COVID-19, Education, Mindset, Motivation, Personal Development & Motivation, Psychology, Research, Wellbeing
‘Unprecedented’ One of the most apt words to describe our current reality seems like a good place to start. As COVID-19 has spread, so has misinformation, confusion and the general ‘psychological and sociological fog’ of understanding ways in which we can deal with the demands of coping with current challenges. Although inequality is still rife in society everyone is facing the commonality of needing to adapt to change in these unprecedented times. The feeling of 
uncertainty, restrictions on behaviour through confinement and social distancing, lacking a sense of control and ongoing media coverage of COVID-19 is creating both anxiety and fear.
I know from my work within colleges and universities and with clients that a sense of overwhelming anxiety and fear is being further compounded not just by school, college and university closures, exam cancellations and the transition to remote and online learning, but by the fact that many people are also isolated away from their usual support networks of family and friends. Commonly shared concerns about child-care, looking after the elderly and the vulnerable, family health, managing pre-existing physical and psychological health issues, job and financial security and the digital overload that we are experiencing simply add further layers of complexity that conspire to undermine the wellbeing of us all.
Aim and rationale
I am here today, wanting to let you all know that I also am a student, I’m still learning, I’m experiencing difficulties, I’m still trying to figure all this stuff out! The only difference, and what allows me to regain some control is that I have proactively developed over time strategies that have psychologically prepared me well for meeting the demands of today’s challenges and I wanted to share these ideas and some of my thoughts with you all today. ‘Negative’ emotions such as fear, anger and anxiety are completely normal and do have an important role to play in helping us to survive difficult times and focus on the actions needed to keep us safe. But there are also ways to focus on and develop what is within our control and this is where we tap into our own ‘super powers’ to generate more positivity. This article offers you some pointers and tools to use (based on research and personal experience) alongside the strategies your schools, colleges and universities and work places will be no doubt already be offering to you.
It is ‘ok not to be okay!
Before we delve into research and strategies, it is useful firstly to clarify that it is ‘ok not to be okay!’ Even during the current global circumstances, sometimes it feels like society says you should be always happy, and that showing your sadness is a sign of weakness. People may even say such things as “pull yourself together” and ‘get over it.” Such an expectation in any situation is not pragmatic– if you were to hold in all your sadness or anger you would be a pressure cooker waiting to go off! We all have good and bad days. No one can be perfectly happy all of the time, that is not human. Let yourself feel; When a low day hits that doesn’t mean you have to shut out what you are truly feeling inside. While this may be uncomfortable at times, acknowledging your feelings can help you to understand your emotions and to help you to move through them, working out what it is that you want to do next.
A useful strategy is to have options up our sleeves that we can incorporate in our daily lives that act as a positive release, a cartharthis if you like. Freud suggested this as a way of purging emotional tensions (Freud, 1893; Breuer & Freud, 1974). In more modern psychological approaches cartharthis may be used to explain the discharging of negative emotions to relieve intense anxiety, stress, anger, or fear. For example, experiencing stress during the COVID-19 confinement period over work or family related situations may cause feelings of frustration and tension. Rather than vent these feelings inappropriately and unproductively, the individual may instead release these feelings in another way, such as through physical activity or another stress relieving activity.
Early work on understanding Wellbeing
The World Health Organization (WHO) defines health as a state of “complete positive physical, mental, and social well-being” (World Health Organization, 1946). Wellbeing literature endorses this definition by focussing on both the absence of negative factors (such as illness) and the presence of positive factors (such as life satisfaction) (Henn, 2013).
Jahoda (1958) developed her theory of Ideal Mental Health, a theory that stemmed from an analysis of researchers’ thoughts about positive mental health, and posited, “the absence of mental illness is not a sufficient indicator of mental health” (Jahoda, 1958, p. 15). Jahoda (1958) hypothesised there were six criteria or empirical indicators that comprise wellbeing and that we should try not to deviate away from, including:
1) a positive attitude toward the self
2) personal growth, development, and self-actualisation
3) integration or synthesis of psychological function that helps resist stress
4) autonomy
5) an accurate perception of reality
6) environmental mastery
This theory, while never empirically validated, emphasized that researchers should strive for more scientific methodologies, including scales and metrics for each criterion. Researchers in psychology subsequently developed scales to measure social indicators of psychological well-being such as positive affect, life satisfaction, and perceived stress (Ishizuka, 1988; Ryff, 1989). Ryff (1989) for example, measured and identified and subsequently operationalized six broad facets of well-being. Interestingly, five of six of these criteria map precisely onto Jahoda’s (1958) classification and include: 1) self-acceptance, 2) positive relationships with others, 3) autonomy, 4) environmental mastery or competence, 5) purpose in life, and 6) a sense of personal growth. Ryff’s Scale of Psychological Well-being is now the most widely used measure of positive psychological functioning (Ryff 1989; Huppert, 2009).
