The vaccine is finally here and it can be tempting to let your guard down. The zoom happy hours and fun around working from home has lost its notoriety for many. Physical distancing and mask-wearing are taking a toll on us and for good reason – It’s been a long nearly 10 months!

What exactly is pandemic fatigue? How do we combat it?

Pandemic fatigue is the feeling of exhaustion! The pure exhaustion from the impact that the pandemic has had on our lives. We have had to quarantine, constantly assess the safety and our levels of comfort with activities, concern about losing jobs, and have lived much of the year without a sense of when the end is coming. Feelings of helplessness and of being mentally and physically exhausted can lead to your reserves lowering. Your motivation to engage in proactive stress management and resilience can also be compromised. Here are some symptoms to be aware of:

1. You are getting sleep and yet you still feel exhausted.
2. You might be drinking more alcohol and/or eating more food.
3. You are having trouble focusing and/or concentrating.
4. You might feel irritable in situations that you typically find to be no big deal.
5. You might be loosening up on handwashing, social distancing, and even mask-wearing.

Do you think you might be experiencing a bit of pandemic fatigue? If so, here are some tips to fight back!

1. The end is in sight! Do you remember finals time in school? There is a parallel! In school, we likely made several sacrifices in the weeks before finals such as pulling all-nighters, sacrificing social gatherings, and all of this to hopefully be ready for finals. We could muster up hidden energy reserves and rally because we knew after finals was a much needed break, perhaps holiday or summer vacation. This virus is in the “finals” period, the spread is still occurring and, in some places, more so… the vaccine is in the process though. We need to make a few more sacrifices, it’s wearing no doubt, but the end is in-sight! The vaccine is here…
2. Accept your feelings. You have been through A LOT in 2020. This has been a hard time with so many unknowns, so much out of your control. It is ok to be sad, depleted, angry, overwhelmed, hopeless, and any other feelings you may have. Awareness and acknowledgment is powerful. Check-in with yourself, sit with your feelings, reflect on them.
3. Watch out for confirmation bias! Perhaps you have made it this far and have not been sick or you have put yourself in situations that have been ill-advised and have not had an adverse outcome… It can be easy to rationalize that you have done it before and been fine, you can do it again. Be mindful and clear of loosening your boundaries and standards.
4. Prioritize self-care! Your health and wellbeing (including mental) need to come first. Self-care can include many aspects including:
   1. Exercise! Even a short walk makes a difference!
   1. Meditation and deep breathing. This is such a powerful skill to build and does not have to be a big endeavor. Even something as simple as closing your eyes and focusing on your breath or breathing to center can be impactful when you are feeling overwhelmed or stressed.
   1. Connecting with positive friends and loved ones in safe ways (just the act of reaching out can boost your mood and happiness).
   1. Monitor your social media habits (be mindful of doomscrolling).

To your wellbeing,

– The MINES Team

If you have MINES as your EAP…

MINES is here for you!

We’re here to help! If you are experiencing any stress, anxiety, burnout, trouble focusing on wellbeing, or any other day to day issues that may be impacting your health and wellbeing (or just want to talk to someone), please remember MINES counselors are experienced and available. We offer free and confidential counseling with licensed mental health professionals via telephone, video, and online text/message-based platforms. You may also have access to legal and financial benefits, wellness coaching, work/life balance service, smoking cessation, and parental coaching services.

The EAP is available 24/7 at 800-873-7138 or visit www.minesandassociates.com

For more resources related to COVID-19 please click here.

You can also access more resources online by logging into your PersonalAdvantage account here. Look for the news alert banner on the top of the page for resources including more tips and news sources with live updates.

The post Pandemic Fatigue appeared first on MINES and Associates.

Siegel &  Hartzell, M.Ed., (2003, p.102-112) in their book, Parenting from the Inside Out, describe four patterns of attachment derived from the work of researchers such as Mary Ainsworth, Mary Main, and Erik Hesse, among others. As infants we most likely have one of the following patterns (which can vary by caregiver): Secure, Insecure-Avoidant, Insecure-Anxious/Ambivalent, or Insecure-Disorganized.

Secure attachments are described as having a parental interactive pattern characterized by the parent being emotionally available, perceptive, and responsive. The child sees the parent as being a source of comfort during times of distress, a safe haven, being available, and a secure base. This creates a sense of well being from which the child can go into the world to “explore and make new connections with others” (p.104).

Insecure-Avoidant patterns are associated with parents who are emotionally unavailable, imperceptive, unresponsive, and rejecting. These children avoid closeness and emotional connections to the parent (p.104).

Insecure-Ambivalent patterns are described as having parents who are inconsistently available, perceptive, and responsive and intrusive. The child cannot depend on the parent for attunement and connection. The child develops a sense of anxiety and uncertainty about whether they can depend on their parents (p.105).

Insecure-Disorganization patterns are created by parents who are frightening, frightened, chaotic, disorienting, and alarming to the child. This pattern is often associated with abuse. This creates a situation in which abuse is incompatible with a sense of security. The child develops coping responses that lead to difficulties in regulating emotions, trouble in social communication, difficulties with academic reasoning tasks, a tendency toward interpersonal violence, and a predisposition to dissociation – a process in which normally integrated cognition becomes fragmented (p. 106).

