The Communication Recipe
Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash
We are social beings. Effective communication is crucial in having satisfying relationships in both our work environments and in our personal lives. The inadequacy of communicating virtually during the Covid-19 pandemic highlights human longings for connection and the need to adapt current practices.
Ingredients for Good Communication
There are a variety of ingredients which are essential in a recipe. Leaving one out may have disastrous results in the final product! Good communication also combines several elements such as a teamwork mindset, active listening, emotional intelligence and non-verbal expressions. These are essential in successfully transmitting information. Leaving out a critical component might result in adverse outcomes.
- A teamwork mindset requires a willingness to share ideas and opinions. Even introverted team members who find this difficult can find ways outside of a larger group to contribute, whether through one-on-one interaction or written communication.
- Active listening is grounded in a desire to understand what the other is saying, even when disagreeing. It does not focus on fixing situations but instead allows the other to process aloud what they are thinking and why. It requires silencing your thoughts, not thinking about what you will say next, not interrupting with a similar story of your own, or giving advice. Active listening involves being respectfully present or being with the speaker, appreciating being trusted with their thoughts and words.
- Emotional intelligence first perceives emotion, then uses that information to decide what to pay attention to and to discern what might trigger that display of emotion. It requires regulating our own emotions and encompasses our response to the feelings of others. Since emotions are temporary in their duration, controlling impulsivity in reactions allows you to move past initial feelings to empathize with others if you were to find yourself in their circumstances.
- Non-verbal communication includes body language and tone of voice, with facial expressions as a universal form. They usually convey happiness, sadness, anger, or fear. The eyes, as the window of the soul, can indicate interest and attention with their gaze. The mouth and lips can convey happiness or disapproval with the slightest turn. Gestures, while sometimes cultural, can also express emotion or approval. Posture and proxemics (personal space), can indicate friendliness or even the level of friendship between people.
A magic formula often referred to in seminars for understanding the various components in communication are the numbers 7/38/55. This formula refers to a 1967 communication study by Albert Mehrabian, which said that 7% of communication occurs through spoken words, 38% through vocal tone of voice, and 55% through body language. It seems to imply that the most critical aspects of communication are non-verbal. However, anyone who has visited a foreign country knows that non-verbal communication alone can only convey the most basic of messages. Misquotes of Merhabian’s findings are common. However, the study examined how people understand attitudes of like or dislike and should not be applied outside those perameters. In the context of emotions, non-verbal expressions do provide a great deal of information. When uncertain about the meaning of the words, people do pay more attention to non-verbal cues, and without being able to see or hear the non-verbal cues, the risk of misunderstanding is greater. Referring to the importance of behavior in communication, Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, “What you do speaks so loudly I can’t hear what you say”. Therefore, when the words and non-verbal indicators do not match, trust in the words is greatly diminished.
Current Issues in Communication
Face masks, social distancing, and virtual meetings have become the norm during the pandemic and have resulted in Zoom fatigue, lower engagement levels, and a great deal of frustration. These adverse outcomes are a result of missing critical ingredients in our communication recipe.
Reduced contact with others can contribute to feeling more suspicious of others. That, in turn, can result in defensiveness, reinforcing suspicion, and becoming a self-fulfilling prophecy. This negative spiral inhibits the teamwork mindset and hampers emotional intelligence and empathy.
Masks have made non-verbal communication more difficult. Not only do they muffle the voice for those hard of hearing and cover the mouth for those who read lips, but they make reading those universal facial expressions challenging.
We used to enter a room, read its nonverbal cues and adjust quickly to the circumstances. Now we try to figure out how to read the cues in the many virtual rooms represented on the screen. Simultaneously the overloaded brain must sort out where to focus our gaze – to the eyes on the screen or to the camera. The transmission delay freezing the facial movements or alternately garbling the voice and the background distractions, are additional challenges contributing to brain fatigue.
Many people feel self-conscious seeing themselves on the screen. The unstructured small talk that would have happened before the big meeting is now absent, reducing feelings of connection between people. The proxemics (personal space) clues are also missing and cannot advise us on how comfortable others are with our relationship. Keeping a social distance of 4 to 12 feet was generally for acquaintances, and close friends would normally stand 1.5 to 4 feet away. It is hard to read kinesics (movements and gestures) when you are not in the same room. Are they fidgeting because their child has come into the room or because they are bored?
