Find out if you’re suffering from Pandemic Fatigue and some strategies to cope with it.
By: Javier Perez Viu
Tags: Burnout, Fatigue, 2020, Resilience, Mental Health

Foto de Polina Tankilevitch en Pexels

We’re about to end one of the most challenging years in recent history: a global pandemic, a global news and PR crisis and the worst economic downfall our collective knowledge has experienced… To add a pinch of salt, we’re immersed in a hypercompetitive and ever-comparing society where we escape to social media to be first row expectators of the life displays of our peers… All this is actually creating the perfect storm to put our resilience to test and really push our limits when it comes to mental wellness.

Like in many cases, the best strategy is to tackle the situation as soon as possible

A new term has been popping in our conversations as we see more lockdowns and restrictions being placed in every country: pandemic fatigue. Coping with all the above plus all side effects both personal and professional can be a lot and is putting everyone under test. Being in this situation can be dangerous in the long run and in order to avoid it, like in many cases, the best strategy is to tackle the situation as soon as possible. For this reason I wanted to share with you a few questions that will help you identify if you’re suffering from this kind of fatigue.

The following questions have been adapted from an original questionnaire published by the Mayo Clinic to identify how well people were coping at work and if they are at risk of burnout.

Has this situation made you cynical or critical?

Do you find you have to drag yourself out of bed and it’s hard to get the day started?

Do your colleagues, friends, family or employers annoy you?

Has your patience worn thin?

Do you suffer from low energy levels?

Do you find life disappointing?

Do you use food, drugs or alcohol to feel better or to numb unpleasant feelings?

Have you noticed changes in your sleeping patterns or appetite?

Do you suffer from “unexplained” headaches, backaches or other physiological ailments

If you responded in the affirmative to more than one question, you should discuss coping strategies with your employer or a health care professional. It is also worth checking your general state of health.

Full Disclosure: I suffered myself from this kind of fatigue. I realised my patience was wearing off and sometimes life seemed like too much to handle. Business is difficult and although I kept my habits in check there’s an underlining tendency to indulging as a respond to coping with very specific situations.

For this reason I want to share with you the strategies that have helped me deal with such situation in an attempt to show some of the possibilities and maybe be a helping hand in such a difficult time.

1.- Intention — Set an intention for your day first thing in the morning. In the current situations everyday can feel like a dangerous repetition of the one before. Our habits can seem to fade out and we jump into a weird time-space dimension where we can’t even differentiate Monday from Wednesday and it’s even difficult to remember what we had for dinner yesterday… In order to cop with this and make every day count, try to set an intention for the day. Ask yourself: What would make today great? Who do I want to be today? What is my desired headline for today? In this direction setting daily goals can also help, this is a proven method of both giving meaning to a day and also keeping a good record of your progress in any area of your life. Tip: Include this into your daily meditation practice for higher efficiency.

2.- Take care of yourself — Although this can seem a very obvious one I’m still surprised how many clients identify this as an area to work on and usually a forgotten field for too long periods. The fatigue and stress can increase is increasing your cortisol levels and diminishing the response of your immune system (cortisol is the drug you get injected tu suppress the immune system before a transplant) and this is making you more prone to disease. In order to boost immune system you should exercise daily (15 minutes is enough), watch out your diet and try to get a bit of direct sunlight. An amazing strategy also is to do breathwork (pranayama for my fellow yogis). Last but not least have a proper assessment of your sleeping patterns as this is the cornerstone of your overall health.

3.- Connect with others — Talk with trusted colleagues or friends about the issues you’re facing. They might be able to provide insights or offer suggestions for coping. Sometimes simply talking about a stressor can be a relief and will help you challenge your own thoughts and maybe see things differently or get new insights. Bond over phone, zoom, facetime or whatever means you prefer but try to not face these times on your own. Also sharing your stories and showing vulnerability can be incredibly powerful and bring a big sense of relief.

4.- Have an Outlet — It’s good to set aside time to activities that can bring you joy and do them just for the sake of doing them.

5.- Know when to seek help — If none of the above relieves your feelings of fatigue or burnout, please consult a mental health provider. Through counseling, you can learn effective ways to handle job stress.

I hope you found this interesting. Feel free to reach out if you want to further discuss the above. I’d love to hear your experience.