Caring for Others and Ourselves in the Time of the Coronavirus :

GIVING HELP IN THE TIME OF THE CORONAVIRUS:

  • Join the Facebook Groups: Far South CCOVID-19 Response Group and Cape Town Together

  • All blood donor centres will remain open during the nationwide lockdown. The South African National Blood Service is appealing to people to continue donating to prevent a blood shortage, and have put safety measures in place to protect donors

  • Brené Brown just released her new podcast Unlocking Us and the timing could not be more perfect; stories about courage and meaning are needed now more than ever.

  • Pray: Join in with the 24 Hour Prayer Chain that our Prayer Room has invited us to partner with for an end to COVID-19. You can use this Guide to Praying the Bible if it helps

  • Reach Out: Think of those in your life who may find themselves alone: be that an elderly family member, a friend with an immunity deficiency, or someone that is sick. Start to pay attention to who may struggle the most to be isolated—text or Facetime them to check in, offer to drop off a meal, or use Watch2gether or NetflixParty to watch a movie. If you know someone who develops the disease and they are self-isolating, check in regularly via WhatsApp to make sure they’re not feeling isolated.

  • Ask for Help: If you are someone that needs help based on your health, financial situation or childcare needs— this is a time when people do want to help, let the people in your life know so they can love you well! Within our community- this is what your Circle is for, if you aren’t connected with one, let us know and we can connect you with a Circle community!

  • Be Intentional about Friendships:

    • FIND YOUR PEOPLE | Create a community of 7 people (or choose a number that works for you and your life) that you will connect with on a daily basis to uplift and support each other. Connecting can be via text, email, social, phone, video — whatever medium it is, just stay connected!

    • SIMPLY CHECK IN | For the next 7 days, check in with your community every day. Share something that made you smile, gave you hope or inspired you. Keep each other in your thoughts and stay in connection with each other.

    • How to Help Someone Dealing with Anxiety

  • Listen to God: This global crisis provides unprecedented opportunities for the Gospel (the Chinese church has seen dramatic growth during these months). We can comfort those in fear. We can find ways to safely help people at high risk… As we lean in to hear from God, there may be new initiatives and methods we can embrace, especially in the use of technology, that will strengthen us for both the present and the future

  • Catch Up: This is actually a really fantastic time to catch up with friendships that may have been forgotten in the midst of your otherwise busy schedule. As someone that lives overseas and was in a long distance relationship, I’ve learned how to be intentional with friendships long distance, and I’ve failed more times than I’ve succeeded. But in our globalized world, it’s a needed skill needed and you can intentionally develop that now. My favorite way to keep up with people is using the app Marco Polo because it sends video messages as you go, so you don’t have to schedule a time to meet up across time zones.

  • Be Generous: There are many of us who don’t have the flexibility in our budget to afford the implications economically of this crisis. Some of us depend on the generosity of others who may withdraw support due to their own financial struggles, others work in industries that are being limited or cut. Think about donating money or sending meals to people in these situations. If you have some extra cash, maybe even hire someone that needs work, be that organizing photo albums or your garage, etc.

  • Skill Share: If you don’t have the finances to support small businesses, consider offering services at this time, be that your time or skill sets. For example, if you know how to take photos or build a website or simply advertising on your social media accounts, this will help bring attention and contribute towards their sustainability. Most likely some small business are run by your friends, so start there, check in with them, see what they need. Or if you have an area of interest, find ways to draw friends or your community in through conversation as this is the perfect time to start a book club or facilitate an online course about something you know a lot about!

  • Be Hospitable: There are many unique circumstances in our globalized world, where people have been stranded due to their inability to travel for whatever reason. Check with your local churches to see if there are students, missionaries or other individuals in the community that could use a place to stay or community to check in on them.

  • Advocate: Many of our governments have policies that will result in this crisis going unmanaged longer than it should—for wherever you are from, look into the policies around healthcare, sick leave, childcare, etc., and start to advocate for equal opportunities for your community, so we all can thrive! This crisis has proven a few things about the world we live in and areas where our government may be lacking— use this time to advocate for what our community needs!