Adapting the recipe
While our situation and tools may have changed, the basic human needs for communication and connection have not. Like substitutions in a recipe, find ways to adapt virtual experiences to human needs. Not everything about the current situation is negative. After all, everyone is getting better at using communication technology. Instead of comparing to how things used to be, embrace the changes with creativity!
To avoid the brain fatigue that comes with virtual communication, resist the temptation of multitasking. It overloads your already busy brain and possibly gives others the impression of disinterest. Intentionally take breaks to move and stretch physically. If virtual meetings make you feel pressured to have a designer workspace, use a simple room divider to hide clutter and remove distractions in your environment. Alternatively, use the “blur” feature in Microsoft Teams or Zoom to make your home environment more understated, or use their background options if you like a simple, non-distracting background.
Enhance teamwork by keeping meetings small and making sure everyone has a chance to speak in turn. Ensure that tasks and responsibilities are clearly assigned. Ask for comments from everyone and ask for clarification. Rather intentionally over-communicate than risk under-communicating and miscommunicating. Be sure to train all team members in using the tools effectively. Screen sharing can be beneficial when instruction must happen remotely. Finally, use ice breakers to initiate small talk to enhance the sense of camaraderie among co-workers, and take time to ask about their family or weekend plans.
Engage as many senses as possible. A phone call is better than an email or text, and a video call offers more significant benefits than a traditional phone call. If possible, move the Microsoft Teams or Zoom app box closer to your camera to enable a more eye-contact-like environment and eliminate background noise through audio apps like Krisp.ai. Establish yourself in the center of the camera, ensure that the video feed is working, then feel free to use a feature in many apps to turn off the selfie box, reducing self-conscious feelings.
Be aware of how you appear to others and try to remain present and focused. Sitting upright with the body open communicates friendliness, whereas sitting hunched forward and arms crossed can send boredom, hostility, or anxiety signals. Compensate for the loss of proxemics and kinesics by using language and tone to express emotions (e.g., saying, “hearing that makes me so happy!” when you are wearing a mask and they cannot see your smile).
Work on enhancing your active listening skills. Focus on trying to understand the reasoning the speaker is using, even if you disagree. Do not make assumptions but rather always ask for a clear answer. When asked to respond, be prompt and ensure your reply is also clear. Allow each speaker extra time to explain in greater detail than you might have given in-person, as this may be a helpful way to compensate for the lack of body language.
When considering ways to enhance emotional intelligence and empathy, beware of the shortcomings of words only communication such as email and texts. While using emoticons can help discerning lighthearted and serious concerns, misunderstandings are still more likely. Use names when addressing people and communicate respect and appreciation for their input. Feeling understood often increases honesty and trust, resulting in more productive conversations.
Leverage the desire for connection and channel frustrations into finding new ways to express a teamwork mindset, active listening, empathy, and non-verbal cues. Remember what Emerson said about actions speaking louder than words? Be sure that spoken words and body language agree. This harmony will add flavor to the communication recipe! “Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person.” (Colossians 4:6, New International Version – Bible)
Further Reading:
Mehrabian’s Communication Study
Bible Gateway
8 Virtual Icebreakers for Remote Meetings
The Amazing Science of Gratitude
Photo by Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash
The year 2021 is well underway. The hope which a new year brings has faded as COVID-stress and the endless waiting for improvements take their toll. Not seeing these improvements has resulted in poor coping…. The question remains: how do we continue to be most effective; to be our best selves each day? Whether clients, colleagues, or family; how do we guide them to a better future?
Gratitude!
The word immediately conjures images of bouquets, handmade cards written in inexperienced script with crayon, a turkey dinner surrounded by family, and whispered prayers. A nice sentiment, to be sure, but is there any substance to it? Indeed, the scientific data is in on the crucial and amazing effects of expressing thanks.
The Research
Scientists have discovered that grateful people are healthier, happier, better employees, more resilient in crisis, and more spiritually minded or connected to God.
