COVID-19 has dramatically shifted the workforce and the economy everywhere. Here’s what you should know during these changing times. These recommendations will help you both mentally and professionally.

Practice Extreme Self-Care

In times of high stress like these, we recommend that everyone practice extreme self-care. This is more an art than a science but here are some great examples:

Sleep – Anxiety and stress right now might be keeping you from getting enough high quality sleep. How may of us are wide awake with thoughts and worries in the middle of the night? Now is the perfect time to adopt some of the following strategies:

• Go to bed earlier
• Cut out tech 1 hour before bed
• Keep a consistent bedtime
• Darken your room
• Use a white noise machine
• Cut back on caffeine
• Make time for exercise during the day
• Avoid sleep aids

Eating – Try to eat healthier. When we are stressed, we tend to turn to junk food which depletes us and depresses our immune systems. Now could be a great time to start new habits like starting the day with fruit or fasting.

Exercise – It doesn’t have to be extreme. A simple walk outside in the fresh air can be a great reset.

These are just a few ideas, but the bottom line is that you need to take better care of yourself more than ever.

Take Time Off

With so many people working from home, endless news stories available on our phones, and the addictive nature of social media, everyone is having a hard time simply turning it off. Limit your expose to the news. Try checking in once in the morning and knowing that while it is important to stay informed, you are doing so each day.

Everyone should take some time off to reset. Maybe it is a just an afternoon, but this time off should involve totally unplugging from technology. Disconnect for your own mental sanity. Give yourself the time and space to relax and decompress and destress.

Find Available Resources

Sick Leave Policies – First, if you are sick or caring for someone sick, you may get up to two week’s paid sick leave under a newly proposed law that has passed Congress.

Laid Off? If you’re laid off temporarily, if your job is eliminated, or if your hours are substantially reduced due to a slow-down, you could be eligible for state unemployment. These benefits provide partial wage replacement to workers who lose their jobs or have their hours reduced through no fault of their own.

Invest in Yourself – Now is the time to focus and invest in your career. Learn a new skill, earn a new certification. Commit yourself to coming out of this crisis better than before. If you do this, you’ll come back to work stronger with a more employable, dynamic skill set.