The best way to learn about leadership and other management concepts and practices is through case studies and seeing it being done hands on.

Who would have thought this COVID-19 pandemic would provide a living global case study and the leaders would be those who are leading their citizens on a peacetime war effort against an invisible enemy, a virus with no known cure?

As an Indian citizen, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is an incredible example of leadership and statesmanship who is leading from the front as well as supporting the efforts of other countries.

I’m still working out his leadership power base that compels a country of 1.3 billion people to go into complete lock down with only 4 hours’ notice for 21 days.

It’s definitely not just charisma. He has his finger on the pulse of the nation.

Why else would his second talk to the nation in the first week of the lock down get a record TRP on national television- not to mention how he’s keeping the morale of a nation going?

The ultimate compliment was the British Prime Minister using the same opening lines with addressing his nation!

One thing that I do know is he had a world class mentor in the form of former prime minister, freedom fighter and poet, late Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

We can all benefit from the right mentor in our careers and I’ve got the perfect resource to help you find the Right One.

One thing Mr Modi said struck a chord in many hearts – Social Distancing should not mean Emotional Distancing.

An infection outbreak is a stressful time that often requires the adoption of stringent but necessary measures.

During a pandemic, people are forced to self-isolate to curb the spread of the disease and prevent new infections. It is a critical aspect of mitigating the disease, and as such, everyone should play their role adequately.

Self-isolation has two objectives: To protect yourself and to protect others.

Knowing how to behave and act when one is alone or when they are among other people is essential. Therefore, you need to develop the right attitude and reflexes when self-isolating.

While maintaining limited contact with others, washing hands every 20 minutes, maintaining hygiene and self-monitoring is important, we must not forget that we are human and that quality cannot be lost.

We are social animals not accustomed to isolation and this affects our mental health.

There is another very important reason why I’m concerned about the impact of social distancing even though right now that seems to be the only way to control the spread of COVID-19 – the increase in suicides linked to the COVID-19 crisis.

Just in the last 24 hours, we’ve had reports of 2 suicides on national television. One was a COVID-19 patient who chose to end his life rather than face the fear of possible death from this virus.

Another person who was under quarantine wanted to go home despite doctors and nurses assuring him he would once the quarantine period was over. Imagine the state of mind of this young man in his 30’s that he choose to jump to his death from the 7^th floor of the hospital.

If this is the psycho-social repercussion in otherwise healthy people who could not face isolation and fear of an uncertain future, then imagine an already vulnerable section of society that have prior mental health issues and the elderly?

It’s not just India, in an article that I read last night on the Scientific American website, my concerns are validated – COVID-19 is likely to lead to an increase in Suicides.

Hence for all intents and purposes, we must avoid Emotional Distancing.

Here’s what I suggest.

5 ways to avoid Emotional Distancing when you need to keep Social Distance

Keeping in Touch

I’m keeping in touch with friends either on the phone or via social media. If I find a good joke on Facebook, I acknowledge the source and share it forward. Making people smile when most of us are worried is a good deed.

When you’re getting in touch with people, make it your intention to truly connect with them and how they’re feeling. Ask questions, do active listening and listen more than you talk.

Let them know you have their undivided attention. If you’re on zoom or skype, make eye contact and share from the heart. Use your emotional intelligence skill to connect at a deeper level.

It’s a time when strong friendships and bonds can be forged.

I’ve personally seen a professional contact on LinkedIn turn into a supportive long distance friend all because our chat turned to managing senior citizen pets during lock down which led to lots of communications and sharing photos of our pets and generally giving each other a morale boost.

Thinking of vulnerable individuals

Whatever you do during self-isolation, always think of vulnerable individuals around you. Susceptible groups include people at the extreme ends of age and people suffering from chronic and pre-existing conditions like diabetes, asthma, etc.

Think of these people and try to put them first in everything you do during self-isolation, whether diagnosed with the infection or not.

I’m starting to learn about how many of my friends are in the high risk category now than I did earlier. It means we can be there for each other when required.

Seek help when needed

You should not hesitate to ask your healthcare provider for help if you have any problem or you are not sure about something. Self-isolation does not mean you should figure things out on your own.

