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People should not feel guilty about reaching out for help and advice about their mental health and well-being during the coronavirus crisis. Isolation, debt, anxiety and stress can all be exacerbated by the onset of social distancing, experts said during a recent Travel Weekly webcast.
Chris O’Sullivan, head of business development and engagement at The Mental Health Foundation, said that when adapting to new things very quickly it can be “completely normal to feel distressed.”
For many, the immediate gut reaction is to worry about money, “but then there’s the second soul-destroying layer,” where people stress over the all the hard work they’ve put into building their customer base and develop loyalty… and they are concerned all that goodwill evaporated overnight. Then there’s the future worry over whether it’s going to come back in the same capacity at some point.
Experts agree that the current lockdown imposed as part of social distancing in response to the coronavirus pandemic can be an opportunity to reassess priorities and take stock. Those working in travel, who may have otherwise been on the road, should make the most out of unexpected time at home and reassess processes.
O’Sullivan said it was important to plan days when working remotely, and not to get downhearted if to-do lists aren’t completed. He advised people to “go easy on yourself” when adapting to the new way of working.
“Having the lowest possible gradient to asking for financial help is really important,” says O’Sullivan. “The stigma around debt is almost as acute as the stigma around mental health and when the two things collide it can lead people into very dark places quite quickly. We will get through this is we learn from the mistakes that we make and the opportunities that we take.”
Source: Travel Weekly
