Dealing with stress & maintaining a good work-life balance during the pandemic

By: Marianne Chapleau

Edited by: Carolina Makowski, Elisa Guma, Hajer Nakua & Jenn Ferris

The beginning of 2021 has been difficult for all of us. The pandemic remains a hot topic and tense political situations, particularly in the US, are additional stressors at the start of this year. Alarming data confirms that psychological distress is widespread across the globe and that it does not spare any age group (WHO Survey, 2020). The measures implemented to reduce the progression of the virus fortunately had an impact on virus transmission, but it also had deleterious consequences on mental health. Although the current situation appears to be progressing towards the better (i.e. lower transmission rates, a new vaccine being available in many areas, etc.), the measures put in place to reduce the spread of the virus will likely remain for a large portion of 2021. 

Since last February, our capacity to adapt has been inordinately challenged. Our emotional reserves are depleting and many of us are grieved by the lack of control of the situation. In this context of confinement and uncertainty, it is absolutely normal to feel higher levels of stress. That said, it remains important to try, as much as possible, to use healthy coping strategies to face this increased stress. But what does it mean to use “healthy coping strategies”? And how can we strive to maintain an appropriate work-life balance through this pandemic that keeps testing our ability to adapt and cope? 

1. Control what you can

We have limited control over the trajectory of the coronavirus spread but most of us have some control over how we organize our daily lives, bond with the people we love and take the time to pursue activities we cherish. We can also control how much time you spend consuming the news. Ask yourself: “Is it relevant to check the news for a third time today or is it just making me more anxious?” If the answer is yes, then maybe you could try to implement a time limit for when you check the news (for example, 10 minutes to check the news at a specific time; and yes, that includes Twitter!).

2. Keep a daily and weekly transition schedule

If you are working from home, you can try to keep a traditional “work” routine throughout the day, starting by transitioning from your pyjamas to work clothes. Try and keep a regular schedule for your meals, and include a break from work during lunchtime. If you usually socialize during your lunch break, you can compensate for the lack of social interactions by calling your colleagues, family or friends. Implementing a weekly Zoom lunch with your lab members or friends is an effective way to maintain social connections during this year.  

Moreover, we often have a “buffer” period between the end of the workday and the start of our downtime (ex: a subway ride home, a fitness class, etc.). When working from home, try to replicate this transition by exercising, listening to music, meditating, going to the grocery store, etc. During the weekend, if possible, try not to spend too much time in the same space you are working in during the week. 

3. Set realistic goals

It is perfectly normal if you are feeling more tired, less motivated, and more overwhelmed than usual this January. It is also completely normal if you cannot achieve all your goals for the day or the week. Rather than setting high goals for each day that are different to meet, try setting 1-2 goals per day of the most important thing you need to accomplish depending on your circumstances. 

If you are experiencing high performance anxiety during this time, try to discuss your goals and situation with your PI so that the expectations are clearly laid out. In addition, try not to compare yourself to other colleagues. Everyone is dealing with the pandemic in their own way, some have compensated by working even harder while others feel exhausted. Recognize and respect these differences and try to focus on your own journey. Academia’s culture makes it easy to compare ourselves and we need to be gentle with ourselves this year. 

4. Practice gratitude 

 A positive relationship between gratitude and well being has been shown in previous studies (see Sansone & Sansone, 2010 for a review). To practice gratitude daily, there are a few techniques that could be worth giving a try: Every day, write down 3 things you are grateful for. It could be anything, a conversation you had with a loved one, something you ate, a positive emotion you felt, etc. You could also try to be more mindful when a person around you or in your community does something that has a positive impact on your life. Don’t hesitate to show your appreciation to someone who did something nice for you, directly or indirectly, and notice how it makes you feel afterwards. You could also try to practice gratitude by performing an act of kindness to someone else (ex: doing their groceries and putting it on their front porch). 

5. Let it out

Talking about our distress and putting our emotions into words can help us cope during difficult times. Choose someone you feel safe with, whether it’s a friend, a colleague or a family member and open up about your distress. You don’t have to always talk about every feeling you have, but talking about your feelings is a healthy way to express them. Journaling can also be a helpful way to process your emotions if you don’t feel like talking to someone. However, if you constantly feel substantial anxious and/or depressive symptoms such as high irritability, changes in sleep/eating patterns, profound sadness and emptiness, you might want to talk to a professional about it. Inversely, you don’t need to present mental health issues to seek psychotherapy; it can be beneficial, like physical exercise, for everyone! Check if your institution offers free or discounted counselling/psychotherapy options for trainees. Your institution may have networks available for you to access or free limited sessions with a licensed psychologist.