Key skills to keep you safe & sane

Ironically, I had been planning to publish a blog on skills for success this week, but it seemed a bit trite with everything going on in the world right now.

Instead, I have adapted this idea to cover skills to keep you safe and sane over the coming weeks and months.

Many of these have wider application, so I’ll definitely look back at them once this coronavirus malarkey passes and adapt this blog accordingly.

Man jumping for joy showing it's possible to enjoy work

Consistency

While we can still get out and about, do things, and see people, do!

Many events and gatherings are being cancelled, but there are also a lot of things open for business.

We need to adapt, but life doesn’t need to grind to a halt. If not, the whole economy will crash, be it on a local, regional, national, or global scale.

Maintain normality where possible – take precautions in terms of hygiene and safety, of course – but do those things, see those people and support those local businesses etc.

Holding onto this sense of normality will also be beneficial for your mental and physical health.

Connectivity

Whether you’re stuck at home or not, make the most of contact with others. Obviously, if you are face-to-face, do not put yourself or anyone else at risk, but enjoy that human contact while you can. Especially if you are likely to become deprived of it through self-isolation at some point.

Also, take advantage of online tools to communicate with others. The technology is there, so use it! Use it to foster, build and maintain relationships or to check in with others to ensure they are ok.

In my local community, a Facebook group called “Coronaheroes Peterborough has been set up in the last 24 hours to provide necessary help to people in need. Maybe there’s something similar in your local area.

Connectivity

Balance

Nothing new or original here, but ensure you are getting enough, regular sleep and are keeping hydrated throughout the day. This will help your underlying immunity levels, as well as your energy and positive mental health.

Where possible, try to get a balanced diet and do some exercise. If you cannot get outside, look for yoga or other inside activities. There are some great online videos to follow and those tins you’ve been stockpiling could make great hand-weights!

women punching into the air - fighter/resilient

Routines

You may already have regular routines, but if not, now could be a great time to establish some.

Routines could help to keep you balanced, healthy and ensure you do not end up working too much (or too little). Try to go to bed and get up at consistent times and take regular breaks throughout the day.

Routines

Perspective

“This too shall pass”

It can be hard to do this when the whole world seems to have gone quite mad, but try to maintain a sense of perspective about all this. Many of us will get the coronavirus at some point. A few will sadly not survive. Most of us will be ok.

Worrying about it excessively will not change anything and could also depress your immune system, leaving you more vulnerable. Cancelling appointments or subscriptions could also have a significant effect on small businesses, so if they’re open and you can maintain them, do it for everyone’s sake.

plant budding out of tree to represent new possibility with blue diamond logo

Adaptability

Life is not always black and white—often there are many more shades of gray, if you look carefully.

Are there alternative ways of working or doing things?

Do you have to meet someone face-to-face or could you do it over the phone or by video conference?

Can you email or exchange files in some other way?

Can you adapt the way that you get approval for something?

Sometimes we simply need to be open to other ways of thinking or working. Other times it helps us to be more… resourceful.

Resourcefulness

In more abundant circumstances, when money or other resources are more readily available, it can be easy not to use our resourcefulness. Yet as belts need to be tightened, or if we have less access to resources, it’s amazing how this skill can naturally kick in.

We can think more creatively, we can think differently, and we can try different things to find a solution. Go on—you may just amaze yourself!

Here at Blue Diamond we offer resources like our Essential Skills Workshops that give you the ability to protect your best interests and thriving whilst doing it!

Positive mental attitude

Things are already surreal on an unprecedented scale. There could be more trying times ahead; things could get completely out of hand. Who knows how far this will go and how long it will last?

There will certainly be things that challenge you, so do your best to keep positive for your own benefit as well as for those around you. To a certain extent, we are all in this together.

Balance

This is undoubtedly a stressful situation. There is no certainty over what will happen, how long this will take to pass, or how the economic and social environment will ultimately look. However, giving yourself undue stress is not helpful.

Ensure you build in regular breaks—physically take a break from what you are doing.

If you can add in some movement, then great.

Mental breaks are also important.

Do something different, do something to help others and do something to benefit yourself.

Two 'one way' signs pointing in opposite directions - looking for next role

Kindness

Whatever you are going through, others might be going through the same – or worse. Not everyone shows it in the same way.

  • Be kind and respectful.
  • Don’t put others in unnecessary danger.
  • Don’t take your stress out on others.
  • Be generous if you can.
  • Charity begins at home, be kind to family, friends and loved ones.
  • Be kind to neighbours, especially those on their own.

Organisation

Although it seems hard to imagine right now, there will be life after the coronavirus, as there was after WWI, WWII and Brexit. We will need to ensure that each and every one of us is in the best possible situation (state, condition etc) to pick life up again afterwards.

Planning for a return to normal (or the new normal) will be important to help pick the economy up again ASAP. This could save your job or your business. This could save the economy from dipping too low. This could ultimately save lives.

Resilience

Resilience is the ability to bounce back after something bad has happened. It’s also, the ability to not be impacted too badly by whatever life throws our way.

Resilience is an invisible superpower. It’s a muscle that can be strengthened. Take the opportunity to reflect on how resilient you are being, how strong for yourself and others. What else could you do to enhance this strength within these challenging times?

Wrap-up

Ironically, I had been planning to publish a blog on skills for success this week, but it seemed a bit trite with everything going on in the world right now. Instead, I have adapted this idea to cover skills to keep you safe & sane over the coming weeks and months, whatever this might bring.

Whether we’re in business or we work for others, these are essential skills that can help us through these difficult times. We may even come out stronger on the other side as a result!

Thanks for reading. Check out other Blue Diamond articles to help you take control of your work and life.