A great deal of information is available on protecting yourself from the flu (wash your hands, cover your cough, get the flu shots) and planning on what to do if you get the flu (stay home, get plenty of rest, drink lots of liquids and seek medical assistance if needed). But what about the emotional impact of the flu? Widespread illness can affect your personal and family life, work environment and community, even if you don't have the flu yourself.
How the flu may affect you indirectly
Changes in your home, work, community or social life, or similar changes in the lives of people around you, can have a significant impact on your social and emotional health. This is especially true of parents, supervisors, managers and work/community leaders. Anyone who is normally responsible for the actions and activities of someone else is likely to have increased stress when a pandemic causes changes in the way we normally do things.
Typical signs of stress
We are all familiar with common signs of stress, such as:
- Increased anxiety, irritability and/or impatience
- Changes in sleep or appetite
- Difficulty concentrating
- Physical symptoms (muscle aches, nausea, sweating, tremors)
There are other signs of stress you might not recognize:
- Changes in habits (such as watching more news)
- Hyperfocus (obsessing on people, things or events)
- Loss of interest in activities (either normal or "special" events)
One important tool in identifying stress is the realization that we are much more likely to notice it in others before we see it in ourselves. If you are noticing it in your co-workers or family members, then it is very likely they are noticing it in you! No one is immune to the effects of stress, and this doesn't indicate that there is something wrong with us. We are all human and we all make adjustments to "manage" our circumstances when things around us change. The important thing is to make sure that our efforts to manage things are healthy and effective.
How to manage stress
In order to effectively manage stress you need to develop a good strategy for taking care of yourself and your family members, while also managing the various responsibilities in your life. This can be challenging even when everyone around you is healthy. Your No 1 responsibility is taking good care of yourself so you will be able to do the other things you need to do.
Self-care
- Be informed, but do not inundate yourself with negative news.
- Identify activities you enjoy (television, exercising, reading, music) and make sure you allow yourself to do some of them every day.
- Maintain or establish a regular schedule for meals, resting and sleeping.
- Identify people you like to talk to about what’s important to you and stay in touch with them. If you are not able to see someone in person, stay in touch by phone, e-mail, texting, letters, cards, online chat rooms, blogs, twitters, or even by sending flowers.
- Seek medical advice for any concerns you have about your health (make an appointment to see your doctor or call a medical line).
- If you are feeling overwhelmed or do not have a resource you feel you need, talk with a counselor or therapist (you may access such services through health insurance benefits, employee assistance programs, human services programs, faith organizations, school or community groups).
- Help others. There is a great emotional boost in helping others, but be careful not to overextend yourself.
Helping children or friends
Listen attentively. The act of listening gives a sense of validation that provides a strong sense of emotional support.
Talk to children about how they feel and what they think. Validate their feelings and make sure they have accurate information about whatever they are thinking (school, work or social concerns).
Help children maintain regular routines, including eating a healthy diet and getting plenty of rest, exercise and play.
Help children manage their responsibilities. School, work, sports and community programs may fill up a child’s life, and children often need help adjusting priorities when they are feeling overwhelmed or if they do not understand why things are changing around them.
Help children stay in touch with their friends and social supports (if not in person, then by phone, e-mail, texting or other means).
Set limits for children based on health and safety needs. They may say they feel well enough to go places and do things when they should be resting. Be active in ensuring their safety and full recovery.
Managing changes at work
Make the work environment healthy and pleasant. Keep things clean, organized and comfortable. If allowed, personalize "your space" to reflect what’s important or valuable to you.
Treat people with respect and dignity. Workplace stress is multiplied by negative feelings and poor communication.
Establish priorities. Speak with supervisors or team leaders to develop realistic goals and objectives for each work period. Make sure goals are based on what you can do with available resources.
Keep busy. Idle time is emotionally draining and makes it difficult to stay on task.
Take the time to do self-care activities (as allowed by your employers) throughout the day that will help you stay emotionally fit.
Know your team. Learn co-workers' names and what they do. Learn who to ask for help and to whom you can offer assistance. Be friendly.