The COVID-19 crisis has been full of unpredictable scenarios. Your work environment has likely become less predictable, the way you work and treat patients is probably different, and you have a lot less control than you used to. As a result of these changes and the feeling of loss of control, you may be feeling angry, frustrated, anxious, burned out, or sad. You may have even noticed changes in your relationships and decision-making ability.
In this short video, Dr. Shekhar Saxena from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, walks you through a few helpful actions you can explore to help protect you from the negative effects of feeling a lack of control, and begin to control what you can. His recommendations include:
- Recognize that there are limits to what one can control.
- Recognize that when there are many uncontrolled stressors, resilience is very important.
- Seek assistance when needed.
- Identify and utilize resources to support your resilience.
- Break down uncontrolled situations into smaller, more manageable components.
- Consult with colleagues.
- See the bigger picture and put things into perspective.
- Follow self-care steps.