Gratitude is good for our well-being. According to a 2012 study published in Personality and Individual Differences, gratitude’s positive effects resulted in fewer reports of aches and pains. These grateful people were also more likely to take care of their health, and exercised more often, which would increase health and well-being. 1
A 2011 study published in Applied Psychology: Health and Well-Being found that writing in a gratitude journal improves sleep. 2
As part of a study by Emmons and McCullough on the effects of gratitude, a group of young adults was asked to keep a daily gratitude journal. A second group was asked to journal about things that annoyed them or why they were better off than others. This conscious effort to be grateful in the first group was found to promote heightened well-being. It increased prosocial behaviors, built friendships, and inspired altruism. Comparison with others who are less fortunate did not have an impact unless it was intentionally processed into gratitude.3
This enhanced well-being and prosocial behavior extends to the workplace. A grateful manager results in greater cohesion within the group and increases employee productivity. Gratitude builds professional commitment as employees are more likely to volunteer for assignments or do something extra to complete a project. A study published in the International Journal of Workplace Health Management consistently found gratitude resulted in higher safety ratings, higher job satisfaction, more proactive behavior, less cynicism, and fewer absences due to illness.4
Gratitude increases resilience in times of crisis and stress. A Behavior Research and Therapy study on Vietnam War Veterans in 2006 found that a higher level of gratitude resulted in less Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and daily gratitude increased their sense of well-being.5
A study conducted during the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic among Chinese Singaporeans found that gratitude promoted positive coping and prosocial behavior. Participants were more open to supporting the well-being of others. In fact, “gratitude could be a key resource in enabling adaptation to crisis.”6
Brain Science
Our brains respond to giving and receiving expressions of gratitude by releasing the crucial neurotransmitters dopamine and serotonin. These neurotransmitters are responsible for our emotions and enhance our moods, resulting in feelings of happiness.
The hippocampus and amygdala, the parts of the brain which regulate bodily function, memory, and emotion, are activated with feelings of gratitude. This allows the limbic system in the brain to release toxic emotions, thereby reducing pain and depression, and improving sleep and stress regulation.7
An interesting aspect of this process is that events we experience do not trigger a release of dopamine unless our attention is focused on them. The average day is full of many good and bad moments, but unless noticed, the neurotransmitter will not be released that will allow one to feel either good or bad.8
Dr. Caroline Leaf says in her blog, Is Pessimism Bad for the Brain, that “Every time we feel pessimistic, we should practice being thankful rather than merely ruminating on our lot in life. This can revive the wired-for-love design of our brains, activating a self-perpetuating cycle of positivity in the mind. Choosing to be grateful instead of thinking the worst in any given situation helps us see our circumstances differently and gives us the ability to persevere and stay positive even when times are tough!”9
Where you focus your attention makes actual physical, and chemically discernable differences in your brain and in how you feel. However, gratitude is not a quick fix or a miracle guarantee. One still needs to acknowledge the reasons for sadness and grief, and work to reduce stress. Gratitude redirects our vision from the present difficulties to the many good and right things that also exist.
Science and Faith
Not only are grateful people physically, emotionally, and relationally healthier but they are also different in spiritual matters. 10 Scientific research confirms what human nature has intuitively known, and history demonstrates: a strong positive association between gratitude and religion.
Across the globe are varied cultures that had equally varied celebrations of thanksgiving for harvests and blessings. History documents that chants of gratitude were part of ancient Buddhist monks’ days and that prayers of gratitude were often included in Native American ceremonies. Ancient wisdom in the Judeo-Christian Bible references giving thanks well over 100 times in the Old Testament, and one out of every 6 of its Psalms contain expressions of thankfulness. Therefore, gratitude is not a new idea, nor is it exclusively connected to one culture or religion. It is deeply rooted in human interactions and is how we can see beyond ourselves to other people or circumstances responsible for blessings. As part of the common human experience, gratitude forges connections with individual people, groups, communities, ideas, or with God.11
Along with many of our clients, the staff at Plains Edge embrace the Judeo-Christian perspective of God. Therefore, we would like to highlight the way gratitude is woven into the Christian faith.
The Biblical Psalms are full of gratitude expressions in worship (Psalm 100:4, 95:2, NIV)12. When Colossians 3:17 says, “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.”, it shows God’s awareness that looking beyond ourselves with gratitude is what we need to forge a spiritual connection with Him.