  • Reflect: This is also a season where you can really reflect on what “community” is-. When you look at your friendships, who is there andwho isn’t there? What voices are you, and are you not, having speak into your life? (eg. are all your friends your same age, race and gender?). Reflect on why that is using this resource from Practicing the Way, and what you can do in this next season to build friendships with others more intentionally (that resource also gives great advice about sustaining healthy friendships through conflict resolution, listening well and emotional health).

  • Join In: There’s a campaign called #viralkindness where some kind-hearted people are offering to lend a helping hand to those in need by notifying them through dropping leaflets in their letterboxes. The cards, which are available to download online so people can print them at home, include boxes for neighbors to write their name, address, phone number and state. It asks if volunteers can help by picking up shopping, urgent supplies, posting mail or even just “a friendly phone call”.

  • Get Counseling: There are numerous resources, near and far, to process with a couselor online. For local resources, check out our Specialist Resources, or click here for some of the resources worldwide.

  • Utilize Social Media: invite people to share their prayer requests and intercede, post live worship sets, put out digital teachings, develop a phone ministry of inner healing, dream interpretation and prayer if you have those gift sets.

 

SELF CARE IN THE TIME OF CORONAVIRUS:

Self-isolation can hit three critical components of mental health: our sense of autonomy, relatedness (a sense of being connected to others) and competency (feeling effective). These can lead to anxiety, extreme frustration, depression or low mood. In order to help you intentionally care for yourself, I’ve included some tips below.

The social, economic and political ramifications of this virus are still unknown and is what plays into much of the fear that we’re all holding within our bodies right now, so it’s vital to pay attention to the help we need to stay holistically healthy. There is also an opportunity, given that so many people will be home-bound, for different goals to be addressed and skills to be developed.

To start, there can be different associations that each of us have around the concept of “self-care”, as well as “stress”, but of which are important to factor in when discussing how to get help. Our minds, bodies, emotions and spirits are most likely troubled right now— what have you found to be, or not to be, the barriers for you to take care of yourself?

More ideas can be found under the Personal Development Resources section, but specific ideas for this season are below.

A good place to start is this website that has activities, recommendations, and ideas to help you stay in and take care of yourself and others. Updated daily.

MENTAL SELF CARE

PHYSICAL SELF CARE

  • Quit Smoking or Vaping: beyond the scientific research on why its harmful for your health and that of others, during this specific pandemic you must be even more aware if you smoke or vape how those habits are putting you within a high risk category. Actually, you are putting yourself in that category, yet we understand that it’s an addiction so it’s not that easy to break. Now is a great time to break the addiction and get the help you need

  • Monique from Ayama Yoga (in Kalk Bay) is offering free online yoga classes— simply send her your gmail email address via Facebook and she’ll give you access to the YouTube account

  • THIS is a massive list of all the free online fitness classes being offered, many without equipment

  • This is a great opportunity to find ways to exercise at home or come up with a plan for exercising while you travel! From finding different Youtube channels for activities like yoga, cardio or Zumba, or fitness programs like Fitness Blender, you can figure out ways to take care of your body, wherever you may find yourself

  • Click HERE for free online yoga classes and guided meditation

  • The YMCA has classes on Youtube which can viewed on your smartphone, iPad, laptop or TV

  • Many of us struggle to do the very basic things to care for our bodies such as getting good sleep, eating well and drinking enough water. There’s no better time to really figure out what needs to shift. It takes two months to set a habit, so why not now:

  • Drink Enough Water- We often forget to drink enough water, so start by setting a reminder on your phone every hour. If there’s lack of access to clean water, use charcoal sticks to purify your water. If you don’t like the taste of water, put some lemon juice in your water and it not only helps to jumpstart your metabolism, but it also makes it taste better!.

