We are all experiencing collective trauma from this CoVid-19 reality, whether we are aware of it or not.
Think about it:
We’ve never seen anything like this before.
E-ve-ry-thing is cancelled. When has this ever happened in this lifetime?
We’re walking through an extraordinary transformation of lifestyle.
We’re terrified for ourselves and our loved ones’ safety.
We ruminate over the alarming stories of massive deaths across the world.
We wonder if we’re taking precaution the right way.
Many are navigating the chaos of getting tested.
People’s retirement investments have crashed before their eyes.
Many are getting laid off left to right.
As you can see, these times are putting a strain on our hearts and minds.
Yet, many workplaces are pressing on, trying to keep business going as usual (through virtual platforms).
Organizations do this without truly realizing that keeping up with the regular workload while homeschooling children, looking out for elderly parents, navigating the loneliness and stress brought on by social distancing, and so on, can cause additional strain to the trauma we’re already grappling with.
I encourage us all to be sharply aware of the impact of this virus.
It. Is. Traumatic.
I recognize that work must go on, but I also encourage us to be more compassionate towards ourselves and others as we navigate this new life.
Leaders, if your team has the luxury of working from home,
It’s okay to designate mental health days during each work week.
It’s okay to put a temporary halt to the frequent Zoom meetings — Give your team a chance to adjust.
It’s okay to mitigate the workload for now.
It’s okay to give yourself and your team a chance to be reflective and be still.
IT’S TIME TO PUT PEOPLE OVER BUSINESS.
The trauma of COVID-19 is real.
