How to Manage Low Grade Depression

COVID-19 Uncertainty

Nobody saw the effect that COVID-19 would have on everyone across the world. Not very many people predicted that five-months later we would still be in a state of uncertainty.  Most people thought we would be ‘locked into’ our home offices for a couple of months. It was a novelty to be ‘just down the hall’ from work. Zoom and MS Teams was interesting at first.

But here we are. Still uncertain about what’s next. Still wondering: “When will this ever end?”

Zoom Fatigue

And now I am seeing a new challenge for all of us.  Zoom fatigue is real.  Individual and team engagement has never been this collectively low.  On a large scale I am seeing people not exercising enough, not eating properly, not getting good quality sleep, and generally going through their day like they have ‘low grade depression.’

Michelle Obama recently said on the second episode of her podcast: “These are not, they are not fulfilling times, spiritually.  I know that I am dealing with some form of low-grade depression.”  She talked about the reason being the pandemic, racial injustice, and political hypocrisy.

She is not alone.  Employees are feeling it too – whether they are at work or working from home.

So, as a Leader what do you do?

Here’s my list of things to focus on:

1. Acknowledge with your team that you feel their sense of uncertainty. Have a discussion about it.  Ask your team members for suggestions on what you could do together.  This small bit of vulnerability on your part will drive higher levels of trust amongst the team.
2. Remind the team about the purpose you and they have. Having a sense of purpose in uncertain times is what people need.
3. Create clarity for people about direction.
4. Look for ways to bring connection and belonging into a virtual work world. Humans crave connection and belonging – it is part of our hard-wiring.  Ask the team for ideas.  Share responsibility amongst the team for coming up with virtual engagement exercises.
5. Make support available for anyone that is really struggling with the ‘world’ as it is today.

We will get through this. There will be a time in the future when we look back on this and see how this is making you stronger and wiser as a leader.

Robert Murray is a Vancouver, BC based Business Strategy Consultant, #1 Best Selling Author, International Keynote Speaker, and TEC Top Speaker of the Year for 2018. For further advice, insight and inspiration on how to unlock your inner leader, follow Robert on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook.

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