  • Eat Well- Honestly,I’m not the best person because I neither know how to cook, nor have I been very intentional about it—but if I was to be better about this, I would create some Pinterest boards of crockpot meals to make it simple for this season. If you struggle like me to incorporate healthier foods into your diet, there’s no better time to get fruits and veggies and experiment. This can also been a good opportunity to reduce your sugar and caffeine intake by weaning yourself off of these supplements towards healthier options. Apocalyptic Cooking has some great advice for how to use affordable veggies and fruit to make memorable snacks and meals to give you the energy you need to care for yourself in this time. Here’s a guide to healthy meal planning you can download

  • Get a Good Night Sleep- For getting good sleep there are many factors to consider. Do you have a routine to calm down your mind before going to sleep? Do you have a white noise machine and/or fan to cool you down and block out noise? What else do you have to cool you down (type of sheets and blankets really make a difference)? Using a silk pillowcase helps to defrizz your hair as well as cool your head, and using a contoured eye mask makes a big difference to blockout light. More tips found here.

  • Learn how to bake with these online tutorials posted daily from a bakery in London

  • Learn how to Garden with this free Master Gardening class through the end of April

  • Here are some Immune Boosting foods to help in this time

  • This YouTube channel has daily workouts— some made specifically for senior citizens and kids!

  • There’s always this six week free trial for workouts and meal plans by Chris Hemsworth and his team of experts

  • Listen to this playlist: Chill Vibes for Tough Times

  • Do Yoga for the Broken Heart

EMOTIONAL SELF CARE

SOCIAL SELF CARE

  • There’s a website called “Netflix Party”, where you can watch movies with your friends

  • Here’s a spreadsheet of all the games that you can play online with your friends

  • In the section above on helping others, I included many options for connection socially, but for other ways that may be more internal:

    • Learn the Enneagram

      One of my favorite ways to understand myself and my friends is to learn about the Enneagram. The Enneagram explores, and understanding the different types (and variables) helps me not only to understand myself, but grow in empathy of others as well. I’d encourage you to read over each of the types as a start. Don’t rush into figuring out what yours, or others’ are, but instead pay attention to what phrases resonate with you or put into words what you’ve experienced. From there, find someone else that nerds out about the enneagram (or follow the many enneagram instagram pages) to learn more!

    • Practice Silence and Solitude

      Practicing Silence and Solitude is also an aspect of Social Self Care— Practicing the Way goes over some aspects of how to incorporate this discipline into this season of life.

    • Improve your Dating

      If you’re seriously dating, there’s an incredible online Dating Course (with a very cheesy title but really good materials) that my husband and I did while we were dating, and it made it clear that we were good partners for each other. Now is a great time to watch and discuss together.

    • Find and Give Accountability

      Find someone to hold you accountable in this season—be that in an area you want to change, grow or let go of—have someone that will check in and encourage you to stick with your goal.

    • Enjoy Time as a Couple

      Lots of couples will be home together,and for many of you, it’s been awhile since you’ve had time together. Enjoy it! Use the tips above for conflict resolution! A resource that my husband and I have used every anniversary as a tool to check in with each other is this Couple Check Up. Also, there are some fun date ideas you can do at home on Pinterest. Our goal is to always have better communication to stay connected, plan, dream, encourage and appreciate each other. Use whatever helps facilitate that for you. No matter how small or large your space is, with a little intentionality, you can love your significant other well in this time! If you haven’t already, this could also be a good time to practice the love languages, to see how well you are, or aren’t, speaking the love language of your significant other! (Again, many ideas are on Pinterest).

      • Words of Affirmation: Digital technology is wonderful, but remember you can level up a kind or encouraging word by sending more than a text message or email. Try sending a short video or audio message. Just seeing your face and hearing the inflections in your voice will make your words even more powerful.

      • Acts of Service: Check in on others frequently—call, message, or text. If you are able, drop off some food or other necessities (practicing social distance, of course) that you may have an excess of. Needs are everywhere, you simply have to reach out to discover them. Don't get overwhelmed into inaction trying to meet everybody's need, just focus on one person and one need at a time.

      • Gifts: If you are involved in a faith, friend, or neighborhood community, create an online group specializing in random acts of kindness. Challenge each other to post needs and try to come together to meet them. You may not have something to offer, but maybe someone in your group does. Team up and provide some meaningful gifts to those who could use a little pick-me-up. You'll also find working together as a group will encourage all involved. (Note: If you know any new homeschooling parents, here's a great resource that may help them fulfill a health requirement.)

