Our author today is Kassie Hauenstein. She is on the marketing team at SalesPage Technologies and is a tour guide for West Michigan Beer Tours. Kassie is finishing her MBA at Western Michigan University and hopes to apply creative problem solving skills and a continuous improvement mindset to make organizations more ethical, successful, and competitive.
For many of us, the calendar flip from September to October marked the six-month point for our new reality created by COVID-19. Fall always seems like a time for change, but the chill in the air cuts a little deeper when you realize that, on top of everything else, we are once again staring down another long winter. If you have noticed an energy shift – feeling more impatient, frustrated, or tired in recent weeks – you are not alone. Experts call this the “six-month wall,” and it is considered a normal and expected part of a transformative situation like a global pandemic.
At the six-month mark of crisis, we have redefined and adapted to a new sense of normal. We interact with the world differently, and we have become generally comfortable in our new routines. Now we might find ourselves losing steam. We are starting to feel restless, like this crisis will never end, and letting the fear of uncertainty creep back into our lives. Dr. Aisha Ahmed, a political science professor with hands-on experience in major crisis management shares her experiences with the six-month wall and explains that, while it is inevitable, the wall also tends to break naturally in 4 to 6 weeks.
You may find it difficult to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Here are some insights to help you build momentum to get over the hump:
- Work brick by brick. When your wall seems overwhelming, try breaking things down into smaller, manageable pieces. Focus your energy on the things you can control and work to let go of the things you cannot.
- Be kind to yourself. Change is difficult even in the best of times. Accept that you might not be operating at full power during this time, and that’s okay. Do take care of yourself, recharge as needed and be realistic in what you expect from yourself. As Ahmed says “Don’t expect to be sparklingly happy or wildly creative in the middle of your wall. Right now, if you can meet your obligations and be kind to your loved ones, you get an A+.”
- Ride the waves. We experience reality as a constant cycle of ups and downs, and the wall, like many challenges in life, is only temporary. Make sure your mindset does not add to the challenges. Remind yourself of the growth and adaption you have already endured to get to this point. Be confident in the skills you developed in the first six months and continue to innovate and find happiness in new places.
This unprecedented crisis has been a rough journey for many people, and it won’t last forever. Put strategies in place today to help you transition to the “new normal.”
Want to share your own tips on beating the six-month wall? Comment below of message us.
Photo by Tatiana Rodriguez on Unsplash