In the same boat, but where are you rowing?

I still haven't decided where to go for Easter: the living room or the bedroom.

While humor does help, I realize that along with most of my friends and colleagues I feel a near-constant underlying stress. It is not just the lack of clarity or real leadership. I hear many colleagues around the world express that they feel adrift and powerless. I am feeling pretty unproductive too. Even though I am at my desk 40+ hours per week, it seems like a lot less is getting done. That makes me uneasy and adds more stress. This pattern seems pretty universal.

We may want to believe that it will all be over soon, but most of the smart bets are on the opposite. A recent MIT study citing Imperial College analysis suggests that we’ll be undergoing some level of serious disruption for a year or longer unless a vaccine emerges. Health professionals say that is very unlikely to happen this year. So, it is healthier to face the likely scenarios now, with courage rather than the repeated disappointments as quarantines and bad news continue.

Facing probable reality frees us up to consider our next steps more thoughtfully and to act with more grace. They say if you want to find out who your real friends are, just ask to borrow a couple rolls of toilet paper. But if that is your problem, you are fortunate. The disease infects equally but it is the poorest who are bearing the greatest effects of this crisis: people without incomes, adequate shelter, or healthcare. It is at times like these that our best natures can emerge. It is understandably tempting to guard our own needs but we can also elect to be more considerate of those less fortunate. As the Chinese character for crisis illustrates, it is a changing point or opportunity. So, let's worry less about how efficient we are in this crisis, and instead focus on how we can each be the angels of good change in our own communities.