      • Quality Time: During times of isolation and self-quarantine, quality time may look different. Maybe you are not meeting with that friend at the coffee shop, but why not video chat while drinking coffee together. You may not be able to the movies, but you could set up a watch party on Netflix using this chrome plug-in: Netflix Party. Grab some popcorn and enjoy a show together.

      • Physical Touch: Technology has played a crucial role in the midst of this pandemic with many people and organizations offering free videos and content for people stuck at home. Make sure you are taking (and making) time to connect physically with your loved one and children if you are limited to your house. Give a shoulder rub to your spouse while they work on the computer at home. Cozying up near your children as you read them a book. Just be mindful to break from the digital routine for some good, old fashioned connection via physical touch.

    • Ideas for Lockdown Date Nights:

      • Cook Together— There’s nothing more romantic than cooking together. Get your hands dirty in the kitchen with a recipe you’ve never tried before or better yet, have a cooking competition! Limit yourselves to only what’s in the cupboards presently (since we’re limiting our trips to stores anyway) and cook a dish each. After, you can have a tasting and decide that in the end you’re both winners since you have the prize of each others’ company.

      • At Home Spa— Head to Pinterest for some great DIY face masks, hair treatments and the like. Spend the evening pampering yourselves and relaxing as you take advantage of the extra down time quarantine has provided.

      • Picnic— Who says you need a park for a picnic? If you have a garden or a yard, lay a blanket out and get picnicking! Alternatively, for those without a grass patch at their disposal, have a picnic on the floor in your home. All you really need is the right energy. Light some candles, lay out a snack-spread, play some music and you’re good to go.

      • Games Night— There are plenty of two person games out there. Card games, board games, jenga, don’t limit yourself. Unleash your playful side with those games that have been gathering dust in your closet.

      • Make Plans— For the extrovert out there who can’t wait for the self-isolation to end, spend an evening making a bucket list. Plan all the things you want to do together as soon as the quarantine ends…and commit to doing them! No bailing out once the time comes.

  • Spend Time with Family: Lots of families will be home together,and for many of you, it’s been awhile since you’ve had time together. Enjoy it! Many of the tips I shared above for couples are relevant—from conflict resolution, to being intentional with this space and time, to practicing love languages with your family members. For parents trying to work from home, their ability to do so will rely on various factors from the age of their children and the layout of their home to the nature of their work. The temperament of parents and kids will also play a role. Here is some advice about helping your family prepare mentally for self-isolation, also @busytoddler on Instagram has some great advice for activities. There is advice on Pinterest for any kind of activity—from rainy day activities, to tips on getting out energy, to DIY ideas. Ultimately, as parents, have grace on yourself—this is a hard thing at a hard time. Ask for help and do what you need to stay sane.

  • Hold a Cooking Competition: pick four pantry ingredients and all start cooking over Zoom. We’ll judge based on presentation and creativity, not taste

  • Work Out with Your Friends: Pick a time to work out over FaceTime to hold each other accountable!

  • Play Party Games with Friends: several websites help host playing games like trivia games- join in on Jackboxtv. You can also play other card games with your friends online.

  • Start a Virtual Book Club with Friends: reading Trevor Noah’s “Born a Crime” is a good start ;)

  • Take an Online Class with Friends: websites like Brit + Co are offering some awesome classes that are a super cute way to not only have a fun activity to do during virtual happy hours with friends but also pick up a new hobby

SPIRITUAL SELF CARE

  • Base Intercession is being hosted by our YWAM Muiz Prayer Room via Facebook and Instagram live on Tuesday, March 24, 8:30 am - 9:30 am. They will post the link in an email the morning but also you can find it on our Facebook: YWAM Muiz Prayer Room or Instagram: @ywammuizprayerroom  

  • Our YWAM Muiz Prayer Room is hosting a 24-hour prayer chain for the next 30 days focused on the COVID-19 ending. The idea is to sign up for an hour (or more) and commit to praying wherever you are for that time Sign up for 24-hour prayer slots. You can use this Guide to Praying the Bible if it helps

  • A guide for Coronavirus Prayers— from 60 minutes, families-friendly, and some other forms

  • Examen for Life During the Coronavirus

  • You can join in for the Center for Prophetic Imagination who are leading morning examen together during the weekdays (8am CDT) for contemplative prayer, join via this Zoom link

  • Free Online Graduate-level Courses from BibleProject— self-paced, graduate-level theology classes will be online for free as it is a beta version to aid the church and ministry leaders in their study and teaching of the Bible as a unified story.

