These past few weeks have been quite tough for me as I have been following the news in Ukraine. Some of my closest friends live there. After each call and message, I still feel miserable, petrified and powerless. We continue to pray for peace in Ukraine.
Considering these circumstances, it could be a good idea to share how my teammates and I chose to cope with stress, so it wouldn’t affect our performance or mental health.
1. Act and care for others
At the time that more and more refugees enter Moldova, the demand for necessity goods and volunteers rises. In this situation, even the smallest gestures count. Regardless of the way you choose to contribute, please don’t be indifferent. As Ellie Wiesel, Nobel laureate and Holocaust survivor, once said: “It’s not hatred that kills people, it’s indifference”. Ready to take action? Here are useful links for you:
- All the information regarding how you can help and who needs help can be found here.
- The Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Government of the Republic of Moldova created a working group “Moldova for Peace” which launched a crowdfunding campaign.
- The Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Moldova opened a bank account for humanitarian donations in support of the Ukrainian people.
To make our contribution, ISD hosted a Ukrainian team at our office, also we donated to the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Moldova. The rest of our team continues to help with donations and volunteering.
2. Stay informed
At a time like this, it’s important to manage some of the external factors that might cause distress or demoralization. Staying informed from trustworthy sources without getting overwhelmed is crucial. In fact, resilience is the key to adapting and coping with the crisis. Therefore, choose your sources wisely.
The Government of Moldova created a Telegram channel where you can find only verified information from official sources.
3. Talk about your feelings
Since day one, Tamara, our HR Manager, has been encouraging us to communicate openly. She conducted a survey among all team members to find out our emotional state and how the company could help us depending on our needs (relocation, psychological help or any other form of support).
It is refreshing to know that we are going through this together and we can get help when needed.
4. Stick to your rituals
Lack of sleep and emotional distress affect your resilience. The only way to handle it is through planning. Why do we use strategic planning and approach to work projects, but don’t do with our personal life?
For me, Pomodoro technique and Kaizen approach work the best. If you want to dig deeper into the Kaizen philosophy, I suggest reading “The Spirit of Kaizen” by Robert Maurer.
5. Ask for help and keep in touch
All of us deal with stress in different ways. If we go through it for longer periods of time, we tend to bottle it up. However, instead of hiding in our shells, specialists suggest sharing our concerns and asking for help. As I am typing this, in the background I am listening to Be There, a course designed to increase mental health literacy.
Don’t be afraid to talk about it with your family, team, friends or counselor. And, remember, you’re not alone.
Peace for Ukraine. Take care. Stay safe and humble.