If you develop a symptom, before you decide to self-medicate, ask someone else with authority and knowledge for advice and confirmation.

If you start to experience anxiety or start having fearful thoughts, reach out to a friend and chat or an online mental health service where you can talk to someone.

Maintaining a journal is also a good self-help tool to help you assess your state of mind and even discover more about yourself.

Stay informed

Make it a habit to always stay informed. Follow news updates on the outbreak and go beyond by reading scientific articles related to the outbreak. The more you know about the disease, the better you will be equipped to help fight it.

One thing though, always ensure that your sources are reliable and not hysteria creating fake news on social media.

Think Positive

While it is essential to stay informed about the progress of the pandemic, you should not let the news of growing number of cases or even deaths impact you negatively.

Remember that bad news always sells very well.

Do not get in their game. Be informed but do not be influenced by what you hear. Always keep a positive outlook on things and find ways to distract yourself.

All of these actions will help you maintain good mental health.

And if you want more guidance for self-management for good mental health, I’ve got you covered in my blog post How to keep good mental health in lock down.

Prime Minister Modi also possesses a skill that is useful for a national leader – Emotional Intelligence. Why not take a page from his book and check if you possess this leadership skill too?

What steps are you taking to stay grounded in these uncertain times?

Update April 2024: When I wrote this post, we were in the middle of a pandemic lockdown. Things have eased in the years that followed but the guidance on maintaining good mental health is still relevant. 

We all knew on Sunday March 22^nd that the lock down called for by Prime Minister Modi was a dress rehearsal for something bigger.

1.3 billion Indians answered Prime Minister Modi’s call for a self-imposed People’s Curfew called Janata Curfew. We also did a 5-minute activity at 5 pm to honor the health workers who are trying to contain the spread of Corona Virus in India.

I loved the 5 pm activity because we were supposed to go into our balconies and clang utensils or clap to make noise! I chose the former and enjoyed beating my spoon against a flat pot cover. Haven’t done that since I was a child and it felt good!

It was the beginning of a lock down that was supposed to last till the end of March but then got extended to April 14th. In a way it is a nationwide curfew and states have sealed their borders.

The fight to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in India had begun in full force.

India started taking precautionary measures earlier than other nations. This week and the next are critical if we are to break the chain and prevent Stage 3.

It’s crucial to avoid what we’re seeing in Italy or New York which will honestly leave a devastation in India that I don’t want to even think about.

The World Health Organization has already praised India for leading the way in the global eradication of smallpox, polio and the measures we have taken so far.

It’s going to be a challenge for us sociable Indians. It’s the acid test to see if we can maintain social distance and exercise self-restraint and self-discipline.

Being socially responsible also means not spreading fake news or creating panic.

Watch television news coverage and resist the temptation to spread social media posts unless you can verify the source and truth.

Admittedly, these are stressful times but we can do our bit not to let the situation get out of hand by maintaining good mental health even as we need to maintain social distance.

Please note, mental health is not to be confused with mental illness.

The famous Mayo clinic has stated that stress can be greatly reduced by positive thinking.

The first step is to end negative self-talk.

There are any number of clichés, such as “you’re making a mountain out of a mole hill,” in terms of blowing things out of proportion. When a person takes a situation and talks themselves into a frenzy, it increases stress.

This in turn, makes the blood pressure go up and in many cases, causes depression. The negative self-talk in their head, becomes an endless loop of, “I’m no good, I hate myself, the world is against me, what chance do I have?”

When a person thinks like this, they find it hard to cope with anything life directs towards them. A positive thinker is able to deflect negativity and find ways to ease or eliminate stressful situations.

Positive thinking also helps build our immune system and a good anti-aging device.

So while I am worried about the days to come, I’m not allowing it to get to me. Instead I’m focusing on my professional development skills and on what I want in the coming months.

I’m using tools from my own toolbox for this and invite you to do the same.

One favorite tool is Pranayam or alternate nostril breathing.

This simple yoga exercise not only strengthens the lungs but also helps us build immunity and calm the mind.

I share the method in my blog post Breathe and meditate to manage stress.

The post also has another resource to keep stress at bay and strengthen your immune system.