Alternatively, as Dr. Leaf has pointed out, the consequence of neglecting thankfulness rewires the brain in negative ways. The result is a loss of spiritual connection with God, “For although they knew God, they neither glorified Him as God nor gave thanks to Him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.” (Romans 1:21)
The Bible encourages believers not to “conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” (Romans 12:2) This is to be accomplished by taking “…captive every thought…” (2 Cor 10:5) and thinking about things that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, or praiseworthy (Phil 4:8).
When we respond to problems around us by praying “with thanksgiving,” we are promised that we “…will experience God’s peace…” which exceeds anything we can understand. (Phil 4:6-7) Focusing on difficulties causes us to lose sight of both God’s presence and His goodness, thereby robbing us of peace.
Through the death and resurrection of Jesus, we receive undeserved grace and forgiveness of sins, resulting in profound gratitude to God.
Barriers
If gratitude is beneficial from a scientific and faith perspective, why do people struggle to practice it? Obviously, problems demand attention, whereas blessings are already secured and easier to take for granted, but the struggle is much deeper than that.
One common barrier is entitlement. The entitled person receives something good but feels they are “owed” or deserve it, essentially practicing ingratitude. The grateful person does not assume the world owes them anything.
Another barrier is the misunderstanding that gratitude comes from a place of privilege. The expectation that “I will be happy when…” causes us to miss out on the day-to-day joys of life while waiting for a particular dream to be fulfilled. This mindset feeds the myth of scarcity and feelings of never having enough.
Fear also creates barriers to gratitude by making us uncomfortable in sharing our emotions. Honesty about how hard a situation is does not nullify the goodness of God or other valid feelings of thankfulness. Choosing to practice gratitude during difficult circumstances shifts our perspective and brings joy back into life.
Gratitude Lifestyle
It is easier to feel thankful when things in life are going well, but gratitude is not just a singular event but rather a lifestyle that habitually looks for blessings each day. Dr. Robert A. Emmons, Ph.D., states that there are two parts to gratitude. The first is affirming the goodness that always exists in life. The second is recognizing that the source of these good things is often outside of ourselves.
Begin cultivating a gratitude lifestyle by affirming goodness around you. Like the students who participated in the Emmons and McCullough study, try keeping a gratitude journal. List three things every day that you are thankful for or create a weekly list. When life gives you lemons, read over the journal to remind yourself of the good things while you sip that proverbial lemonade! When you look in the mirror, think about things that you did well today.
Embrace gratitude’s change of focus to see beyond yourself to the source of those good blessings. Express gratitude to those around you and to God. Meditate on Scripture, use prayer and worship music to keep your focus on Him.
Finally, allow the gratitude lifestyle to develop prosocial behaviors and enhance social relationships. Extend grace to those around you who are struggling and be a source of positive change in your community.
Conclusion
Gratitude is more than just a polite sentiment. An integral part of the human experience, it is how the human brain is wired to forge connections beyond oneself. Being grateful evokes good feelings in us today and creates a lifestyle that helps us embrace the good in future days. It enables us to be the best self that God intended for us to be.
Thanks for joining us in exploring this topic!
