COVID-19 is not just a medical concern.
As we take steps to protect our community from COVID-19, and do our part to keep others in the community safe, it is important to think about the mental wellbeing of everyone of our colleagues and students.
With the need to reduce the risk of infection for our UTS community we have taken extraordinary measures of communicating updates and developing social distancing measures, including remote working to protect staff and students. These are important and necessary. They contribute to keeping our staff and students safe, but also the overall community by minimising the risk of infection.
We are however conscious of the additional strain and impact of these measures on the mental health of our staff and students.
It is normal that we all experience heightened levels of anxiety in times of uncertainty. Many people are understandably concerned about their own health and the health of their loved ones, and unfortunately in many cases economic security is weighing heavily on people’s minds.
In this environment of anxiety we need to ensure that we are minimising the additional stress our measures are causing. Here are some key points to keep in mind:
Ensure your communications are balanced and accurate.
A strong aspect of unhelpful anxiety is the catastrophising of risk. Our minds are wired to seek out and focus on risk. In times of stress this compulsion becomes more ubiquitous and we need to be pointed towards the less dreadful facts around us. Be mindful of language in your communications that may trigger further stress or anxiety, ensure you balance discussion of risk with accurate information about the extent of those risks – in a realistic fashion pointing out not the higher risk of other things but the unlikelihood of contracting and having severe symptoms of COVID-19.
Check on the mental state of your students and colleagues.
Check on how people are feeling on a regular basis and ensure your own wellbeing. Give them information on how and where they can get help. For UTS staff and students, this includes the UTS EAP service.
Create connectivity.
We are social beings that need to maintain human connections, and connection is one of the most protective factors contributing to our emotional wellbeing. Social Distancing strategies are inevitably going to cause feelings of isolation. So ensure that all social distancing strategies include measures to create connection among teams.
Stay connected with your family and social networks using the readily available technology. In the workplace, technology such as Zoom can be used so that regular visual contacts can be scheduled in teams to maintain a sense of connection.
Keep yourself well.
While you’re looking out for other people, ensure you’re accessing support if you need it too, and taking the time to take care of your own wellbeing.
Talk to people you trust about how you are feeling and your concerns. Contact support services if you start feeling overwhelmed. And remember, our EAP service is available for all UTS staff.
Minimise reading, watching or listening to news that causes you distress or makes you feel anxious.
Get your information from trusted sources. Try to limit your information gathering to one or two regular times a day to gain practical advice to reducing the risk of infection. The Coronavirus and frequently asked questions page at UTS is regularly updated and provides evidence based and balanced information. The Australian Government Department of Health site is also constantly updated with the latest developments. When you need to, actively seek hopeful and positive stories.
Try to maintain your regular daily routines.
Remain active through exercise and by engaging in activities you enjoy and find relaxing – and there are many apps, YouTube channels and websites that facilitate exercise at home. Practicing mindfulness can also be helpful in times like these.
We are all in this together.