With millions of people the world over entering isolation to fight against the spread of Coronavirus , the need for positivity becomes even more critical.

Taking his cue from the seminal works residing at the University of Pennsylvania on Positive Psychology, Mike Buchanan, Founder of Positively Leading – a leading authority in this area – explains how, by advocating the following techniques.

Positive Emotion

From positive emotion springs happiness. While the Coronavirus world makes optimism a challenge, there are things you can do to stay optimistic:
• Limit your access to social media and news: listen to or read it once a day to keep informed and so that you are not constantly bombarded with bad news.
• Take time to appreciate your home and those who are with you: write a daily list of three or more things in and around your at home for which you are grateful and share your gratitude with others.
• Take time out to properly enjoy your coffee breaks; now is an excellent opportunity to have proper conversations, face-to-face or remotely – steer the conversation away from Coronavirus or agree at the start that it’s a banned topic.
• Share the joy and satisfaction of others in your home express in their work and play.
• Take a new perspective on daily tasks such as cooking and look for the joy in spending time preparing something.

Engagement

Isolation from others makes engagement even more critical: with those that remain or can be contacted electronically or with your activities. High engagement activities flood the body with positive hormones that elevate one’s sense of well-being. Time flies by as the individual focuses on the task to the exclusion of everything else. For instance, you might find ‘flow’ in:
• Writing a report or proposal by excluding other distractions.
• Giving yourself time during the day to read some research or that informative book you have by your bedside.
• Listening deeply to others about their lives to connect with them; your family or friends over social media; try listening for ten minutes or more without interrupting – what have you’re learned about them and yourself?
• Exercising, singing, or playing your instrument – giving proper time to these activities allows you to experience focus, calmness, and satisfaction.
All these activities and more stretch our intelligence, skills, and emotional capabilities.

Relationships

Now is the time to nurture relationships at home and take a watchful eye on others in your neighborhood who may not have secure connections via social media, such as the elderly. Our physical isolation does not need to mean we are emotionally isolated, while the Coronavirus pandemic plays out across the world. If we know we belong to a group, it helps us feel safe and valued. You might try to :
• Approach your neighbor, perhaps over the phone or at a safe distance, to inquire about how they are getting on and what help they might appreciate, then listen and act.
• Taking time to speak with your work colleagues about how they are coping with working from home, then listen.
• Setting aside time to do the same with your partner or children; listen.
Listening deeply means seeking to understand the emotions and feelings which the person is expressing. If this is not something you normally do (because you are too busy thinking about your response to what they are saying or your own emotional reaction), then you have a golden opportunity to increase your sense of joy as your relationships grow.

Accomplishments

A sense of accomplishment is an essential aspect of positive living, flourishing, and happiness, which is why bucket lists are increasingly common. Whatever your circumstances, accomplishments remind us that we have control over our lives. Such achievements do not need to be grand to provide this reminder of control. While in isolation, you should make realistic goals that can be achieved. You might try:
• An exercise regime that gets you up from your home office desk and in fresh air for a least 10 minutes in every hour.
• Cooking a meal from scratch from the ingredients you have.
• Handwriting (not email, text, or other social media) a letter expressing your thanks to someone from your past who helped you when you needed it – imagine how they will feel reading it.
• Finally, having that conversation with your boss about your aspirations in work and seeking their support.
• Telling those dear to you that you love them. – come on; you can do it more than you currently do, and now is a perfect opportunity.

Source https://img.gulf-times.com/Content/PDF/Dailynewspaper/Main2020_3_16908505.PDF

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