Practical ways to stay positive when you feel the world is going crazy

At a time when the life we knew has changed and we are dealing with a new normal of a lock down scenario, it can be challenging to cope and keep ourselves mentally healthy.

You need a strong mindset that gives you the self-discipline and restraint not to break the rules and find excuses to venture out. This isn’t a situation where you can be complacent that this happens to others and not you.

You need to be able to handle change in your stride.

If you are struggling to bring yourself to remain positive in times of calamity, here are some ways I’m using and I know these tips will help you too.

Plan ahead

Planning ahead helps control our stress levels and anxiety and prevents hoarding or panic buying from setting in. While it would be wonderful if one has everything in place before a pandemic strikes, it can still be handled if you take the necessary steps.

Keep a list of numbers of shops where essential goods are being supplied and monitor which online shops are functional as well as the delivery time.

There will be time lags so one step is to store at least a week’s supply of essential food items and medicines.

If you are permitted to venture out of your home for essential needs shopping, make a list before you venture out and comply with the police regulations. That is one way of knowing you can face anything.

Filter information

Avoid bad news whenever you can. Do not focus on the kind of information that will not help rectify the situation.

Pay attention to material that gives advice on how you can overcome or guard against being affected by the worsening of the pandemic. Filtering information can also mean changing the subject when it is brought up countless times.

As I mentioned earlier, stick to reliable sources of information and verify anything you see on social media or rumors that you hear.

Keep exercising in some form

As you know, exercising is a great way of staying positive, staying healthy, and improving your overall physical and mental well-being. Exercising can also help keep your mind in check.

Concentrating on improving your health is another method of staying positive when everyone else is going into panic mode. One mistake you can make when faced with difficulties is changing or cancelling your workout routine. Therefore, keep exercising and enjoy the process.

You don’t need to go to the gym or long walks for this. Simple stretch exercises, yoga and even doing housework will give your body the movement it requires to stay healthy.

Make sure you are allowed to do certain exercises with your medical adviser first.

Focus on happy thoughts

Thinking happy thoughts does not come easy when it seems as if your world is falling apart. That is why you have to try and force your mind to focus on happy thoughts or what is happening internally and not externally.

If you cannot think of anything that shifts your mind from the bad news that is being broadcast everywhere, create happy thoughts.

You can achieve this by envisioning where you will be when all the madness is over and we are back on track. Think about the number of people who have overcome or who are overcoming the same situation you are in, look at your photo album and rekindle the happy memories.

If you need support in developing a forward looking approach, check out Life Focus in 7 Days which includes precious tools including an entire module on creating Vision Boards for the professional who prefers self-study formats.

Manage your finances

Now is a good time to look at your finances and budget. Do you need to curtail your expenses? Are there any monthly payments due that need to be serviced? Like a house or car loan? Insurance premium?

Start allocating funds to cover a period of 3 months and if necessary, renegotiate terms. You need to start managing your finances wisely to avoid having regrets when the problem has passed. Stay calm and avoid compulsive spends and keeping accurate records and information.

Try caring for someone else

Sometimes caring for someone else is all it takes to maintain your sanity. Shift your focus to doing something worthwhile for someone else or putting a smile on someone else’s face.

Achieve this by helping the person you choose to help or care for stay safe or recover from what they are going through.

There are lots of animals who suffer during pandemics. Consider providing food for them or if that is not possible, leave water and grains outside for birds.

Meditate to boost your resilience

Meditation is an excellent way of relaxing your mind and having a much clearer perspective on things. Meditation is a relaxation method that you can begin practicing right away. If it is something that you are practicing already, continuing with it is worthwhile.

Try clearing your mind from negative thoughts and focus on one thing that is positive. Do this every single day for at least 30 minutes without any interruptions.

Continue with your work or studies

You may start panicking if you think that your professional life is on hold during a pandemic. However, realize that not being able to go to the office does not necessarily mean the end of progress- this will help you remain calm. Continue with your work or study even if you cannot go to the office or on campus.

Remember that working or studying from home has its fair share of benefits as well. You are able to work peacefully without the worries of dressing up, with zero or a few distractions. You are able to control your environment and work at your own pace.

If you haven’t visited Karmic Ally Coaching Success Solutions, now is a good time to see what professional development courses are available.

