Regulating emotions during covid-19 and a recession: zoom out for context

Our attentional focus impacts our judgements, decisions, and wellbeing.

Reality presents us with a dynamic state of nature where there are ebbs and flows and ups and downs.

Our subjective experience applies a lens through which to interpret these ebbs and flows and ups and downs.

Focusing too narrowly on events and shorter time horizons can lead to both positive and negative outcomes. (As with most things, it's about balance.) A narrow focus can allow us to be responsive to immediate needs and take pragmatic actions to resolve unexpected issues that arise. Problematically, it can have us ignore broader contextual factors and trends, leading to producing solutions that do not adequately address future needs.

Within our narrow focus, what we tend to focus on can be important.

Narrow Focus: The 'Down'

Focusing too narrowly on a 'down' can adversely impact our emotional and physical wellbeing, as well as lead to rash decisions. We become responsive to situations, which can be reasonable (of course), though the problem lies in our miscalibrated reactions.

Case-in-point, the ever-increasing covid-19 numbers and plummeting stock markets leads to our strong emotional responses and a suite of maladaptive behaviours that could lead to poorer outcomes.

Narrow Focus: The 'Up'

On the other hand, when we narrowly focus on the 'ups', it can have equally poor outcomes. For instance, although it can lead to a positive mood, this emotional state can negatively affect our decision-making by making us less vigilant and attentive to errors and risk.

Thus, positive moods and emotions do not already produce positive outcomes, as under-appreciating risks in (i) covid-19 can lead to acquiring the infection or transmitting it to others, and (ii) financial products can lead to decision-making that lands you in financial hurt.

An Exercise For You

To experience the impact of focus and context, let us try a quick activity.

Below, I've included 7 shots of the NASDAQ Composite at various time scales: 1 day, 5 days, 1 month, 6 months, 1 year, 5 years, and Max.

I'd like you to experience and reflect upon the emotions you feel when you look at each of these shots.

Are your emotions and thinking affected by the temporal context with which you are presented?

?Takeaways

• Attentional focus and context is important.
• When you are too narrowly focused, consider zooming out to gain greater perspective.
• If you are too broadly focused, consider zooming in to consider the urgent, short-term considerations.

Reach out to talk our brains, behaviour, and decision-making -> [email protected]

~ Isaac

***

1 day

5 days

1 month

6 months

1 year

5 years

Max