How can you bounce back from uncertainty?
Things look like they are returning to a sense of normality. How can you bounce back higher than before when you don’t know what you are bouncing from or to? Coach Tim explores.
We are currently in a period of extreme uncertainty, which can be a very uncomfortable place to be in. During this time of crisis, many of us are experiencing its impact on different areas of our lives, leading to high pressure, stress and anxiety.
Change and uncertainty are all part of life, and we all respond differently to it. Studies have shown that those who are intolerant and less adaptable to change are prone to developing common mental health problems like depression and anxiety. It is important to look after yourself, especially your mental well-being, to better cope, bounce back, and help you stay well.
In 2004 an ex-footballer and at the time manager of Crystal Palace, Iain Dowie, coined the phrase ‘bouncebackability’ to describe his team's performance losing 2-0 at half time to come back to win 3-2 at full time.
This phrase almost feels relevant to now as there are signs of a light at the end of the tunnel, increased numbers of vaccines being administered, the number of cases are coming down, and the overall trend across hospitalisation and total deaths are very much in decline, lockdown measures possibly easing. This is by no means a call to returning back to pre-COVID, as it’s easy to forget how quickly things can turn 180 degree’s and we could find ourselves going backwards.
As things change and develop, how can we support ourselves and others to cope with this not really knowing, feeling out of control with the associated stress and the effect it can have on our mental health?
Start your day intentionally.
How you spend your first hour of the day sets the tone for how your day unfolds. Instead of working on a to-do list or procrastinating about the projects you need to complete, focus your intentions and thoughts inwards. Take 10-15 minutes to sit, reflect and regroup on what you need to do personally, and let go of feelings from yesterday or anything negative that comes to the surface in the morning to properly set your intentions for the rest of your workday. Spend time to clear your mind of clutter and manifest how you would like your day to go.
Look after your physical health
Looking after your physical wellbeing isn’t just staying active. Although being outside and making the most of the great outdoors is a great place to start. Going to the gym or the pool for a swim. Getting a good nights sleep and eating healthy also add to the many lifestyle factors that build up the foundations of a healthy way of life. Exercise isn’t just crucial for the body; it helps settle your emotions as well. Set some time aside each day to fit in some exercise. Being active creates endorphins, which act in the brain to relieve stress and promote feelings of well-being. Develop a sleep routine to enable the body to recover and rebuild.
Focus on what you can control.
You can only control your actions, work tasks and how you interact with your friends, family. Unfortunately, you can’t control others and how they view the workplace and approach tasks. While many aspects of the pandemic are uncontrollable, it is helpful for us to work to control what we can, including our understanding of and how we react to it. Helping others find words to express and describe our experiences and opinions can help find a personal meaning and understanding. Developing and maintaining structure, routines, and consistency, which are antidotes to chaos and confusion, also helps streamline your workday and limit anxiety. Having several daily goals for your workday can help you stay grounded and focused. A task to-do list can create a sense of accomplishment, generate positive emotions, and even tackle seemingly mundane tasks.
Stay aware of your emotions.
Do a self-assessment periodically to gauge your feelings and emotions during your workday. Instead of focusing on negative emotions and letting anxious feelings get in the way, you can take productive steps to be in problem-solving mode rather than worry-and-stress mode. Learning to recognise and identify responses to stress, emotional strain, and exhaustion provides the foundation for resilient self-management. When you feel the anxiety starting to surface, do what you can to stay calm and work to keep your emotions in check. By catching anxious thoughts before they spiral, you have the power to reframe them.
Rethink your thought process to find the meaning of a situation.
In any stressful situation, you can often find a deeper meaning if you search for it. Because we can’t overpower this pandemic, we must acknowledge the pain and fear this pandemic uncovers and the assumptions about our life that it challenges. However, a positive of this pandemic, we are constantly being asked how we think about our circumstances and inspire us to make changes within ourselves and our workplaces.
Be flexible
During this ever-changing time, it is important to be open-minded and flexible to change. This may mean changing plans and adjusting your routine. However, sticking to an adapted routine will give you some structure and help you feel grounded and calm.
There are various useful boundaries you can set to maintain good mental health. However, the most important thing is that you stick to them. Setting boundaries around screen time and the types of media you interact with can help you avoid feeling overwhelmed.
Practise mindfulness and relaxation
During this time, it is very easy to start thinking of the worst-case scenario. The best thing you can do is stay present in the moment and practise relaxation to problem solve and make rational decisions. Help to cultivate awareness, help to identify awareness to what is happening around us in the present. Through observing thoughts and feelings, to develop an attitude that is non-judgemental but curious and kind.
Be thankful
Showing appreciation will help you have a positive outlook during times when you may feel out of control, boost your mood and help you to feel motivated. Do not forget all of the past moments in life where you could get through difficult situations you may have thought you could never get through.
Becoming resilient is not just about bouncing back – it’s about becoming tougher and better equipped for the next challenge. Challenges happen in everyone’s life, but how you view these experiences can make a big difference in how well you feel when you come out on the other side.
Rocky Balboa once said:
“You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain't how hard you hit; it's about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. How much you can take, and keep moving forward. That's how winning is done.”
Qualified as a coach in 2010, in 2014 began coaching with a local Triathlon Club, in 2018 completed BTF level 3 coaching course. Now he is still enjoying the training but now concentrating on the coaching. Tim takes a lot of time over his professional development and then aims to share this knowledge, helping and supporting athletes achieve the best they can be.
Since joining Tri Training Harder Tim has worked hard in helping mentoring other coaches and run training camps abroad.
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