Anxiety and stress are natural reactions to this situation. But the better you can manage your response to what unfolds, the better you can show up for yourself, your staff and your store. Our team found this article about self-care particularly helpful. If it’s unlikely you’ll read it, (because information overload is a thing), here are the “Too long, didn’t read” takeaways:
- Water. Hydrate as much as possible.
- Routines. Keep as many of your routines in place as possible: the way you get ready in the morning, the time you go to bed. If you are working from an unusual location (not in your store), try to make that location as much like your usual workspace.
- Hugs. Hug yourself. During a time where it is in our best interest to restrict human contact, we aren’t getting those helpful endorphins that come from hugs! Squeezing yourself is a great tactic for reducing stress and works well with anxiety. Don’t call it New Agey until you try it.
- Breaks. Recognize when you need to regroup. Five minutes lying on the floor does wonders.
- Call. Don’t text. Hearing someone’s voice, calling friends and family, video chatting when you can’t be in the same room…it makes a difference, boosts morale and, if you are talking business, gets the point across successfully.
Close Out with Happy Thoughts
Please reach out to us if you have a story you’d like to share, a tip we are missing, or if you have another angle you’d like us to explore. To close out, here’s a happy thought from MacPherson’s team member:
“My daughter and I have been writing letters to friends and family. For those friends who live in our neighborhood, we tape the letters to their door and then I text their mom to let them know the letters are there. It’s really hard to explain this all to kids. Luckily for art, letter writing and video calls of course, she’s been able to remain in contact with her besties!” Lacey Elia, Brand Manager