While there’s been an increase of families eating at home during COVID-19 (after all, many bars and restaurants closed temporarily and have reduced their hours since), there’s also been an increase in the consumption of fast food. We’re stressed out. We’re tired. We’re juggling work and kids at home on top of feelings of isolation and anxiety.
I think our health and wellbeing has been put to the test like never before this year. 2020 has brought more than its fair share of challenges, new worries, and concerns. Whether it’s fear of contracting COVID-19, the stress of trying to care for a sick loved one while unable to see them face-to-face, or concerns about the state of the economy and one’s job security.
2020 has brought about a big shakeup in the way we live and work. When the COVID-19 pandemic first kicked off in America, businesses and governments were quick to shut down and move to remote work. While not every job was capable of making this transition, many were. At REI Nation, I know we worked remotely for a time, too!
I don’t know about you, but this whole COVID-19 situation has resulted in a lot of food cravings. Whether a means or stress relief or fighting back the boredom of being cooped up at home, the sale of junk food is on the rise — and it’s creating some big health problems.
Resilience is our capacity to recover and bounce back under trying circumstances. That resilience can be physical, but in so many ways, we have to fight for mental resilience. Resilience is the ability to keep going in the face of failure; the ability to push through and come out stronger for it. It isn’t just surviving difficult circumstances.
We don’t tend to make the best decisions while we’re stressed out. We’re in the middle of a global pandemic. Facing the grocery store is among the biggest challenges you’ll face during the week in terms of proximity to others and potential exposure. Not to mention the stressof the current economy, the virus, and an unknown future are taking a toll.
As people, we’re prone to making comparisons. Often, these can be split-second, subconscious evaluations. Comparisons, on their own, are not a bad thing. We compare the flavors of food. We compare strategies and plans. Comparison, when neutral and done in the name of strategy, isn’t bad. Comparison is bad when it pits people against one another.
I’ve been writing about stress management quite often over the past few months. There’s a reason for it — we’re stressed out! I don’t know about you, but between pandemic worries and the uncertainty of the future along with constant changes to our day-to-day lives...we’re living in stressful, stressful times, my friends.
We all know but now that I’m a health and wellness guy. Part of my goal here is to impart some wisdom and advice not only in terms of finance and leadership but in what makes life good. For us as professionals, as men, as fathers and husbands, there’s more to life, more to fulfillment, than a good career.
As the U.S. digs deeper into an economic recession due to COVID-19, it’s more important than ever to have financial savvy. While not all of us are fearful of job or monetary loss during these times, it’s no less important to adjust your strategy to deal with both the known and unknown risks involved in a recession.
The world seems more divided than it’s ever been. It might be an exaggeration — after all, we only know our lifetime and its context. Even so, conflict seems to be everywhere we turn. In part, we can blame it on social media. Not only does the Internet afford us some level of anonymity and distance from the people we disagree with, emboldening some to be particularly vitriolic, but social media means that we simply see more of it. We’re more connected, more in-the-know.
There’s no doubt about it — stress levels are at an all-time high for many of us. We’re combating daily economic fears alongside very real health concerns brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. Our schedules and ways of life have been turned upside down over the past few months. And, unsurprisingly, we’re paying for it.
I think some leaders are fearful that vulnerability is perceived as weakness. This isn’t surprising, given the very definition of vulnerable is “susceptible to attack or harm.” As leaders, we want to demonstrate strength, conviction, and confidence. In a way, we want to seem impervious to the challenges and trials that come our way.
There are so many valuable qualities that shape the effectiveness of a leader. I’ve talked about many of them at length. I think now, in 2020, as we face increasingly divisive rhetoric and action on all levels of society, the unifying nature of leadership is more valuable than ever. Now, I’m not here to get into politics or discuss sweeping social issues.
2020 has turned out to be more than a little interesting. The stress of it all has undoubtedly led to some poor eating habits, even when we couldn’t go to our favorite restaurants. While eating healthy at home is one goal to strive for, we also must be conscious of what we’re really eating when we go out-to-eat.
I have five kids. As we’ve just seen Father’s Day come and go, I can’t help but think about them. Specifically, I think about the kind of people they are growing up to be and how I, as their father, play a role in that future. One of the biggest fears we dads have is that we’ll “screw up” our kids. We fear that we’ll give them something less than the best, that our actions will hurt their futures.
I’m no stranger to the competitive spirit. As I navigate my life and work, that sense of competition has driven me to sharpen my skills, pay attention to the details, and provide the best I have to offer to my colleagues and clients alike. Even in my hobbies, I see my competitive spirit thriving — as an endurance runner, I’m always pushing for peak performance.