  • RealLA Church is releasing daily messages to encourage different spiritual rhythms in this season

  • Imagine your worries as an object, and during meditation imagine you turning this burden over to Jesus because He can carry it for you.

  • Practice meditation through breath prayer or body scan (there are some good ones on the Headspace app).

  • Have you ever written out the words that God has spoken to you, or others have shared? Write those out on a notecard and have them close. Speak them over yourself every day as a reminder of who God has created you to be!

  • This is a great opportunity for those that didn’t have a chance to do a bible study everyday or go to a bible college to understand how the Bible works through online courses. Here are a few available through Practicing the Way.

  • This is also a fantastic time to take an online course on Christian missions through the Center for World Missions’ Perspectives Course, which I took a few years back. It gives a biblical and historical context for and future look at where missions is headed!

  • The Practice of the Presence of God by Brother Lawrence is a classic piece of Christian literature. It’s a quick read, so read and reflect. How can you start to practice the presence of God in your daily life?

  • Pray for people—this is a fantastic time to be in prayer for missionaries ;), family members and all loved ones near and far in this time of crisis.

  • Learn about Peacemaking in the Pandemic with this online series released by Global Immersion Project

  • Practice Lectio Divina with these guided prompts

  • Spend a day off on a retreat with Jesus using this guided retreat

  • Download the Pause App— A simple way to connect with God in the middle of your busy day, from John Eldredge, this app invites you into the simple practice of releasing everything to God, restoring your union with God and inviting him to fill you.

  • Listen to “Save Me” by Steffany Gretzinger on repeat

DOMESTIC + FINANCIAL SELF CARE

  • For any US Citizens, look at this COVID-19 / Recession Relief Hub

  • With the US tax season coming up, now is a great time to analyze your budget and adjust things, start to track finances with the Mint app. One of my favorite resources is The Financial Diet, which is a resource for how to make a budget, save money and so many other incredible resources around finances!

    1. Go through your belongings:

      1. Go through your clothing: mend what needs to be mended, get altered what doesn’t fit, what is too tight donate or sell online

      2. Go through your possessions with the Marie Kondo method— more on this during the pandemic

      3. Go through your beauty products:what don’t you use, what is expired, what do you need to explore now that you’re older and have different needs (eg. skincare)

    2. Do a deep clean of your space with this Real Simple method

    3. Start to make your home more eco-friendly, here are 50 Ways to Make Your Home More Eco-Friendly and start to cut plastic out of your life (this journey will help you see what you can actually get that is in reusable or biodegradable containers—from water filters, make up, trash can liners, etc.)

    4. Get 1Password—one of the BEST investments I’ve made to keep my information safe and never forget passwords was to spend the tedious hours of entering my log in details and updating my passwords so that they are safe with this app. Do it! You can also do a family plan so that in case of a death in the family, you can get access to different accounts for closure.

VOCATIONAL SELF CARE

  • Prepare for checking in with supporters with these tips covered in this video:

    • I'm thinking about sending out a daily to every other day newsletter/email during quarantine time. How strong of an ask should be in these? Should this be a separate format from my usual newsletter? 

    • I'm concerned that our ministry is shut down. How do we ask for more support if we’ve stopped our activities because of virus isolation? 

    • What do you do with or say to people who say they will support you, but haven't started yet?

  • Do the StrengthsFinder test and look into hiring a coach in your area (or online) to train you in how to understand your results and ways to implement it into your life.

  • Read the “Boundaries” books to better understand how to set them for your personal work / life balance.

  • Think about the professional goals you have, what initiative you need and what needs to be communicated in order to take steps towards them.

  • Think about an area where you could use mentorship—be that personally or professionally. Think about who may be a person that could give you advice in different areas (I personally have many mentors, including for my marriage, as a woman in ministry, for leadership, etc.)

