INSIDER TIPS from staff counsellor: Managing uncertainty in times of change

We favour the known and familiar

We deal with many different changes every day, big and small. Most of these we handle with experience and efficiency. But now and again, changes occur around us that we have no control over and it may elicit reactions of anxiety. Until we have lived through the change, we really don’t know if it is good or bad for us.

Each one of us reacts differently and it may affect both our mood and our sleep quality. Sometimes it is helpful to remind ourselves that our brains, as smart as they may be, really haven’t updated its basic programme since the cave-era. Our brains still react to change as if everything is life-threatening and we should just stay put and keep doing what we have always done. We, as evolved individuals, have to then come in with our rational and logical knowledge and calm it down (the frontal lobes cooperating with our Amygdala and Thalamus).

Balancing between calm and uncertainty

We live in a time when there are many changes occurring both globally, politically, geographically and economically. Some of them are things that we hear and read about and it triggers our general sense of uncertainty, other changes impact us directly.

When there are changes in our workplace we tend to go from “It doesn’t affect me” to “What will happen to me/my job?” … and everything in-between.

MSB is right in the middle of a process of transformation and every piece of new information triggers more questions, that may not be answered at this point in time. Living with the uncertainty can feel frustrating, make us irritated and drain our mental energy. It’s hard work for the brain to constantly balance on the verge of “danger-alert”, until we can tell ourselves (and our brain) that it’s alright.

During the mission

Now more than ever, it is important to go through our daily energy-leaks and take control over the things we can influence. Periods like these, be it an organisational change or major world changes, are a long-distance endurance challenge, more than a short sprint to a satisfactory solution.

TRY THIS…

• Focus your thoughts on your own future plans and make strategic mental maps for Plan A, Plan B, Plan C… Being mentally prepared for different scenarios helps manage the stress we experience of not being in control
• Be active. The body releases stress-hormones when we sweat AND releases calming hormones like Endorphin and Dopamine after a workout. The additional benefit is that helps the body sleep.
• Do non-work related things with people. Be social. We emit pheromones and are affected by other people’s emotions. Hanging out with friends or colleagues and having fun boosts our overall resilience.
• Limit how much time you spend reading the “doom-and-gloom” news. Shielding yourself from the constant negative exposure helps calm the brain since it’s not being constantly fed with worrisome information.

Take care out there, and if you feel like reading a little bit more search these keywords: brain reaction to uncertainty, brain managing change, how our brains manages unpredictability.

My name is Suzi Seven and I am the staff counsellor at MCF in Sweden.

I am a licensed psychologist with extensive training in trauma-psychology and neuro-psychology. I will be writing about brain and mental health, sprinkled with a bit of trivial knowledge about stress management and sleep health. The focus of this information and these tips is to enhance your knowledge about yourself when you are out on missions and working in an international context.

“The mind is not a vessel to be filled, but a fire to be kindled.” -Plutarch