The good news is that for those with insecure attachments there are mindfulness techniques described in Siegel’s book, Mindsight, that can help the individual integrate the insecure attachment memories, patterns, and information in a manner that frees them up from “automatically or habitually” engaging in the pattern in their adult relationships.

The implications of early attachment for the psychology of performance are significant. Secure attachments allow for a base of security which in adulthood can manifest in collaborative interactions in the business environment, for example. The social psychology of group performance is enhanced when members can communicate directly and problem solve from a position of trust. Contrast this with an avoidant attachment pattern in which a team member has a fundamental approach to relationships that is one of distrust and self-reliance. This team member is there in name only and will be perceived as not cooperating, being a maverick, and “not playing well in the sand box.” The anxious attachment style may show up as an accommodating or pleasing style. This person sacrifices their own opinions so as to fit in, may frequently be checking in with the “boss” for approval and reassurance. The group loses this person’s gifts as the person may give in rather than be proactive on a decision point. The disorganized attachment style may contribute to significant disruption in a work group or team’s performance because the person will become overwhelmed during a conflict with either a chaotic or rigid response, either of which can disrupt the flow of energy and information needed for higher performance.

The culture of an organization often is set by the leader of the organization. Part of the definition of culture is the shared set of assumptions as to how we do business. From this, it is possible to see how the impact of the leader’s attachment could influence the culture of the organization. For example, if the leader has an anxious attachment, the organization may have a strong press to accommodate customers, resulting in a high emphasis on customer service which could range from being useful to problematic if taken to a dysfunctional level.

Have a day filled with mindful integration,

Robert A. Mines, Ph.D.
CEO & Psychologist

The post Psychology of Performance – 20 – Early Attachment and Adult Performance Implications appeared first on MINES and Associates.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/19/health/nutrition/19best.html?_r=2&th=&emc

Have a day filled with equanimity

Robert A. Mines, Ph.D.

CEO and Psychologist

The post Psychology of Performance – 18 appeared first on MINES and Associates.

The implications of this line of research are significant for performance. For example, if you watch a movie with alcohol being consumed and you are in recovery, now you have internal neuronal firing similar to drinking the alcohol yourself. Now you have to override the neuronal firing with “white-knuckling it,” or better yet with mindful awareness, or you will increase your probabilities of a relapse.

The upside of this research is that seeing others perform a behavior successfully – mentally rehearsing the image – would theoretically strengthen the neuronal firing and increase the probabilities that you will execute the behavior successfully. This concept is foundational to performance coaching. As coaches, therapists, and bosses we need to think about our current training techniques and how they incorporate watching, rehearsing, and doing as part of the sequence.

Have a day filled with Mindfulness,

Robert A. Mines, Ph.D.

CEO & Psychologist

MINES and Associates

The post Psychology of Performance – 17 Mirror Neurons appeared first on MINES and Associates.

Providing our clients with cost-containment mechanisms to counter the effects of the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act has been, in their words, “a major relief.”

For some groups this isn’t a big deal.  But if it is for you – ASK ME HOW?

Posted By Ian H.

(303) 953-4083
Sales, MINES and Associates

The post How to Save 25-50% from Previous Years Claims appeared first on MINES and Associates.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ygOIy7b9mR8

Sean White went back and did the same sequence again so he would not get a fear response. He succeeded the second time and went on to nail the sequence in his first run. That run was good enough for the gold medal.

This is a perfect example of the old cowboy psychology of getting back on your horse after falling off. We need to face our negative cognitions related to performance, learn how to relax and be centered and execute one more time.

Remember: I like you

Bob

Robert A. Mines, Ph.D

CEO & Psychologist

The post Psychology of Performance – 10 Sean White appeared first on MINES and Associates.

How are you doing with your goals and intentions for the new year? At this point, the enthusiasm for the new year may be starting to slip due to unexpected events interfering, not enough “buffer” built into the execution plan, perfectionistic beliefs or all or none thinking sabotaging your decisions to execute, old thought patterns and self-limiting beliefs becoming the default again. These are normal experiences resulting in more of the same unless they are persistently challenged. 

It is time to evaluate the initial start and make refinements in your goals, plan and thinking. Worst case; remember 10 percent of something is better than 90% of nothing when it comes to making change and performing better. 

Have a day filled with loving kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, equanimity and impeccable sobriety, 

Robert A. Mines, Ph.D. 

CEO and Psychologist

The post Psychology of Performance – 9 appeared first on MINES and Associates.

Have a day filled with equanimity,

Robert A. Mines, Ph.D.

CEO & Psychologist

Mines and Associates

The post Psychology of Performance – 7 appeared first on MINES and Associates.

Have a day filled with equanimity,

Bob

Robert A. Mines, Ph.D.

CEO & Licensed Psychologist

The post Psychology of Performance – 5 appeared first on MINES and Associates.

Have a day filled with loving kindness, sympathetic joy, compassion, equinimity and impeccable sobriety,

Robert A. Mines, Ph.D.

CEO & Psychologist

The post Psychology of Performance – 4 appeared first on MINES and Associates.