We live in an alarming background of war, the inability to plan. The situation is aggravated by the blackout. Darkness naturally limits the possibility of movement, we freeze. It happens that we are out of control, we meet with our powerlessness, our desires and plans are not fulfilled. Hence frustration - negative emotions from not being able to get what is important. This is what happens to every Ukrainian. This is what HR finds itself in, each time facing the situation of a large number of people it cares about.Before the war, HR belonged to a group at increased risk of stress and emotional burnout, with the war these processes intensified. “Putting on an oxygen mask first” is more relevant than ever. To help others, you must first take care of your resource. After all, a person can think clearly and see the situation more broadly only when the nervous system is in a calm state.
How to reduce tension, anxiety and stress? It is important to understand that:
1. Breathing.
Concentration and control of breathing is the most common and effective professional ambulance technique for panic attacks and acute traumatic condition.Breathing management helps quickly enough. Try to start taking a calm breath, where the exhalation is 2 times longer than the breath. In addition, it will help in switching the brain from anxious thoughts - focus on the calculation in thought.The technique of breathing by square has proven itself.Inhale 1-2-3-4Breathing DelayingInhalation 1-2-3-4Breathing DelayRepeat 4-5 cycles.
2. Wash with cold water
(below 20 degrees Celsius) or put something cold to the neck area and lower face.
3. Physical activity.
Better yet, regular. After all, the psyche lives in the body and without connecting the body it is difficult to cope with stress. Any physical activity leads to the release into the body of the “hormones of happiness” - dopamine, serotonin and endorphin, reducing the level of cortisol in the blood - the stress hormone.
4th. Written Practices.
Freelearning technique, morning pages. When everything that comes to mind is written out in a free stream. When we write, it becomes more clear what is happening to us, we process the emotions with the text and that reduces the tension. Further, with what is written, we can do what we want - tear, burn. We carry out actions - we manage the situation.
5. Perform available controlled actions
For example, this is the recommendation of McRaven William, a retired US Navy admiral: “If you want to change a life and maybe the world - first fill the bed!"” If you clean the bed in the morning, you will complete the first task of the day. This will give you a sense of pride and stimulate you to solve another question, and then another and more. And by the end of the day, this task will turn into a large number of others. But if you have a bad day, you come home and you are greeted by the cleaned bed you have removed, it will give you hope for a better tomorrow.” It is also important to remember what background surrounds us, largely unstable, anxious, often apathetic. And that now the main task of each of us is self-preservation. In order to... but here everyone has their own answer, for why.After all, remember, like Victor Frankl's “If you know “why”, then you can withstand any “how”. It is very important to know your “why”.
6. Learn to distinguish between “self-harm” and “self-violence.”
Many ambitious tasks that used to be the norm are now beyond fulfillment and create even more stress in a stressful situation. And self-violence is fraught with somatic diseases and depression. And how in this state is it possible to be effective and help others? I repeat - now is the time for self-preservation, to find personal resources and supports. And then you can go out again at the usual pace and unleash your potential.
7. From time to time, after the important stages are completed, it is important to summarize and integrate experiences.
In order to look and spend the past, congratulate and appropriate new knowledge about yourself, see your reality, realize your strength.It will be good to find answers to the following questions:
The integration of experience is very important, without it it is impossible to take a new one.
8. Create certainty where possible.
It is important to create algorithms for yourself and employees wherever possible. People need to have a clear understanding of what to do. In case of alarm, turn off the light. Stress management.When a person has a clear plan of what to do in the event of force majeure, it is much easier to carry out work tasks, anxiety and stress are reduced.—Remember that the state and the experiences you experience are normal in our abnormal situation. This is a period that must be experienced by supporting yourself. Remind yourself that it is not forever and it will end.These recommendations are far from all. And although they are universal, each of us has our own unique history, personality traits, and stress response patterns. Personal work with a psychologist is especially useful and important here, and this opportunity is now available to you, the training of colleagues “Rozumiu” is at a high level of professionalism and many cases of help to Ukrainians and thousands of consultations during the war.Take care of yourself and Be well with wellbeing Tatiana Mishchenko, ex-HRD psychologist, integrative psychotherapist, crisis coach of the Corporate Welfare Platform “Rozumiu”.