Reminder: Nothing Is Normal

The past few days I've noticed a trend...all over social media I see people saying, "I'm not sure what's wrong with me, but I feel sad/anxious/down/depressed/can't sleep, and my work and family is suffering because of it."

Now, I'm going to start off by stating the obvious: I am not a psychologist.

But, I am paid to observe people, and make sure their stories are being told in a way that is relatable and resonates. And what I'm seeing right now, is an entire workforce forgetting one thing:

Nothing about what is happening right now is normal.

From the pandemic, to the current President refusing to leave office, politicians feuding on TV, and many of us facing massive changes with the way our families function (children being homeschooled, working from the dining room table, etc...), nothing about our day to day lives is remotely the same as it was a year ago. Even if you are an essential worker, and still commuting, going in to work, etc...don't forget: everything around you has changed.

Everywhere you look, listen, and overhear conversations - it's about, "Did you hear that ____ died from Covid? It's terrible." Or, "My children are so sad they don't have their normal school activities and can't see their friends." All of this weighs heavy on our hearts, minds, and bodies.

But, the part that bothers me the most, is that some people seem to believe if they simply ignore it, their employees will go on with "business as usual." Now, that's easy for me to say, because I'm self employed - so, if my boss is a jackass, I have nobody to blame except myself, right?

So, where do we go from here? With everyone having different needs emotionally, physically, mentally, what the hell do we do?

I'm not exactly sure. So, perhaps we start by acknowledgement and validation? This could be a good jumping off point:

"Hey, I know this pandemic is hard on everyone. Nothing about what we are experiencing is normal, so if you need to talk, let me know. What you are feeling, no matter what it is...is so damn valid. Reach out. You are seen."

Also, think about getting creative with how you show up for your employees. One great example of this came across my timeline yesterday. I noticed that Br8kthru (disclosure: client) implemented an employee winter wellness program, allowing their employees to purchase something of their choice to help them find comfort during the dark and cold winter months (one employee - Michelle Petersen - chose to buy a faux fur blanket to keep her cozy while working). I thought to myself, "How simple, and thoughtful to do something like that for your employees without being prompted."

In closing, I want to be clear and make sure you understand something: you are doing everything you can to survive, stay safe, sane, and work hard - and that means something. I'm not asking for toxic positivity - that can be just as bad as ignoring the problem itself...all I'm saying is that acknowledging what your team is going through could go a long way. Instead of harping on people if their kids come in during a zoom call, tell them you see how hard they are working to balance everything life is throwing at them. Instead of micromanaging deadlines and tasks, ask if everyone is doing OK and if anyone needs to grab a virtual coffee to vent, cry, tell sarcastic jokes, or meditate.

And above all, be a real, flawed, understanding, human being. It's literally all we can expect from people right now, during crisis. Your team is trying, your boss is trying, your spouse, partner, kids, and family...are all trying their best. Taking time to recognize that may go farther than you think.

Take care, everyone...and be safe.

Erica