So how am I coping? By remembering what really matters in my life – my family and friends and staying healthy.

Staying positive is important because if we allow fear to set in, half the battle is lost. This is a time of self-discipline, constraint and social distance.

It is also a time to be supportive of others who might not be handling the situation well.

What 1 thing can you do today to assist another person keep good mental health during the pandemic?

If your family doctor were to ask you during a routine checkup about your mental health, would you fly off the handle screaming that you were not mentally ill or would you stop to think before answering.

My family GP is a retired army doctor who is adept at explaining things and giving me pointers to understand health management. So when he asked me this question after checking my blood pressure and reviewing my blood test a few years ago, I quietly asked him “in what sense?”

His advice was to get more exercise, take walks in nature and not work on Sundays to manage the symptoms of stress which were manifesting in a high cholesterol level. He was right, as always, it was the year end reporting time and I was working over 80 hour weeks with no days off.

Confusing mental health with mental illness

The truth is that people often confuse mental health with mental illness. In fact, mental health is about our sense of well-being; our ability to enjoy life and deal with Life’s challenges.

It would be sometime before I decided to complete a post graduate diploma in psychology & psychotherapy from my bucket list. I am glad I did because I discovered the work of Corey Keyes, an American Sociologist and Psychologist; considered a pioneer in the field of positive psychology and who coined the psychological term “flourishing” which describes mentally healthy adults.

Keyes says that mental health can range from “flourishing” (good) to “languishing” (poor).

Our mental health can lie anywhere on this spectrum. The interesting thing is that people can experience poor mental health and yet not have a mental illness and people living with a mental illness can also experience good mental health.

We are not obliged to settle for poor mental health. Leveraging our strengths, working on those areas where we are weak and exercising the right coping strategies, we can move closer to flourishing end of the spectrum rather than languishing and enjoy a better life with the right stress management strategy.

The Fabulous Five Strength Builders

There are many ways to build our strength, both within us and outside of ourselves. These are my top 5:

Family and Friends

Who knows you better than your loved ones and friends? If the blues are sending you into the languishing zone, talk to them, reach out for support.  Take it a step further and connect with them on a regular basis in person or over the phone. Go to the mall for window shopping or hang out with them. Arrange a picnic with family. Posting, liking, commenting on Facebook updates is not enough.

Be Active

A wonderful stress resilience builder is being active, both physically and mentally. The choices are unlimited. These could be exercises, reading, leisure activities, nature walks and any activity that can distract your mind from your worries and focus on things that entertain you.

Practice the Social Law of Community Support

I mentioned this tip in my post 3 Easy Ideas to avoid December melt-down. Social support is well recognized as a way for people to deal with stress. Practice generosity by giving back to your community, volunteer time for causes that are close to your heart.

Connect with your Spiritual Self

We all have a spiritual side to our being.  Our faith and spiritual practice can be a strong coping skill during times of stress, anxiety and external pressures such as bereavement, job loss and other major life changes.

You may not even know that you are using spiritual practices although you do them on a regular basis and which may actually be part of your daily routine.

This isn’t just limited to prayers, affirmations or meditation; it could include listening to music, gardening, art, going for walks with the family pet, hobbies, dancing  and sports on the weekend.

These activities do more than just provide exercise for the body. They help nurture the soul and help us connect with the world around us.

Make Learning an Ongoing Process

Here I’m talking about becoming a student of Life. Learning and studying does not end with school or college, it is an ongoing process. Be curious about the world around you. Join Adult Education or Hobby classes that stimulate your mind and broaden your horizons. Learn and try new things. Maybe the candle making class you have been thinking about? The recipe you saw on Master Chef’s Master Class?

Moving towards flourishing mental health means doing something each day that makes you feel good about yourself and that is important to you. There are no hard and fast rules; it is all up to you.

This is my list of Strength Builders.

What about you? What sources of strength do you have right now? Are there any that you would like to focus on more to achieve flourishing mental health? Do share your thoughts in the comments box below!

PS. There are tons of tips and suggestions in the Stress Management Blog Category.  Here are 2 that you might find useful

 Breathe and Meditate to Manage Stress

 De-stressing with music 

Written By: Vatsala Shukla