1 Forbes: 7 Scientifically Proven Benefits Of Gratitude That Will Motivate You To Give Thanks Year-Round
and
Personality and Individual Differences Journal Vol. 54 Issue 1
2 Effects of Constructive Worry, Imagery Distraction, and Gratitude Interventions on Sleep Quality: A Pilot Trial. Applied Psychology: Health and Well-Being July 2011, Volume 3, Issue 2, pages 193-206 Applied Psychology: Health and Well-Being July 2011
3 Counting Blessings Versus Burdens: An Experimental Investigation of Gratitude and Subjective Well-Being in Daily Life, Robert A. Emmons, University of California, Davis and Michael E. McCullough, University of Miami Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 2003, Vol. 84, No. 2, 377-389 Greater Good in Education: Counting Blessings Versus Burdens
4 Burke, R.J., Ng, E.S.W. and Fiksenbaum, L. (2009), Virtues, work satisfactions and psychological wellbeing among nurses, International Journal of Workplace Health Management, Vol. 2 No. 3, pp. 202-219. emerald insight: Virtues, work satisfactions and psychological wellbeing among nurses
5 Kashdan TB, Uswatte G, Julian T. Gratitude and hedonic and eudaimonic well-being in Vietnam war veterans. Behav Res Ther. 2006 Feb;44(2):177-99. doi: 10.1016/j.brat.2005.01.005. PMID: 16389060. National Library of Medicine
6 Tong EMW, Oh VYS. Gratitude and Adaptive Coping Among Chinese Singaporeans During the Beginning of the COVID-19 Pandemic. Front Psychiatry. 2021 Jan 26;11:628937. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2020.628937. PMID: 33574774; PMCID: PMC7870711. National Library of Medicine
7 Positive Psychology: The Neuroscience of Gratitude and How It Affects Anxiety & Grief
8 ABC News: Thankfulness Linked to Positive Changes in Brain and Body
9 Dr. C. Leaf: Is Pessimism Bad for the Brain
10 The Grateful Disposition: A conceptual and Empirical Topography Michael E. McCullough, Southern Methodist University, Robert A. Emmons, University of California, Davis, Jo-Ann Tsang, Southern Methodist University. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 2002, Vol. 82, No. 1, 124 Greater Good in Education: The Grateful Disposition
12 All scriptures are quoted from the New International Version (NIV) Bible
Seeds of Hope for 2021
Photo by Majharul Islam on Unsplash
Out with the Old
Many people are more than a little eager to leave the chaos of 2020, leaving the hardships of a global pandemic behind. The start of a new year is traditionally a time to ponder New Year’s resolutions and fresh starts, a time of new inspiration and fresh energy to re-focus on life. But wait…before throwing out the whole 2020 experience, perhaps ask this simple question: Are there good things that have emerged that should be carried forward into 2021?
When left-over carrot tops and plant stems are put on the compost pile in the garden to decay, they change into good soil that nourishes plants for the future year. In the same way, the beautiful thing about our “normal” way of life being destroyed is that change is an opportunity to determine what is worth keeping and examine new seeds that are sprouting!
Community Spirit
Crisis often pulls people and communities together. Not surprising then that 2020 saw some wonderful examples of community spirit, kindness, and generosity. There was a renewed appreciation for family and friends along with new and creative ways of connecting with them. Whether through Zoom calls, taking a walk outside together, or checking in to see if there were needs during a time of sickness, we created a community spirit. There was great applause for essential and health care workers. New appreciation was developed for schools and teachers, and homeschooling was recognized for the difficult thing that it is. Local small businesses found new support from the community as well.
With that community spirit was also an increase in awareness and compassion for social inequalities. We trust that our eyes were opened to the homeless and low-income families without computer or internet access. They are definitely in need of more support.
Embracing Technology
Restrictions required new ways of doing things. Working from home, eCommerce, electronic signatures on contracts, online shopping with contactless pickup, are but a few examples of new ways of accomplishing things. Technology enabled virtual tourism. Some examples are a virtual tour of the Vatican in Rome, The Louvre in Paris, Guggenheim Museum in New York, The Kennedy Center of the Performing Arts and Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington, and many more!
Healthier Planet
The restrictions of the pandemic also brought about some surprising but healthy outcomes for our planet. Reduced travel resulted in a noticeable reduction in carbon emissions and air pollution. Personal hygiene and cleanliness became even more important to prevent the spread of Covid-19.
Presenteeism is the expectation that one must report to the office even when sick. This pre-Covid social expectation has been drastically reversed. Now those even feeling mildly ill are expected to stay home or work remotely, if possible. This indicates an underlying shift in how our culture thinks about work. It is more important that the tasks are completed than the time spent or location. The freedom to stay home when not feeling well can only be a positive step toward better physical and mental health for employees.
The renewed emphasis on getting out and being active resulted in bike shops often being unable to keep up with demand. This is an encouraging change for a culture that has become increasingly sedentary.
While the isolation and pandemic restrictions may have caused mental stress, there was also an increased awareness of the need for mental health support and the effects of such stress on individuals. Even the increase in pet adoption and planting gardens were signs of people finding healthy coping strategies during their restlessness.
A significant drop in the number of premature births was observed worldwide– some places reporting a staggering 80% decline. While there may have been multiple contributing factors, the increased hygiene measures and behavior changes that resulted in less physically demanding work, less shift work, more sleep, and increased support may be a partial explanation.
