Welp, we are now in week seven of the new world order and for me personally, there have been some big challenges, some big emotions and some big mindset shifts. Here is my story of how I processed the first six weeks of the COVID-19 global pandemic crisis.

Week 1 (March 9 – 15, 2020):  the “calm before the storm”  

At the beginning of the week, the COVID-19 situation started to gain some traction…clients started to reach out to me about what to communicate, when to communicate and how to communicate to their staff and customers.  I was working with clients to hold  test “work from home” days as a proactive measure, so that gaps could be identified and closed.  The tone at the beginning of this week, was very different from the tone at the end of the week.  By the end of the week, the COVID-19 situation was starting to feel much heavier, much more serious, and there was much more stress about how this global pandemic would impact business, operations and people.  This was the last week that I got together (in person) with friends for drinks, eats and laughs…there was a sense of foreboding, but honestly, looking back, I could have never imagined what the next week would bring…

Week 2 (March 16 – 22, 2020):  chaos (“the storm”)

This week, I helped 31 companies structure communications, answer questions (while maintaining a delicate balance of not overpromising or over committing), and move to a work from home model.  It was an overwhelming week.  Not just because I had never led or navigated such a serious situation for so many unique clients at once, but also because the volume of information that needed to be taken in, understood and disseminated was overwhelming.  I was giving advice based on best practices, a level head, some common sense, and the information that was available to me in the moment.  Because the situation was changing so rapidly, the advice I was dispensing was becoming outdated and defunct by the top of the next hour.  

I helped those same companies make tough (and by tough, I mean gut-wrenching) decisions, lay off some or all of their employees and I helped some of them to close their doors.  For me, this week was about serving others, and ensuring that companies were making decisions based on a combination of due diligence, financial security and solvency, values (doing the right thing vs. the easy thing), consideration and empathy. I was focused on ensuring that employers and leaders were communicating clearly, concisely, consistently and with compassion.  I was also focused on ensuring that employees who were negatively impacted understood what their next step was, what financial supports they would potentially qualify for and what emotional supports were available to them. 

I was running on coffee, autopilot and adrenaline.  I treated my body as if the world was ending.

Week 3 (March 23 – 29, 2020):  recharge

This week was about recharging my own batteries.  I was physically, emotionally and mentally exhausted from the riptide that was the week before and I spent a lot of time taking care of myself.  I slept (a lot and well), I did a 1000 piece puzzle (which I found oddly addictive, meditative and satisfying), I tried out new recipes (using my underused and under-appreciated Instantpot), I baked a ton (surprisingly, there are some very delicious gluten and dairy free recipes out there) and I got back to working out (thank you @onepeloton!). It was a week of much needed self-care.

Week 4 (March 30 – April 5, 2020): grief

This week, I grieved. I cried. A lot.  I felt all the feelings that I hadn’t allowed myself to feel the week before.  Shock. Denial. Anger. Sadness. Loss. I grieved for so many things and so many people.  This was the week that I found out that people I knew and cared about had lost loved ones to this scary virus.  This was the week that I finally allowed myself to feel the magnitude of job loss that people in my community and my country were facing.  This was the week that I grieved the impact that this global pandemic has had (and will have) on my own little business and my ability to earn a living.  This was the week that I realized how hard it was to be so far away from my dad and my sister, especially not knowing when I would see them (in person) again.  This was the week that I first felt nervous while grocery shopping. This was the week that I grieved the loss of normalcy.  

Week 5 (April 6 – April 12, 2020):  resilience

Be resilient, they say.  But what does that mean?  A textbook definition is:  “the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties; toughness” or “knowing how to cope in spite of setbacks, or barriers, or limited resources”.  For me, it meant dusting myself off and figuring out my next steps.  

This week I took a hard look at my personal finances to sort out the “worst case scenario”.  While it’s looking a tad bleak, it’s manageable.  I’m very grateful for all that I still have and mindful of my privilege.  There's a quote circulating on the internet right now that really speaks to this: "we are in the same storm, but we are not in the same boat".  

This week, I also took a hard look at my business.  Right now, my workplace investigation practice has slowed, and while I know that won’t be the case forever, I also realized that right now is the BEST time for me to pivot and figure out what’s next, what revenue stream or service I can offer online that will make my business less vulnerable in the future.  

Week 6 (April 13, 2020 – the future):  action

This week (and beyond) is all about moving forward, planning, researching and doing the work.  When this season of our lives ends, when the restrictions are lifted and we do emerge from inside our houses, I want to be able to look back on this time and see it for all that it was – a hardship, but also an amazing opportunity to focus on me, to focus on my business, to learn and grow.

I wrote this blog to share with you, but also to keep as a reminder of how I was feeling during the first six weeks of the global pandemic that we will never forget.

Leave me a comment below to let me know how you have moved through the past six weeks.  How have you been feeling? What struggles have you faced? What obstacles have you overcome?  What lessons have you learned?

April 21, 2020

Saira Gangji is an independent licensed Workplace Investigator at hrology in Calgary, AB.  She investigates allegations of discrimination and human rights, harassment, violence and misconduct in the workplace.  For more information about hrology and our process, see the work with me page.