‘NEW NORMAL’ PRIORITIES

Preparing to live in a changed world

BY Archana Law

The pandemic has turned our lives upside down; it has confined us to our homes and caused people to struggle with the very basics of living. When restrictions were first imposed, organisations had to transform their business and operating models, not to mention work locations, overnight.

For homes and families, this accelerated an ongoing journey towards a more digitalised and technology dependent routine. Expectations of working from home (WFH) and promoting a work-life balance gave way to extended working hours, less leisure time with family and more stress.

With organisations and individuals being caught unawares by the sudden changes, many painful mistakes were made. Life adjustments came with a wide range of experiences and emotions – with many in survival mode trying to gather information and resources to function in school, at work, and individually and in relationships.

Some attempted to combat social isolation and learn to live with friends, family members, partners or roommates while others have struggled to find a distraction free space at home to work in.

Struggles with fatigue, frustration, sadness, anger, grief, anxiety and so on may not be over yet – our thoughts are inevitably turning to what the ‘new normal’ may look like. Despite the many unknowns, it’s safe to assume that it is highly unlikely that the world will simply go back to ‘business as usual.’

So why don’t we apply a classic crisis management model to our lives and businesses – i.e. where we prepare for, prevent, cope with and recover?

After all, a lot is at stake… and stakeholders must act quickly!

In addition to the obvious tech savvy, proactive communication oriented, media visible, decisive and creative traits, here are some pointers to help you live well under the ‘new normal.’

ANTICIPATE We often know when challenges are approaching, and the anticipation of such an event or situation can trigger a range of thoughts and feelings that could make things feel worse. It is normal to feel upset or worried when tough times are coming.

# An accurate awareness of your feelings and those of others helps regulate the same, and deploy emotions that are appropriate to the situation.

RESPOND The ability to perceive your emotions accurately in the moment, and understand tendencies across situations, helps make informed and balanced choices when facing challenges. This means staying on top of your typical reactions to specific events, challenges and people.

# Being aware of your feelings puts you – rather than your emotions – in charge.

RECALL We have all experienced difficulties at one time or another. Remembering what has helped us manage in the past or thinking about what we might be able to learn from previous experiences can help us develop useful strategies to deal with the situation.

# Focussing on the way you think about what you’re doing that already works, what doesn’t and what you need to do differently dramatically alters the results you garner.

MANAGE When tragedies occur, horrific headlines and images often play in our minds, again and again. It’s common to experience a wide range of emotions that are too complex to organise. It is not easy to wrap our minds around sudden feelings of shock, disbelief, fear and sadness that affect all areas of our lives or drown our spirits.

# These are normal reactions to abnormal situations. We perceive the world through our senses and create models of reality. But our inner resources can make all the difference.

SUPPORT Social support is important for everyone, particularly at times of distress. Seeking supportive people can also mean making choices not to engage with those who are disrespectful of our feelings or unhelpful in terms of how they respond to us.

Sometimes, we may decide that professional help is needed and we’ll be better equipped through early planning before the situation arises.

# Doing something different will make a difference!

BE FLEXIBLE With the pandemic still in force, two of the most appreciated and in demand qualities are flexibility and adaptability. Flexibility doesn’t mean simply switching locations and being available at odd hours. We need to be prepared for jobs and tasks that don’t yet exist.

# A willingness to work under all sorts of stresses and pressures, and adjust to new and unexpected tasks and responsibilities, is considered one of the most desired competencies going forward.

While we can’t change reality, we do possess a tremendous sphere of control. To feel more in charge, we must remember ways that will put us in the driver’s seat.

Uncertainty can derail and paralyse us; but it can also fuel learning, growth and progress. When we’re pushed to change, we can resist… but we can also break out of old patterns and step forward with fresh purpose.