  • Check in with your co-workers to see how they are holding up during this crisis. This will help with your friendship outside of just the workplace

  • The Small Business COVID-19 Survival Guide— 90 ideas to help SME’s and entrepreneurs survive an epidemic

  • Read through “When You Cross Cultures” which is available for free download— especially good is section three with chapters related to cross-cultural stress

  • Read from World Evangelical Alliance Resources on some other topics from missions, theology, world religions, etc.

  • Watch these free Team Transformation Videos with Pete Scazzero (“Emotionally Healthy Spirituality”)

START OR CONTINUE THE RECOVERY PROCESS

In times of stress or boredom, many of us relapse in our recovery from an addiction— there are options to get the help you need!

If you are interested in joining an online Recovery Group for any sort of addiction- from co-dependency, sexual or alcohol addiction— there are so many online options and for me its been one of the best expressions of spiritual and holistic self care. If there’s not information about a group that you’re interested in joining, just send a message to Katie - everything will be kept confidential

For information about local groups - check out this page

If you're looking for recovery and trauma healing support, join this free online four part series Surviving the Storm: Critical Skills for Addiction & Trauma Recovery During this COVID-19 Crisis

To read more: How the Wisdom of the Twelve Step Programs Can Help Get Us Through the Pandemic

Or watch: Surviving the Storm: Critical Skills for Addiction & Trauma Recovery During this COVID-19 Crisis


 Mental Health During Coronavirus

““We’re feeling a number of different griefs. We feel the world has changed, and it has. We know this is temporary, but it doesn’t feel that way, and we realize things will be different. Just as going to the airport is forever different from how it was before 9/11, things will change and this is the point at which they changed. The loss of normalcy; the fear of economic toll; the loss of connection. This is hitting us and we’re grieving. Collectively. We are not used to this kind of collective grief in the air.”

— David Kessler (the world’s foremost expert on grief)

As the COVID-19 Support team we do want to acknowledge the stress and anxiety that the lockdown is likely to cause, and the potential effects it could have upon one’s psychological wellbeing. Those of us who already find themselves having to manage some mental health challenges such as depression, anxiety, mood variances could feel particularly vulnerable at this time.

Here are some trips for protecting your Mental Health during this time:

  • Limit the News and Be Careful What You Read:

    • Limit the amount of time you spend reading or watching things which aren't making you feel better. Perhaps decide on a specific time to check in with the news

    • There is a lot of misinformation swirling around - stay informed by sticking to trusted sources of information such as government and NHS websites. You can report misinformation here.

  • Have Breaks From Social Media and Mute Things Which are Triggering:

  • Mute key words which might be triggering on Twitter and unfollow or mute accounts

  • Mute WhatsApp groups and hide Facebook posts and feeds if you find them too overwhelming

  • Stay Connected with People:

    • Increasing numbers will join those already in self-isolation so now might be a good time to make sure you have the right phone numbers and email addresses of the people you care about. 

    • Agree regular check-in times and feel connected to the people around you

  • Avoid Burnout:

    • Acknowledge: Notice and acknowledge the uncertainty as it comes to mind.

    • Pause: Don't react as you normally do. Don't react at all. Pause and breathe.

    • Pull back: Tell yourself this is just the worry talking, and this apparent need for certainty is not helpful and not necessary. It is only a thought or feeling. Don't believe everything you think. Thoughts are not statements or facts

    • Let go: Let go of the thought or feeling. It will pass. You don't have to respond to them. You might imagine them floating away in a bubble or cloud

    • Explore: Explore the present moment, because right now, in this moment, all is well. Notice your breathing and the sensations of your breathing. Notice the ground beneath you. Look around and notice what you see, what you hear, what you can touch, what you can smell. Right now. Then shift your focus of attention to something else - on what you need to do, on what you were doing before you noticed the worry, or do something else - mindfully with your full attention

THE STAGES OF PROCESSING:

STAGE ONE: Security

  • Your first few days and weeks in a crisis are crucial, and you should make ample room to allow for a mental adjustment. It is perfectly normal and appropriate to feel bad and lost during this initial transition. Consider it a good thing that you are not in denial, and that you are allowing yourself to work through the anxiety. No sane person feels good during a global disaster, so be grateful for the discomfort of your sanity. At this stage, I would focus on food, family, friends, and maybe fitness. (You will not become an Olympic athlete in the next two weeks, so don’t put ridiculous expectations on your body.)

