The arrival of the coronavirus (COVID-19) has put many leaders into a position where you’re managing stressful days. Unexpected demands, new complications, and shrinking budgets now fill your days.
It’s the kind of situation where success is harder to define. The ongoing uncertainty takes a toll. With that in mind, here are some tips you can use for managing stressful days.
Where is Your Focus?
The first tip is about focusing on the things that you can control. It can be very easy to worry about everything that’s going on. That takes a lot of time and a lot of energy.
Instead, just focus on the things you can control. And sometimes you may want to narrow your focus even more to the things you control on that day or even in that hour.
While there is value in planning out responses to future developments, like your area returning to business as usual, this can’t be a constant exercise, running in the background of your brain. That will become exhausting.
Get to Tomorrow
Our second tip acknowledges there are going to be days or even weeks that will be tough to get through. In these situations, there’s not one little thing that you can do to make everything perfect or solve every problem right away. You’re facing a long-term challenge with a lot of moving pieces.
When you find yourself managing these stressful days, remember this three word phrase: Get to tomorrow.
I’ve been in those challenging situations where it’s just about daily work, almost like you’re pushing a boulder up a steep hill. It’s hard to make progress, but if you can simply get through the day, then that is your success.
While incremental progress may not be showcased in books and movies, it often is the kind of victories we experience.
Celebrate Yourself
The final tip is about rewarding yourself and celebrating the things that you are doing right now. This can be done very simply.
Sometimes it is just adding a minute or two to a nice hot shower or giving yourself a few minutes to read a favorite book.
It doesn’t have to be a huge time commitment, but do something that brings you joy. Maybe it’s having some special food or a treat. It’s something that makes you happy.
Don’t get lost in thinking this has to be a big or expensive gesture. Embrace a simple pleasure and see if it helps lift your mood. Perhaps the lesson of these challenging times is about finding new ways to honor yourself.
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