Creativity
While some activities, such as Drive-in’s, puzzles and board games made a come-back, there were also new bursts of creativity. With many running races and marathons cancelled, new ways to host community activities emerged, such as virtual races and local runs that would not have ordinarily garnered such a keen interest. One such example is Villageruns.com where routes in surrounding communities were posted in an online platform. Participants were encouraged to run the routes to suit their own schedules. Those who completed the runs still received the traditional finisher shirt; it met both motivational and physical distancing needs.
Fundraisers and concerts went Virtual. Local fundraising dinners became a curbside pickup meal and still provided the opportunity to support local charities. Churches found ways to livestream services and some even offered choir participation from the safety of home. The Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra and other local musicians such as Steve Bell, offered online concert tickets and access to a live stream music event.
New markets for personal protective equipment and cleaning supplies created opportunities for business. New jobs opened up for delivery or cleaning staff. For example: a craft store that would otherwise be required to shut down as they were not selling essentials, now offered local delivery of supplies. Even advertising has been affected, such as Apple’s “Creativity goes on” ad which is comforting and positive, and comics have sought to capture the witty side of our lockdown lives!
Embrace the New
Sift through the composting remains of 2020. Discard the negativity and leave behind the cynicism. Remember to wash your hands often. Stay home when you are sick. Breathe, and allow the seeds of community spirit, kindness, and generosity to sprout. Let’s continue harnessing technology to meet human need and make decisions that are healthier for us and our planet. Embrace the new growth of creativity and allow the resulting hope to grow in 2021!
Resources
Washington Post: He asked strangers to share positive things…
Zurich Insurance Group: Will you go into work when you are unwell…
Travel Trend: Virtual tourism
Forbes: Best ads from coronavirus lockdown
Adaptable Learning
Have you ever observed trees flex and sway in a strong wind? Or have you paused to count the growth rings in the trunks of trees which have been cut down? Trees need wind sway to activate their natural adaptive process which, in turn, strengthens their trunks and roots. The effect of wind can even be visible in their growth rings, the size of their leaves, or in the structure of the wood itself! Like trees adapting to wind, human minds adapt when stretched to their capacity. When we let go of what cannot be, we make space for new energy and new desires, adapting by bringing our understanding of past situations into the new. This is the process we are currently experiencing in our education system with a chilly COVID-19 wind blowing hard… how will we adapt?
Letting go of traditional school
Search the internet or social media and it is easy to find complaints about education these days. The sudden and drastic switch to distance learning has left many parents and teachers frustrated and overwhelmed. Families are attempting to juggle working from home, along with organizing childcare and schoolwork supervision for older children. Since schools have laid off educational assistants, tutoring falls to parents or siblings. Older students are expected to work independently. If the number of devices or the Internet bandwidth is not available to accommodate so many users at home, problems multiply. Online learning has greater disadvantages for those students who already have many other learning challenges.
As this new distance learning is quite different from the traditional school model, likewise, it also varies from a traditional homeschool situation. When homeschooling, parents plan curriculum and arrange learning activities within the cadence of their family life. They are responsible for the learning, but also have authority to adapt assignments and workload as necessary. The current distance learning has handed parents responsibility for learning without authority to adapt it to their unique context.
Fostering Resilience
The initial escalation and emergency are over. While governments seek to re-open, and we are eager for that, we are also anxious about a subsequent wave of new cases. It will now require careful planning to balance safety and freedom in the educational setting. While school leaders must protect students and staff, they must also work to prevent the severe burnout and mental health issues that are possible due to measures taken to prevent the spread of the virus.
Staff and students need the psychological safety of structure and routines and honest communication in response to their questions. Our sense of wellbeing is affected by our emotions. Once emotions are evoked, they need to find expression in healthy ways. People often have delayed responses to crises. Without a safe space to process, emotions can come out as undesirable behaviors and consequences. Opportunities to process emotions pave the way for adaptation, and successful adaptation results in resilience!
Making space for new innovations
Just like a tree can sprout again and grow new branches when it is cut down, so innovation can sprout from the traditional.
