This document provides tips and strategies for coping with the stress and uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic. It recommends maintaining stability through routines, accepting stressful feelings as normal, and remembering that thoughts are not facts. Specific coping techniques include practicing self-care, using distraction, talking to others, and focusing on what can be controlled. If job loss occurs, the document outlines creating a survival plan by updating contacts and resume, and treating job hunting as a full-time job through networking and applications. Seeking counseling is also presented as an option if feeling overwhelmed.

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Coping With Covid
©Diane Hanna, 2020

2. COPING WITH COVID:
Coping with COVID is all about learning to live with so much outside of our control. Not just the virus itself, but all the
other aspects of life that might be impacted, from work and finances to socialising and travel. Give yourself credit as
you cope with this tough time and recognise that dealing with this challenge can make you more resilient.
Maintain stability
Stability adds something reliable to your life when it
feels like things are spinning out of control. Stability
helps ground you to remember that there are some
things that are within your control. Your own routines
and rituals will become really important at this time
when some parts of your life are disrupted (e.g. school,
university, work). See some examples below:
• waking up at the same time every day
• eating regular meals
• going to bed at the same time
• doing some form of exercise every morning
• reaching out to a friend each day.

3. Feeling stressed is a reasonable and understandable
response to the pandemic. You may feel worried about
whether your family or friends will be safe, or if you will
still have a job and enough money to survive. These
stressors, along with constant media hysteria and
dealing with disappointment, can leave you feeling
drained and mentally exhausted.
Accept that it is normal to feel stressed

4. As tough as it is, it can be comforting to know that you
are not alone and that others share your feelings - so
be sure to take notice and ask them how they are
feeling too, it is very likely that they feel the same.
Validation

5. “Remember, you are not
your thoughts.”

6. Remember you are not your thoughts
When you feel anxious - remind yourself that you are
only human. It is important to understand that we are not
our thoughts. Thoughts come and go - like clouds above,
ever changing. In accepting this, our negative thoughts
lose the power to upset us. Try this simple exercise,
write down your thoughts when feeling upset, and read
them back later as if someone else had written them,
this can help you realise that your thoughts are not you.

7. I wish I had never taken this job now, its too hard to visit my
family and see any of my friends - what kind of a life is this?
I should just resign and get it over with…!
Example

8. Practice tolerating uncertainty
• Predictability helps us feel as though we are
in control, it reassures us that our lives are
under ‘control’ and that nothing bad can
happen. In a way, it kind of tricks us.
• Having to deal with the unknown - or
uncertainty, can make us anxious, but
practicing can help lower our anxiety.

9. Start by doing
small things
differently
then
ask Yourself
the following
questions:
✓ Did things turn out ok,
although I was not
100% certain?
✓ If not, what
happened?
✓ How did I cope?
✓ Was I able to handle a
negative outcome?
✓ What does this tell me
about being able to
cope with a negative
outcome

10. “The idea is to learn, that even
though things do not go as
planned, you can still deal with
them.”

11. Use the skills you have used before
It is very likely you have dealt with uncertainty before,
and you can do it again. Think back to what skills have
helped you cope in the past and ask others who know
you well. Make a list of all these skills to help make a
personal coping toolkit.

12. Practicing positive self talk,
focussing on what you can
control, writing down what is
troubling you and what you can
do to improve the situation,
allowing yourself to have a
break from what is bothering
you - give yourself permission
to feel what you feel
Practicing self-care activities,
using distraction techniques,
exercise, using your strengths -
for example, if you are creative,
draw or paint for 20 minutes.
Personal Coping Tool Kit

13. Find ways to talk to others
When you are going through a tough time, one of the best
and most effective things you can do is to talk with
someone. If meeting in person is not possible then make a
time to text, call, Skype, WhatsApp, Zoom. When you talk
with someone you trust or a health professional, tell them
what is stressing you out and why. They may not have all
the answers but just sharing what you’re going through can
help get it out of your head and make it feel less scary.

14. Keeping up to date with factual,
reputable resources may provide
some certainty about what is
happening.
Choose media source wisely to
avoid being overwhelmed by
constant coverage; this will be
easier to stay grounded.
For example, World Health
Organisation, WHO.
Stay up to date with the facts
Avoid particular conversations or
sources that prove to be
stressful

15. Work out your finances
Give yourself space to feel
Give yourself time to recover
Use the time for good
Surround yourself with positivity
Challenge negative thoughts
Know when to seek support
OK, But what if I lose my job?

16. Job loss Survival Plan
Losing a job is one of the most stressful life events we
can experience. Once we have recovered from the
initial shock we can start to plan a strategy to get help
us back on track and working again.
So what do we need? An updated CV and a list of all
our contacts, old and new.
The approach to take is one where job hunting becomes
your new job. You use the same set of behaviours you
would normally use at any workplace - and use these to
hunt jobs.

17. You need to update and revise your CV. Check
your referees, and alert them that you are job
hunting. For every job application completed
- send a copy or link to your referee. Your
referee needs to know ahead of time, to give
you the best reference for the job description
provided.
You need to get organised and note the dates
of all interviews and notification dates. Ask at
interview the date when they intend to call
the successful applicant. Once you know a job
interview has not been successful, cross it off
and keep going but call for feedback).
Your CV Mark the calendar

18. Job Hunting Tips
✓ Send Expressions of
Interests - lots of them!
✓ Join Linked-In
✓ Visit businesses in person
✓ Network - talk to as many
people as possible
✓ Offer voluntary work on
your owns terms (best way
to showcase skills/sell
yourself/build trust)
✓ Call the contact person

19. Feeling Overwhelmed?
Sometimes things can get overwhelming, even
if you have been practising these skills. As
most people are social distancing or self-
isolating, a great option is online services. This
option can be anonymous, and accessed for
counselling services. In the workplace, you
may wish to speak with your line manager or a
peer support person.

20. Presentation Written By
Diane Hanna
Senior Consultant Psychologist
Date : 03 October 2020
©Diane Hanna, 2020