I always thought that Jahoda’s (1958) work was well ahead of its time in reframing the concepts of mental health. There are however, some clear limitations. To meet all 6 criteria is quite demanding, and though not impossible many people are likely to fall short of ‘ideal mental health’ due to a variety of factors (upbringing, lack of resources, other underlying health issues, etc). Also, the definition suggests that with Ideal mental health, a person should be able to resist stress, but there are possible benefits to stress depending on the context, we all need that extra adrenaline boost in times of a ‘fight or flight’ moment! There are cultural issues with this definition as Jahoda’s ideas are based on Western ideals evident in some cultures but not others. De Chavez et al. (2005) agrees with some of these limitations and studied well-being in a variety of disciplines and concluded that although well-being seems to be all-encompassing, for its use to be maximised, researchers need to be explicit in their definition, context and measurement of well-being. Other researchers such as Seligman (2011) well-being theory and Csikszentmihalyi (1990) concept of “flow” state furthered the ideas into positive psychology.
The Five Ways to Wellbeing
The UK Government’s Foresight Project on Mental Capital & Well-being in partnership with the New Economics Foundation (NEF) (2008) reviewed more than 400 scientific papers to identify 5 key things that contribute to our wellbeing called ‘The Five Ways to Wellbeing’. Echoing the familiar ‘five a day’ message for fruit and veg, they came up with a simple set of postcards aimed at helping individuals to understand and incorporate wellbeing into their everyday lives. You can download the full NEF report here.
Like many across the globe I’m trying to juggle work and parenting. A couple of weeks in and we’ve found ourselves having some good bits and some not so good. You have to experiment and see what works for you. I’m also aware of how frightening the outside world could seem to my nine-year old daughter. Whatever your unique circumstances it feels even more important to focus on what we can do to take care of ourselves and others. The Five Ways to Wellbeing guidelines in the NEF report provide useful tips that have allowed me to suggest strategies to friends, family and clients. Here is a summary of the Five Ways and some of the ways that I have interpreted the guidelines for the current crisis which may offer a starting point or inspiration for your own exploration.
Disclaimer: Certain suggested strategies (below) may be restricted depending on governments around the world so please follow what has been advised if there are restrictions in place in your country.
1. Connect
With the people around you. With family, friends, colleagues and neighbours. Connect remotely with and listen to the people around you positively! Invest time in developing and building these connections and relationships that will support and enrich you and others every day. Online platforms (such as Zoom, Whatsapp, Microsoft Teams, amongst many others) have sprung up to enable us to see friends, family and colleagues. If you are a ‘Positive Energiser’ who uplifts and energises others don’t forget to seek out those who uplift and energise you too! You may even find yourself contacting individuals that seemed long lost! I have been using all of the above platforms and decided to finally succumb to making a Facebook page which operates alongside my existing Twitter page! Also, connect positively with yourself! Find time to reflect and heal your mind. I am quite interested in modalities of spiritual healing and meditation so have been actively practicing techniques which help me and others. Essentially, the message here is to be kind to others but don’t forget to be kind to yourself as well! Here are some guided meditational exercises that can help you.
2. Be Active
Exercising makes you feel good. Most importantly, discover a physical activity you enjoy and that suits your level of mobility and
fitness. There is a host of free online group workouts that are available, from dance classes to yoga to martial arts. There’s a huge range of different physical capabilities due to health conditions, age and ability, the important thing is to find a way to be active that suits you and can be sustained during confinement and maybe even beyond! My daughter and I enjoy Karate, in fact we take it very seriously and before lockdown we would both head to our local karate dojo twice a week to train. Lockdown happened and our routine started to unbalance. Luckily our sensei (teacher) held Zoom sessions for us and this has kept us going! A quick search for free online group workouts and you will be surprised with what is out there!
3. Take Notice
Be curious. Catch sight of the beautiful. Remark on the unusual! Don’t dwell too much on the past, take note of the now! Appreciate what is around you! ‘Savour the Moment’– the tastes, smells, sights, sounds and sensations. I take my time to enjoy the simple things, I enjoy my cup of coffee even more in the morning, time with family at home (and even if remotely) is even more so precious than ever before! If you can get outside (follow the guidance of your government on this), for a walk or spend time in your garden, take it all in! Being in greater touch with nature was a life-long project for me, and I’ve only been gardening for 10 years but I’m getting pretty good at it, I’m taking in nature first hand and loving every minute of it and it is a passion shared with my wife and daughter. Generate an ‘Attitude of Gratitude!’ Practicing Mindfulness is something encouraged in schools, colleges and universities. There are some mindfulness apps that are available free for adults and young people. Some have also recently adapted their programs to support people through Covid-19 isolation so please research some of these.
