5 Resilience Skills for COVID-19

We are all feeling the effects of the COVID-19 virus outbreak but no one is more distressed right now than healthcare organizations. I am here to serve and support you in any way and have outlined 5 resilience skills that will help us all navigate this uncertain and chaotic time.

Thank you for all you do every day,

Resilience is the capacity to grow and learn about ourselves and is not a stable trait, but a fluid state that changes. In times of stress, it is more difficult and necessary to practice these skills we already know but easily forget. This is written with healthcare professionals in mind, but they apply to everyone.

1. Slow Down.

Start every meeting, shift, or rounding, with a prayer, quote, or moment of silence to pause and ground.
It is not in anyone’s best interest for hasty reactions or panic, but practical strategizing which requires time and space. Slowing down may mean getting less done, but what gets done is the most important, without getting caught up in the whirl of overwhelm.

2. Unplug.

Give yourself the gift of listening to your favorite music, inspirational thought leader, or silence.
Staying aware of the CDC recommendations is prudent, but tracking all the opinions and forecasting of articles and news stories can cause a lot of unnecessary stress and anxiety. There are too many untrusted sources writing about the outbreak that only contributes to the hysteria of uncertainty.

3. Build Trust.

Acknowledge the vulnerability of everyone, including yourself, to nurture trust in your staff, teams, and communities.
Transparency is critical during this time of so many unknowns. We don’t know is much better than saying, This will not affect our day to day operations, because no one really knows for sure just how much operations will be affected.

4. Self Care.

Normalize the stress everyone is feeling.
Nurses and healthcare professionals have historically not been the best at taking care of themselves. This is the time to encourage and support yourself and your team to get plenty of rest, use precautions and stay home when you are sick. Decompress with Code Lavender, Chaplain support, or Coaches to support extreme self care.

5. Compassion.

Model a culture of kindness with your visible presence, sincere appreciation, and frequent communication.
Directly update your employees of the processes in place and your plans to continue to support them compassionately while they provide their highest quality care.

As the COVID-19 outbreak and the ramifications it has on our communities develops, we can continue to grow and learn about ourselves. Just like winter, this storm will pass, and spring will come again. And after it all, we can have more resilient skills and preparations in place for our future challenges.

Please know I am here to support you in any way. Contact me or directly schedule a time we can brainstorm ideas and strategies.