BCP For the Emotions

It seems like a feeling of deja vu . Around same time last year as nation we were dealing with Covid’19 crisis. And cut to April 2021, while we were just getting used to ( and also fed up) of the new normal, the second wave of Covid’19 struck. While the impact of Covid’19 on patients and their families , the pressure on the health care system , the unavailability of medicines and oxygen supply and the lock down are the problems faced by the collective, I am in touch with the state of the work from home corporate employee.

While many of us are thanking our fortunes that , we are perhaps in a much better place than many in this country today. But what cannot be overlooked is how this pandemic impacts the psyche of the employee who is connected almost all the time. Tops MNCs and organizations are doing their bit and more to support employees by launching employee wellness programs, counselling services and giving leaves when required. However here a few things which I found helpful as an individual to practice self -care and coping in this situation:

Reducing screen time: I cannot stress enough on this. While employees have to work for 12 hours, I would nudge all people to stop looking at their phones throughout, take breaks from continuously looking at the screen — do some eyeball yoga to give those lens a break :-)

Spend time outdoors: Calendarizing and spending some time( 30 mins at least)in the sun or in the evening outdoors(without the phone or tablet of course) gives our brains and mind a break.- Walk, sit , stretch -It can change the chemistry of the brain and all of us could benefit from our pals-serotonin and dopamine!

Vent: Yes please! Create a peer group at work or even within family and personal connections. It’s very important to share- how are you feeling? and what are you thinking about? I am not encouraging whining but venting is something which will help you unburden yourself emotionally and may also give you a perspective from the other. It may also help you look at things in a lighter vein :-)

Write: Experts say that writing 2–3 pages in a free-flow(streams of consciousness)- first thing after you wake up in the morning, can help one get in touch with their sub-conscious-the latent feelings and thought processes. It also helps in unleashing one’s creativity and it is that space where one can express without any inhibitions. In my experience, its best to write 2–3 pages at least , without bothering about meaning, semantics and filtering .