- Distance learning or hybrid models must provide opportunities for in-person learning. This can occur in smaller groups and can accommodate online options, either synchronously or asynchronously. Cambrian College in Sudbury, Ontario leads the way with their Hy-Flex system which incorporates all of these instruction modes. In a recent interview, higher ed futurist Ken Steele discussed this with Dr Jenni Hayman, Chair of Teaching & Learning at Cambrian. Dr. Hayman explained how well in-person, synchronous and asynchronous students can interact with instructors and each other. She also highlighted the importance of the ability of individual instructors to leverage the technology. This demands more of the teachers to plan course delivery and to master the technology.
- Daily schedules should be flexible or shortened to allow children to come to school in smaller groups. This could minimize the requirement for social distancing over lunch and recess.
- Organize activities around small groups in order to increase a sense of belonging instead of isolation.
- As schools step into providing online learning, they must think about managing the user experience. For example, some learner management systems provide for separate web pages for each teacher or each course. It then becomes important that students have a consistent and predictable experience across all teacher or course pages.
- A greater emphasis on tutoring and one-on-one instruction is crucial. By providing students a way to post questions privately, online instruction may be a positive change for those not confident enough to ask questions in the classroom setting. However, lengthy response times will undermine the students’ confidence, both in the system and in their learning. Educational Assistants can provide valuable support to teachers by ensuring students’ questions receive rapid responses.
- To address inequalities, bursaries or financial aid programs should address technology gaps by providing tablets, notebook computers or age appropriate learning devices. Our local public school division has extended free Wi-Fi coverage to their parking lots for students who lack Internet connection at home.
- Emphasize fundamentals in early and middle years. Reading, writing and mathematics are the foundations of learning. Students will be better prepared to catch up in following years if their basic skills remain strong.
- Distance learning should provide weekly assignments and due dates rather than daily deadlines to allow families flexibility to adapt their work/schoolwork schedules.
- Recognize that many important learning opportunities have been discovered in the kitchen, in the garage, and in ordinary family life experiences during this pandemic. Find ways to leverage that new knowledge.
- Invest more in school counsellors, and welcome open discussion about mental health and healthy methods of coping with anxiety.
- Welcome spiritual perspectives of faith versus fear.
Our children’s growth is like that of a tree. Each year there is growth that will be visible in a ring of the trunk. Some years of ideal conditions, the ring will be relatively large. In other years of high winds, the ring may be narrow or oddly shaped. But the challenges of the season will develop a strong root system which, in turn, will make it more adaptable for the future. COVID-19 will impact immediate learning. However, successful adaptation and the resulting resilience will have a positive impact on future learning and other difficulties our children will face in life.
For Further Reading
Bee Sweet Nature Company: “Wind Action on Trees”
Evidence of Frustration
Manitoba needs to fix ‘disorganized mess’ that is pandemic education plan, says mom and teacher
Parenting in a pandemic: Manitobans share struggle of working and teaching from home
How ‘regular school’ parents can homeschool their kids
Staying Sane with School at Home
How to Homeschool During the Novel Coronavirus Outbreak
How could Manitoba schools reopen? Denmark may have ideas
Local tutor offers homeschooling tips for parents
Adaptation
Eduvation Blog: HyFlex Learning
Coronavirus: There is an urgent need to reopen schools – this is how to make it happen
Why reopening schools will be harder than shutting them down
Our current approach to COVID-19 won’t work as well for a second wave. We must prepare now
Neufeld, Gordon. Parenting in Stressful Times – Part I: How to be Your Child’s “Best Bet”
Neufeld, Gordon. Parenting in Stressful Times – Part II: Holding On During the Rebound
Home-Based Work and Learning
With our regular routines and a world turned upside down by the Covid-19 virus, coping can be challenging these days. The good news is that while our circumstances may be changing, our basic human nature and needs have not. In today’s world we still need to meet physical needs; shelter, connection with others, novelty and the need to be intentional about our thinking. In fact, when these needs are met, human nature is very resilient! For adults working from home or students adapting to learning from home, we can boost resilience and efficiency by getting back to the basics.
Physical Needs
People need to have adequate food, water and sleep in order to maintain a healthy body. However, did you know that lack of hydration can contribute to a lack of focus? Taking care of your basic needs will increase your productivity. Other suggestions for a healthy body and mind include keeping your morning routine, taking time each day for sunshine, fresh air and physical activity. In fact, this would be an ideal time to start up an exercise program. Just a little “food for thought”!
