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic has escalated various stressors for individuals, such as financial difficulties, lack of social support/socialization, children not being able to attend  school, increased workload, poor work-life balance, increased care giving burden & responsibilities, relationship & family conflicts/violence, displacement from homes, theuncertainty of future threat to physical health, disease, vulnerability to anxiety, depression, and lack of self-care (WHO, 2020).

Signs of Stress

The concept of working from home (WFH) is now applicable to people from all areas of life. Changes in sleeping patterns, appetite, motivation, difficulties in concentration, increased fatigue & tiredness, negative feelings (anxious, anger, sadness, worry, guilt), temper loss, crying spells, physical discomfort and a pessimistic outlook towards life maybe some of the signs of stress (WHO,2020).

Strategies for coping with Stress

We will explorea few strategies that can be learnt to cope with stress that we are facing.

A.    Being Hooked

When something is on a hook, it is trapped and it’s difficult to getaway. Thoughts & feelings form an important aspect of stress and we tend to get hooked by them. For example, you might be enjoying a meal with the family or having a conversation and some trigger may get you hooked by angry/sad/guilty thoughts or feelings. It makes us feel like we are being distracted or pulled away from the current situation. The thoughts can be about giving up, blaming others, judgments, future, past difficult memories, worry etc. This leads to conflicts, withdrawal from loved ones, lethargy etc. These behaviours can be known as “Away Moves” as they pull us away from the values, we hold close to us

Unhooking

1.      Focus- bring your attention back to the task at hand.

2.      Engage- give your complete attention & be involved with the task.

3.      Pay Attention Bette -If you learn to focus, pay more attention to the present moment and engage more, yourcan observe that your stress will begin to reduce. This will lead to improved concentration, motivation and contribute to satisfying relationships .This works with stressors that are not very intense.

B.     Grounding

This works with emotions & thoughts that are very overwhelming and intense. Learning to ground ourselves, during these overwhelming situations helps us handle the stress better.

·         Notice: your feeling & thoughts

·         Slow Down & Connect:

-          Do a relaxation technique to slow your breathing

-          Press your feet on the floor slowly

-          Stretch out your arms & then bring them together and press your palms.

·         Refocus: ( 5 senses)

-          Name 4 things you can see around you.

-          Identify different sounds/smells around you.

-          Notice where you are & what action you are doing.

-          Be aware of the taste in your mouth.

-          Pick up an object around you and notice how it feels

These techniques help us to focus, re-engage with our life and bring back our attention to the task in hand. This helps us feel more in control during an overwhelming/ stressful situation. It's important to practice them as frequently as possible for you to feel the change.

C. Acting on Your Values

Values describes the kind of individual you would like to be, how you want to treat yourself, others & the world.

 

 

 

 

• Notice: the difficult thoughts
• Name: describe what you are feeling and where in the body.
• Engage: with the world using all 5 senses.
• Identify: an important relationship & 2 important values.
• Action Plan: Decide on how to act on this values.

3 approaches to a difficult situation

• Leave
• Change what can be changed, accept the pain that cannot be changed, and live by your values
• Give up and move away from your values.

D. Being Kind

• Notice a harsh self-judgment/ unkind/ self-critical thought.
• Use Grounding techniques (Engage & Ground)
• Be self-compassionate/ kind to yourself.

E. Making Room

Another way to cope with disturbing thoughts & feelings.

• NOTICE:  difficult thought or feeling with curiosity. Focus your attention on it. Imagine the painful feeling as an object, and notice its size, shape, colour and temperature.
• NAME the difficult thought or feeling. Eg: “Here is a difficult feeling”
• Allow the painful feeling or thought to come and go like the weather.
• Relaxation: As you breathe, imagine your breath flowing into and around your pain to make room for it (WHO, 2020).

 

 

References

World Health Organization. (2020). Doing what matters in times of stress: an illustrated guide.