Is anyone else tired of hearing the phrase “we’re living through unprecedented times”?
Since 2020, uncertainty has become more...dare I say, certain? In the U.S., we’ve entered another chapter of uncertainty, and many people are carrying very legitimate concerns about stability and depending on where you live, personal safety.
As individuals and as leaders, it’s worth pausing to acknowledge something simple: unmanaged distress reduces human capacity.
When people don’t know how things will play out for their families, their communities, or their work, there is an underlying current of stress and distraction. This can show up in decision-making, communication, risk tolerance, attention to detail, and how well teams collaborate. This is also when our coping strategies, helpful or harmful, are magnified.
How do we meet this moment or any moment of increased strain, stress, pressure without becoming reactive, divided, or depleted? I don't have a magic wand, but here are some things to consider:
1. Acknowledge Where You Are
One of the most protective things we can do at home, at work, and within ourselves is to be honest and name reality. Be aware that a shift has happened, and call it what it is.
Ignoring distress doesn’t make it disappear; it might delay processing, increase risk, and erode connection (how connected do you feel to someone that doesn't notice when you are completely off?) Noticing it, on the other hand, and speaking it aloud can be regulating all by itself.
If you sense your family or your team is distressed for any reason, why avoid it? I can tell you why I have avoided it in the past in leadership roles:
- I'm too busy and don't have time for a story
- I don't want them to tell me something I am then going to have to do something about
- I'm concerned they are going to tell me too much and I am going to be held liable
- I won't know what to say or do
- As one of the few females, I didn't want to get the "buddy" or "camp counselor" label
If any of that sounds familiar, you're not alone but you can overcome those barriers to connecting. There is no one size fits-all approach to anything in life. You have to take everything you know into context before applying anything I write here, but sometimes we overthink the concept of caring.
If you decide to state what you're observing to an individual or group, you don't need to make assumptions about why or attach stories or meaning. Something as simple as saying what YOU are noticing and what YOU are feeling:
“Hey, I noticed you seem a little off today and I'm wondering how are you doing?”
Then pause. Don't fill the silence! Let the person process and choose how to respond.
Often, being seen and heard is enough to reset and change the tone of the moment. Other times, they might tell you something pretty significant is happening in their life that you were completely unaware of. Well, now it's out there and you can all choose how to move forward.
This applies inward, too. When was the last time you asked yourself:
“I can feel that I’m frustrated / sad / overwhelmed/furious right now. What do I actually need?” or "I feel like I'm going to to yell at someone any moment. What is up with me right now? What am I feeling and why?"
Name the feeling. Avoid attaching the stories. Let the information guide your next choice.
2. Zoom Out to the Systems
Wellbeing isn’t just an individual responsibility, it’s an outcome of well-designed systems at work and at home.
When distress rises, it’s worth asking:
-
Where might our policies, schedules, or communication unintentionally amplify strain?
-
Where can we create more predictability right now (clear priorities, fewer last-minute changes, tighter role clarity)?
-
Where can we increase psychological and physical safety (respectful interactions, consistent standards, reliable reporting channels, extra check-ins before high-hazard tasks)?
In uncertain times, strong systems act as a steadying force when things otherwise feel unstable. It's no coincidence that some people actually choose to go to work when times are hard at home: it can be a stabilizer a form of support. Other times, work or leadership might be the cause of destabilization, but for this article, let's assume they are not.
3. Notice Coping Patterns (and Reduce the Drain)
Periods of pressure reveal what we reach for to cope. This information is really important!
If a coping strategy leaves you more depleted than restored, (think: alcohol, substances, excess sugar or processed foods, doom-scrolling, or anything that drains more than it gives) it’s worth reducing or stopping immediately if you have the tools and resources to do so. In first aid, we say "stop the bleed" first or the rest doesn't matter.
Think of this like first aid: reduce or stop what’s actively draining your capacity.
This is about preserving resilience so you can return to center and respond. When one minute you're dumping gasoline on the fire, and the next you're throwing cups of water at it, you're playing a zero sum game with yourself.
4. Build Capacity Into the Calendar
Capacity is not a mindset, it’s a reality shaped by many factors and you have the power to adapt as external pressures change your capacity.
One of the best pieces of advice I ever received was to schedule my work and home life to about 70% capacity as a norm, and closer to 50% during periods of high stress. Margin isn’t laziness or weakness; it’s a performance and safety strategy.
Margin protects decision quality, reduces error, and interestingly, can reveal how much of our schedule is driven by false urgency.
If your work isn’t calendar-based, consider this through a different lens:
-
Can today's tasks tolerate increased human error?
-
Would a brief pause, regroup, or delay meaningfully reduce risk?
When the stakes are high, slowing down and creating space is leadership. Powering through and ignoring the signals is not.
5. Focus on the Next Right Action
When capacity dips, the task is not to power through, it’s to acknowledge, adapt, and then focus where the energy needs to be expended and where it can be saved. Prioritize ruthlessly in times of reduced capacity.
Distress may last an hour, a week, or longer. But orienting toward the next right action, rather than the entire unknown future or the false belief that powering through EVERYTHING shows strength. When we show ourselves and our teams that we are capable of facing reality as it is and adapting to it, we become less fearful and less performative. When we demonstrate our wisdom, courage, and agility we build trust which is perhaps the hottest commodity around these days.
I am wishing you, your family, and your team:
-
the courage to speak up when something feels off,
-
the steadiness to pause and adapt when life throws curveballs,
-
and the wisdom to protect the limited resource of focus.
Check in sometime and let me know how you're doing. Take care of yourself and your team!
Naomi DuCharme | [email protected]
Consultant, Facilitor, Coach
Integrating Wellness Solutions: Where safety, health, and wellbeing aren't standalone programs or initiatives; they're outcomes of well-designed, integrated systems.
Responses