Shelter
There are a number of positives to working and studying at home, such as not needing to commute, flexibility to accommodate childcare and the opportunity to work during the time of day in which one’s productivity is at its highest. However, the line between work and home is a fine line. Missing that line can lead to feeling unproductive or like one can never get away from work. Creating a schedule for the workday is very important. In doing so, include some margin for tasks that may take longer than expected and include time for unexpected family needs.
Work out rules of engagement with your workplace. For example: which technology will you use for meetings (Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Webex, etc.)? What is the best time of day to reach you (are you working earlier or later to accommodate children’s schoolwork or naps)? Will there be a weekly or daily check in with management?
Designate some sort of “office” space even if it is just as simple as a dedicated desk, so you have a physical space you can concentrate in. That way you can retreat to the other spaces of your home to relax. Also, when a child or spouse sees you in your office space, they are aware that you are at work and, unless absolutely necessary, should not be bothered.
Connection
Human nature is wired to need connection with others. The isolation of working from home can have a negative impact on motivation. Therefore, be intentional with your social interactions. Missing your running partner? Use a Strava account to connect with other runners. Missing the social environment of the office? One should use the first five minutes of a meeting to catch up on non-work news. Talking about your weekend helps build community in the virtual workplace. Using video whenever possible for meetings allows you to read others non-verbal cues. Offer emotional support as coworkers deal with stress, followed by affirmation and confidence in their ability to adapt. Find creative ways to create belonging, like a virtual pizza party or party care packages which could be sent in advance and then opened simultaneously on a video call.
Novelty
Another basic human need is for novelty in our lives. We crave the opportunities to learn and to grow, even with risk of failure! Since our work environment has been disrupted, take this opportunity to explore new ways of maintaining productivity. Be willing to try new ways of doing things. If you have not done so in the past, boost your motivation by making lists with clear priorities. Communicate if you need accommodations in your day. Be creative with the inevitable interruptions. Ernest Hemmingway, an American writer, said he liked to end his day in mid- paragraph so he knew where to pick up his writing the next day! If it works for Ernest Hemmingway, you may find that it also works for you in the area of productivity!
A critical part of an efficient workday is time you spend NOT working. Breaks are essential in preventing fatigue and maintaining your focus. While there are many ways to schedule breaks, the 20-20-20 rule is for when you spend hours in front of your laptop. Try to look away from your screen every 20 minutes, focusing instead on something approximately 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds.
Another way to structure breaks into your day is to use the Pomodoro Technique which follows a pattern: choose a task, engage in a 25-minute work sprint, followed by a 3-minute break. After 4 such sprints, take a longer break of 15-30 minutes. Repeat throughout your workday.
Careful Thinking
The human brain has great reasoning capacity, so think about how you think! It is good to be informed; however watching too many news clips can create anxiety. Remember to be kind to yourself and others. Perfection is not realistic for anyone, especially when navigating new territory. Do not focus too much on what you cannot do or control, but rather on what you can do. Take time to be grateful for all the positive things in your life! If you are feeling overwhelmed, focus on taking care of your mental health and reach out for help.
Certainly these are challenging times. However, taking care of basic needs unlocks your amazing potential to adapt and allows for novel ways to succeed. Go for it!
Resources
Physical Needs
Forbes: Six Fundamental Human Needs We Need to Meet to Live Our Best Lives
Furthermore: Concentration Hack: Hydration
Business News Daily: Working From Home Increases Productivity
Shelter
X.AI Blog: Working From Home Without Childcare: We Can Do It!
Rules of Engagement
Harvard Business Review: A Guide to Managing Your (Newly) Remote Workers
Connection
New York Times: Social Interaction Is Critical for Mental and Physical Health
X.AI Blog: Working Remotely: 5 Lessons We Learned When We Made the Switch
Novelty
Harvard Business Review: 5 Ways to Work from Home More Effectively
Trello: The Pomodoro Technique for Better Productivity
Intentional Thinking
Psychology Today: 7 Scientifically Proven Benefits of Gratitude
Focus on the Family: How to Care For Your Mental Health During Coronavirus