Do you feel it? There is a heaviness in the air, Covid, unemployment, and the surge of racism in our country. I have experienced the last week as a piercing headache that won’t go away, an enormous cement block weighing me down, a tidal wave that needs to be addressed immediately, and a combination of guilt and gratefulness for the life I have personally led.
While I cannot relate firsthand to all of today’s challenges what I can do is be an ally to my clients, colleagues, friends, and neighbors. In addition to my commitment of listening to learn, and striving for a more inclusive workplace and world, I have had multiple conversations over the past few days discussing how to best manage priorities when the weight of the world is your competition.
Here are a few prompts that have helped my clients, and me too….
WHAT CAN YOU PERSONALLY CONTROL?
- Set daily intentions: Kindness, empathy, listening more than speaking
- Suspend judgement: We are all weathering the same storm, yet we are each sitting in our own unique boat. Seek to understand.
- Consciously choose to reflect vs. react. Pausing to reflect prevents you from making a long-lasting mistake due to a quick reaction. Do not fall prey to letting your amygdala hijack your decision making.
WHERE ARE YOU FOCUSING YOUR ENERGY?
- Allocate hours to what matters most (family, health, friends) vs tasks. Make sure to conserve energy for the important ‘rocks’ in your life, the rest will get done eventually.
- Practice gratitude. What small win can you celebrate each day?
- Embrace forgiveness. Something will not get done and someone will not deliver what you hoped for today. Be OK with this, remember people tend to try their best and tomorrow provides an opportunity to try again.
Stay safe, stay healthy, and be kind