Post-Shock-and-Awe of Working Remotely
Working remotely is difficult. For some, getting ready in time for a morning conference call is the biggest accomplishment of the day. And for others, it’s business as usual. The new “normal” can take a significant toll on our Emotional Intelligence (EI/EQ).
“WB&B will continue to show resilience despite the economic tsunami that COVID-19 has caused this global economy.”
According to Forbes, “When it comes to success in business, EQ eats IQ for breakfast.” I would object by saying I skipped breakfast this morning, going on to justify it with some promising new diet trend; only to be debunked by science a few months later! Humility, after all, is one thing emotionally intelligent people do rather well.
But what did you have for breakfast this morning? Not because what comes next requires a full stomach to digest but because food impacts mood. And that is precisely why we are here today, acknowledging our emotions and endeavoring to regulate those emotions. LinkedIn revealed earlier this year that for the first time, emotional intelligence is among the top five soft skills for 2020. As AI and automation accelerates, emotional intelligence is becoming a must-have skill in the workplace.
Brené Brown’s “The Power of Vulnerability” is one of the most watched TED talks. Naturally, we were all ears at WB&B when her podcast discussed emotional intelligence as it relates to the pandemic. Our most enlightening takeaway is the RULER method:
Recognition of emotion in oneself, both body and mind – understand your stress points!
Understanding emotions, the consequences and triggers of feelings
Labelling the feeling properly, get granular!
Expressing feelings requires a good listener, maybe a co-worker or a mentor!
Regulation of emotions means eventual acceptance, not suppression, repression or denial
The WB&B team has taken time during the quarantine to apply this method to our regular workdays and beyond. We hope you are able to find some time this weekend, to learn this skill and implement it into your workflow. As a firm whose DNA is ingrained in D&I, we must all remember, in these unprecedented times, to be sensitive to the emotional state of our colleagues, candidates, friends of the firm, and others who are inevitably affected by this pandemic.
We surveyed the WB&B team and here are their tips for WFH!
Tim is keeping his mental health in check by running, doing virtual Pilates classes, and working out regularly. He listens to podcasts that offer a distraction from current news. He is spending quality time with his family and looks forward to visiting the beach more, as the weather improves.
Kanchee has established a dedicated workspace only to be used for work purposes, this allows her to maintain work-life separation. She is staying connected with our team and over-communicating. For her lunch breaks she goes for a walk to get some fresh air and to stay active.
Angela, like many of us, knows that staring at a screen all day can put a strain on our eyes and body, she schedules in quick power naps that have helped her get through remote learning and working! Might we add, investing in blue light glasses is a worthwhile avenue to explore.
Bruce relies on exercise to keep an even keel through assignments both in and out of the work setting. He’s also a big proponent of deep breathing exercises that help quell errant stress.
Toyann says that no one day is entirely reflective of the next, but structure and discipline are her two very important secrets to getting through much of anything in her life. Her balance between being a mother and career woman in the pandemic has her doing “hands-on homeschooling sessions” with her kids before and after her workday!
In conclusion, we have a message from our CEO, Kenneth Roldan: “WB&B will continue to show resilience despite the economic tsunami that COVID-19 has caused this global economy. The firm has been exposed to other economic storms including the dot-com bubble burst in the late 90s, Y2K, 9/11, and the financial downturns in 2008 and 2013.”
(Image credits: Sofi Salazar)