Lockdown, social distancing, remote work, quarantine – these terms have become ubiquitous in our daily lives, and we’ve all had our experiences with them. Whether in our personal lives or professional contexts, we are currently facing the challenge of finding coping strategies for this situation.
Each of the persolog models has the potential to help people develop effective strategies for navigating this difficult time. We asked our model experts for insights into how their model offers helpful approaches for various challenges.
Home Office Done Right – How the Time Management Model Helps in Lockdown
Working from home during the lockdown presents many challenges: from starting work promptly in the morning (because nobody’s watching) to making decisions about task prioritization with fewer guidelines. When family members are present, interruptions increase, and the clear separation between work and personal life becomes blurred, chaos ensues.
The persolog Time Management Model provides approaches for successfully managing home office work even in this situation – achieving goals without undue pressure and balancing work and personal life.
My Tip: Assess your current time management in the four dimensions of time management behavior. Take stock. If your time competency in time evaluation is low, focus on time balance, perception, and external control. If your time competency in planning is low, address issues related to goal setting, prioritization, and time allocation. If your time competency in implementation is low, seek tips, tricks, strategies, and methods to deal with internal and external distractions. If your time competency in monitoring is low, find supportive time management tools (calendar, to-do lists, or even digital project management systems). Once you identify your areas for improvement, explore methods and strategies specific to each area. Armed with new insights and proven implementation ideas, you can face the lockdown with confidence.
Anjana Ahnfeldt, Expert in the persolog® Time Management Model
Stressed or Calm During Lockdown – Perception Makes the Difference
Covid and the associated “lockdown” disrupt many aspects of life that were previously taken for granted. Suddenly, an “invisible threat” emerges, challenging our familiar structures and routines. Life doesn’t function as before, requiring us to adapt. For most, this translates into significant stress, but there are also those who see the situation as a positive challenge, developing new ideas and performing at their best. Why is that so?
The persolog Stress Model provides an explanation. The objectively perceived situation can be the same for both cases. The difference lies in the individual’s assessment and perception of the situation. Whether we view a situation as threatening or challenging depends heavily on our personality, experiences, and available resources. Based on personal evaluation, behavior and coping with stress differ. Only in the case of unproductive handling does perceived stress have negative consequences.
Using the persolog Stress Model individuals can examine their personal stress levels in this exceptional situation, analyze their stress behavior, identify causes, and consider interactions between different areas of life. This enables the derivation of individually suitable coping strategies essential not only for “surviving” the lockdown but also for maintaining a healthy life balance in general.
Jasmin Neumann, Expert in the persolog® Stress Model
Navigating the Lockdown with Resilience
The Resilience Model is a valuable tool for any crisis, challenge, or change. I can work on a total of 10 resilience factors that help me in times of crisis. Even the lockdown poses a “crisis” for many people – financial for some, social for others, and for others, a time filled with fear of illness and the future. The problem is, when we’re stuck, we often lack a bird’s-eye view and don’t know where to start. With the Resilience Model questionnaire, I gain this perspective on myself and my life. What can I work on? Where are my resources? What could I use to better cope with this difficult time? Knowing what to work on, the Resilience Profile also provides tips on how to address those areas. Currently, the resilience factor of acceptance is particularly relevant. It’s about accepting what is unchangeable or past. Why? Because it helps us look forward. Observe yourself. Listen to yourself: Could, should, would … the subjunctive often indicates where we’re currently stuck. Early acceptance of things we cannot change helps us become proactive and take control of what we can influence. Of course, I could also write little stories about the other 9 resilience factors of the persolog® Resilience Model but since I was instructed to keep it short, I’ll stop here. Accept what you cannot change or what has passed and use your sphere of influence. That will help you during the lockdown.
Debora Karsch, Managing Director of persolog GmbH and Expert in the persolog® Resilience Model
Facilitating Home Office Work with Self-Leadership
Working from home – for some, it’s a dream; for others, a burden. However, every remote worker will agree: working from home presents a significant challenge for self-leadership. Whether it’s activating willpower when you see your neighbor tidying their balcony on a sunny day, or being torn between gathering energy and resigning to the desk chair, many of you who have worked from home in recent months will recognize these thoughts. What I’ve discovered is how important our Self-Leadership Model can be in this context.
Viewing my actions through the four dimensions of self-leadership helps me identify entrenched thinking and behavior patterns. By consciously considering the seven self-leadership strategies, I find ways to eliminate unproductive actions and reactions, leading to not only more efficient but also more satisfying work at home. Our self-leadership approach has helped me more than once in recent months to leave my balcony as it is and to seize the right moment to put on my running shoes instead.
Simone Clement, Expert in the persolog® Self-Leadership Model
Maintaining Actionability with the Personality Model
The Covid crisis presents us with a new major challenge. A crisis where all subsystems of our society are shaking at once, and our world is realigning. We’ve successfully overcome many other crises. Corona gives us an opportunity to reflect on how resilient we already are and to work on our adaptability and solution orientation. Because one thing is clear: the VUCA world (VUCA stands for Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, and Ambiguity) remains, and we must learn to act successfully in uncertain times. The persolog® Personality Factor Model can help us deal with the challenges of the VUCA world and the current lockdown. It helps us reflect on our strengths and fears and regain our ability to act.
It supports us in focusing on intentions that will move us forward in the current situation and learning new behaviors if the status quo hinders our path to success. Even in situations where we switch to crisis and conflict mode, the model does not leave us alone. It identifies our negative crisis behavior patterns and helps us find a favorable attitude to successfully overcome these challenges. In this spirit, I wish us all a successful journey and many new experiences on the way to the “new era.”
Nathalie Sonntag, Expert in the persolog® Personality Model