4. Keep Learning
Try something new. Rediscover an old interest. Sign up for that online course! Learning something new or improving a skill you already have is a way of shutting out the outside world for a bit and giving you a sense of achievement. My daughter and wife and I have talked about the things we all enjoy doing and what we can teach each other and would like to get better at, this was an opportunity to develop ‘family wellbeing’. Playing new games, discussing a book, film or television programme, understanding different viewpoints together were shared learning opportunities. Right now my daughter is keen to learn how to sew, so my wife is showing her this. I’m showing her how to play the guitar and she’s using an app to support her learning and she’s showing me new music that I’ve not heard of! I’m teaching her some gardening skills and she has learned how to compost and grow vegetables. I am always reading and writing and experimenting with my writing and getting feedback from people at home and fellow writers that I can connect with via social media. This isn’t about grades or qualifications but setting ourselves and others a challenge and attempting to master it. If you connect with others (even remotely) you can collectively keep learning going! Another approach here is to also learn more about yourselves, your strengths, vulnerabilities and intentions; self-reflection pre-lockdown has been a lost skill that has an opportunity for a much-needed comeback!
5. Give
Do something nice for a friend, or a stranger. Thank someone. Volunteer your time! Join a community group. Look out, as well as in. Seeing yourself, and your happiness, linked to the wider community can be incredibly rewarding and creates connections with the people around you. This is where you can think about the bigger picture- Writing this article and presenting ideas at webinars and talks has given me a way to contribute collaboratively in a way that can help others. Find ways to give something back and help others on a big or small scale. Any effort you make means you are adding to the collective positivity out there in the world which will inspire others to do the same.
The Journey Ahead
The journey of life is filled with ups and downs, and opportunities to learn and grow; all of which are what shapes us into the people we are. Mental health matters; understanding your emotions allows a sense of control and possessing tools to tackle today’s challenges not only provides focus and direction but is also empowering as you move forward. There are challenging times ahead, so when you’re having a bad day or even a good day, remember that people do care about you, there is support available to access, there are many ways that you can elevate positivity and wellbeing for yourself and others, you are unique and have your very own ‘superpower’ ready to share with the world! Of course, each of the 5 Ways to Well-being mentioned can relate to and interact with each other, the key is to keep things relatively simple at first, reflect on what you might already be doing and where you might focus on doing more.
By continuing to focus on our psychological wellbeing, we can work collaboratively together towards building greater resilience during these challenging and unprecedented times so that we will all bounce-back even stronger when the time comes! Stay safe all!
References
Breuer, J & Freud, S. (1974). Studies on hysteria. Harmondsworth: Penguin Books.
Csikszentmihalyi, M. (1990). Flow: The psychology of optimal experience. New York: Harper Perennial.
De Chavez, A.C., Backett-Milburn, K., Parry, O., & Platt, S. (2005). Understanding and researching wellbeing: Its usage in different disciplines and potential for health research and health promotion. Health Education Journal, 64(1), 70–87
Freud, S. (1893). Standard edition of the complete psychological works of Sigmund Freud, Vol. 2. Strachey, J. (Ed.). London: Hogarth Press.
Henn, C.M. (2013). Measures of well-being. In C. Foxcroft & G. Roodt (Eds.), Introduction to psychological assessment in the South African context, (4th edn. pp. 171–184). Cape Town, South Africa: Oxford University Press.
Huppert, F. A. (2009). Psychological well-being: Evidence regarding its causes and consequences. Applied Psychology-Health and Well Being, 1(2), 137-164.
Ishizuka, Y. (1988). Lifetrack Therapy. Psychiatric Journal University of Ottawa, 13(4), 198-207.
Jahoda, M. (1958). Current concepts of positive mental health. Joint commission on mental health and illness monograph series (Vol. 1). New York, NY: Basic Books.
Ryff, C. D. (1989). Happiness is everything, or is it? Exploring the meaning of psychological well-being. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 57(6), 1069-1081.
Seligman, M. E. P. (2011). Flourish: A visionary new understanding of happiness and wellbeing. New York, NY: Atria.
World Health Organisation (1946) Preamble to the Constitution. https://www.who.int/about/who-we-are/constitution (Last Accessed: 12 April 2020).