HJ Talks About Abuse: An Interview With Hugh Koch On Resilience During COVID-19

In this episode of the HJ Talks About Abuse podcast, Alan Collins discusses the importance of having strategies to maintain and improve our resilience and wellbeing, especially during the COVID-19 lockdown.

People have always had strategies to help them stay resilient, however, these strategies have been put under pressure over the last number of months during lockdown. Resilience and wellbeing affect your ability to cope and also bounce back after adverse events. This is especially true during COVID-19.

Resilience and wellbeing are also linked to job satisfaction and performance.

We know that lawyers need to continuously improve, rather than be perfectionists; be empathic, not over-involved; and get support and not take risks… how does resilience help this?

Hugh outlines a six-factor approach to resilience:

• Positive thinking: Use positive words when you think or speak e.g. that was good; thank you;
• Managing anxiety: Relax frequently using a deep breath;
• Organising tasks: Have a tidy, organised desk;
• Communicating well: Increase smiling and friendly behaviour;
• Communicating kindly: Be kind and reassure others; and
• Enjoying work: Make positive comments at the start of working day.

This is not an exhaustive list, but by reviewing these categories and thinking of how we can implement strategies along these lines, you will find that over time, you will increase your resilience and wellbeing.