  • Know that you are not failing. Let go of all of the profoundly daft ideas you have about what you should be doing right now. Instead, focus intensely on your physical and psychological security. Your first priority during this early period should be securing your home. Get sensible essentials for your pantry, clean your house, and make a coordinated family plan. Have reasonable conversations with your loved ones about emergency preparedness. If you have a loved one who is an emergency worker or essential worker, redirect your energies and support that person as your top priority. Identify their needs, and then meet those needs.

  • No matter what your family unit looks like, you will need a team in the weeks and months ahead. Devise a strategy for social connectedness with a small group of family, friends, and/or neighbors, while maintaining physical distancing in accordance with public-health guidelines. Identify the vulnerable and make sure they are included and protected. The best way to build a team is to be a good teammate, so take some initiative to ensure that you are not alone. If you do not put this psychological infrastructure in place, the challenge of necessary physical-distancing measures will be crushing. Build a sustainable and safe social system now.

STAGE TWO: The Mental Shift

  • Once you have secured yourself and your team, you will feel more stable, your mind and body will adjust, and you will crave challenges that are more demanding. Given time, your brain can and will reset to new crisis conditions, and your ability to do higher-level work will resume. This mental shift will make it possible for you to return to being a high-performance person, even under extreme conditions. However, do not rush or prejudge your mental shift, especially if you have never experienced a disaster before.

  • Now more than ever, we must abandon the performative and embrace the authentic. Our essential mental shifts require humility and patience. Focus on real internal change. These human transformations will be honest, raw, ugly, hopeful, frustrated, beautiful, and divine. And they will be slower than keener academics are used to. Be slow. Let this distract you. Let it change how you think and how you see the world. Because the world is our work. And so, may this tragedy tear down all our faulty assumptions and give us the courage of bold new ideas.

STAGE THREE: Embrace Your New Normal

  • On the other side of this shift, your wonderful, creative, resilient brain will be waiting for you. When your foundations are strong, build a weekly schedule that prioritizes the security of your home team, and then carve out time blocks for different categories of your work: teaching, administration, and research. Do the easy tasks first and work your way into the heavy lifting. Wake up early. The online yoga and crossfit will be easier at this stage.

  • Things will start to feel more natural. The work will also make more sense, and you will be more comfortable about changing or undoing what is already in motion. New ideas will emerge that would not have come to mind had you stayed in denial. Continue to embrace your mental shift. Have faith in the process. Support your team.

  • Understand that this is a marathon. If you sprint at the beginning, you will vomit on your shoes by the end of the month. Emotionally prepare for this crisis to continue for 12 to 18 months, followed by a slow recovery. If it ends sooner, be pleasantly surprised. Right now, work toward establishing your serenity, productivity, and wellness under sustained disaster conditions.

    None of us knows how long this crisis will last. We all want our troops to be home before Christmas. The uncertainty is driving us all mad. Of course, there will be a day when the pandemic is over. We will hug our neighbors and our friends. We will return to our classrooms and coffee shops. Our borders will eventually reopen to freer movement. Our economies will one day recover from the forthcoming recessions.

    Yet we are just at the beginning of that journey. For most people, our minds have not come to terms with the fact that the world has already changed. Denial only serves to delay the essential process of acceptance, which will allow us to reimagine ourselves in this new reality.

  • On the other side of this journey of acceptance are hope and resilience. We will know that we can do this, even if our struggles continue for years. We will be creative and responsive, and will find light in all the nooks and crannies. We will learn new recipes and make unusual friends. We will have projects we cannot imagine today, and will inspire students we have not yet met. And we will help each other. No matter what happens next, together, we will be blessed and ready to serve.

A FEW MORE RESOURCES:

  • Should you find yourself at an increased place of distress or are faced with increasing thoughts of painful thinking in regard to life itself please do not suffer in silence. Instead please reach out to any one of the following people Lucy Markus, Katie Aijian, Dave Peter or any of the other COVID-19 Response Team for further support and care. We are confident that we may be able to have the means available to further facilitate supportive care. Alternatively reach out to a supportive friend or circle leader, but please do not be silent.