Do what is right over what is easy
by Dr Sharon King Gabrielides

Do what is right over what is easy

To say that I am nervous about moving to level 2 lockdown this week is an understatement. I really hope that South African’s – that includes me and you – do what is right over what is easy. I hear so many people wanting some semblance of ‘normal’ in their lives, so I am concerned that we are going to see people letting their guard down and not being safe. We need to remember that the restrictions have changed, not the virus. We need to be an example of safe and responsible behaviour. Let’s take Key Steps together and…

1.     Avoid social gatherings. Don’t be tempted to start having dinner parties. Wine over dinner is a recipe for being too relaxed and letting our guard slip. This past month, two people I’m close to have fought for their life against Covid. They both contracted it when the virus was brought into their home – unintentionally – by people they love and trust. Social gatherings with loved ones are very risky. Please help your teenagers to understand this too.

2.     Remember that this virus is unpredictable. Both people I’ve mentioned above, are younger than me and had no underlying conditions. I would’ve said that they were fitter and healthier than I am and very strong mentally. To hear someone close to me getting admitted to ICU, and sharing (in a raspy voice that was barely a whisper) that she was fighting for her life and her kids were too young to lose their mom, was a shock. I guess it shouldn’t have been but I would’ve thought – at worst case – that she would be a candidate for saying that Covid is like a bad flu. She is still in hospital (almost 2 weeks after being admitted to ICU) and is through the worst but the nurses told her that they really hadn’t expected her to make it. She is now suffering with PTS. It could be you or me in that ICU bed.

3.     Keep physical distancing. I shouldn’t need to explain… this means masks on and 2 to 3 meters between you and anyone you are not locked down with. So, if you can, it is best to…

4.     Work and exercise at home. While I have many clients, colleagues and friends who are enjoying working from home, I also have many who can’t wait to be able to go back to the office and get into a routine. Many people have realised that the drive (that we might have thought we could never miss) was a great place to decompress after a long and intense day. I’m scared for these people right now. Even with government regulations that include restricted numbers and safety protocol, don’t think it makes it safe and rush back to the office. Stay away and work from home for as long as you can. Exercise outdoors if you can and stay away from sweaty gyms where people are naturally breathing much harder than normal.

5.     Find safe ways to get fresh air and social engagement. Yes, most of us – even the introverts like me – have felt some cabin fever during this time. Especially the past month. We need to take care of our mental health as much as our physical health. Lately, I’ve been heading out with Mila for some long drives to various parks and having a little isolated picnic or take away coffee. It’s not much, but it’s enough. It’s a simple pleasure that I did take for granted before Covid. We have also been seeing a handful of close family members. This can be the dangerous bit because, when we interact with people we love and trust, we are bound to let our guard down. The six people we have chosen to keep seeing are being as vigilant and isolated as we are. We have our reasons that this is the right decision for our family. Please just be very careful! Don’t let people into your home too easily. Rather meet in a public place where you can take more precautions and your guard won’t drop as much.

6.     Shop online. I was doing about half of our shopping online pre-Covid anyway. Now I do as much as 90% online and am so grateful for that luxury. Pick n Pay are not great at showing what is ‘Out of Stock’ until you attempt to add it to cart so that is a bit frustrating but they have sorted their infrastructure so they can deliver within 48 hours. Woolies still takes about 6 days to deliver in my area. In the big picture, it’s a minor inconvenience and I’ve gotten used to planning around it and remind myself how grateful I am that we can afford food.

7.     Don’t drink and drive. If you do go out and have a few drinks, take an Uber. We need to make sure that we don’t add any unnecessary burdens to our hospitals because of reckless behaviour. It might surprise you that I feel the need to mention this – and I am generalising – but South African’s are notorious for drinking and driving. I have a friend who works in the emergency room at Baragwanath and she says that alcohol induced injuries placed a huge burden on the hospital when alcohol restrictions were lifted recently.

8.     Keep giving. Just because the lockdown level has lowered and more people can get back to business and attempt to rebuild our economy, does not mean that there is not still an enormous amount of financial suffering. Keep giving where you can. My personal choice has been to keep supporting my usual charities every month and to start buying meal vouchers too. Needless-to-say, there is also so much mental and emotional suffering. Lend an ear, offer support where you can and get help if you need it. It’s wise – not weak – to seek professional help. It is what we do when we are physically ill. Take your mental health as seriously and keep taking Key Steps to...

‘be the difference that makes the difference'

About Dr Sharon King Gabrielides

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Sharon is a dynamic facilitator, speaker and executive coach with over 20 years’ experience in leadership and organisational development and transformation. She is a registered Education, Training and Development Practitioner (ETDP), holds an Honours degree in Psychology and practices as an NLP master practitioner. She is also one of only three women in South Africa to hold the title of Certified Speaking Professional (CSP) – it’s the Oscar of the speaking business.

Sharon’s PhD thesis contributed a framework for holistic and sustainable leadership development that has been published by Rutgers University in the USA. She is faculty of Henley Business School and highly sought-after by leading corporates because she works hand-in-hand with them to create sustainable results and long-term success. Sharon has become known for her practical approach, useful tools and genuinely caring manner. She is really looking forward to working with you and taking Key Steps to ‘be the difference that makes the difference.’


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