Your COVID-19 personality test

Till few weeks back, could we have ever thought that we will be home quarantined and will not step out for days or maybe weeks together?

Now, that we are into it, are you taking things easy as they gradually shape-up, realizing that it’s in fact beyond your control; or you are nervous about what will or could happen next?

Are you going crazy, crying over what’s lost or are you exploring new opportunities in these times of ambiguity?

During such crazy times, to some people, fighting over toilet paper and purchasing triple the needs of canned food makes sense. Driven by the social pressure of empty shelves and in fear of losing out, they fight. to others, such behavior is unacceptable, whatever what. Clearly some cope differently to others when it come to this pandemic.

The question is, why? And the answer is “Personalities”

Our behaviors are influenced by many factors, including surrounding circumstances, habits and this article focus on Personality!

Why bother to understand your personality if it's thought to be steady across time and context, and difficult to change? Exposing the signals your personality is sending during high stake times like this, will give you some choice over how to cope with the situation that COVID-19 pandemic has brought like job loss, threat of disease or social isolation.

Whether you referred back to the BIG FIVE personality traits, Myers–Briggs Type Indicator, social matrix or any other personality assessment, it all comes down during this pandemic to how are you reacting to 3 major aspects:

Anxiety: worrying about the unknown (job-health-scares resources of food, etc.)

Social distancing: reacting to human relations whether those you wish to have but had to turn them into digital interactions or those that you are forced to have through work or a delivery man for example

Micro-public disorder: the reactions that you take once you are in a public place during such restrictions (being in a supermarket or a pharmacy and have to interact with others through rules, orders and regulations)

Ask yourself the following questions and reflect on them

If you’re lucky, you might catch yourself doing any unnecessary behavior in time and make better choices right now or in the future.

Bottom line: Self-awareness will help!

The really difficult challenge is to spot the wave of behavioral signals as it’s happening and step back before you’re dragged into action and while personality change is really difficult, you can at least be aware of the behavioral signals your personality is sending you and try to make better choices during such difficult times, for your sake and others.

“Who are you?”

It’s a simple enough question, but it’s one of the hardest ones to answer.

Stay safe, optimistic and LEARNING!