In the history of mankind, the year 2020 will go down in memory as one of the most challenging in the world following the outbreak of the coronavirus global crisis that has negatively impacted the social fabrics of families, friends, the society and organisations at large.
Most families have lost loved ones to the virus forcing thousands to go into isolation. Others have lost the company of their loved ones who are being quarantined in one health facility or the other.
Government institutions and business organisations across the globe have had to lockdown while many had to lay off their staff as a result of the lockdown which has impacted businesses negatively.
With tens of millions of people having been laid off and now looking for work, the competition has never been fiercer. This is obviously a stressful situation for the families. There is a lot of stress, anxiety and uncertainty out there.
This therefore requires some sort of expertise in helping to modify people's lifestyle to be able to adapt to the new normal dictated by the pandemic in this case, the coronavirus.
However, health practitioners and government agencies have worked and are still working tirelessly to make resources available for interested individuals who want to become lifestyle coaches to be able to equip themselves in order to be able to assist others take control of their lives once again.
One of the challenges of becoming a lifestyle coach now is to help people effectively manage the stress, anxiety, and uncertainty of navigating through the situation.
According to Becky Wright, a Marketing and Content Officer at Happiful magazine, when something like a virus outbreak happens, it’s easy for people to feel like we don’t have control and this allows anxiety to flourish.
It behooves a trained lifestyle coach to help people take back control of their lives and that includes taking care of their mental health and looking out for those who may be more vulnerable; look at some ways you can help them regain a sense of control, ease their anxiety and support others.
Ms Wright noted that, "We have also produced a number of resources to help you during this time of uncertainty. It’s likely you are practising the recommended social distancing and working from home where possible. This is a new way of living for all of us and during this turbulent time, we hope to not only share the relevant information and guidance, but uplifting content to help you look after yourself and those around you."
A lifestyle coach should be able to help people clear up some of the confusion and ease their worries.
He should be able to advice that if one finds the news about coronavirus overwhelming, one should consider taking a break from watching news clips, to allow one to start focusing on one's life, as opposed to wondering 'what if?'.
“Consciously deciding to have a healthy boundary to how much news you watch is an excellent first step in taking back control,” an expert said.
Having an indepth knowledge of the coronavirus pandemic, its symptoms, mode of transmission and how to stay healthy without compromising one's health are some of the tools at the disposal of a lifestyle coach.
In other words, he must be able to explore the knowledge of what is coronvirus, how to prevent spreading it, and tips to help you stay physically and mentally healthy.
According to health experts, the main symptom of the virus is a fever (high temperature), followed by a dry cough. After a week, this can lead to shortness of breath, which may require hospital treatment.
It’s important to remember that if you have one or all of these symptoms, it does not necessarily mean you have the virus. The symptoms are similar to those of much more common illness, like colds and flu.
Now, a lifestyle coach should be more concerned with the question of what can I do to avoid catching coronavirus? This is because we cannot control the actions of others or who we may come in contact with in the course of attending to people who require his service. He/she must learn how to protect himself and limit the chances of picking up the disease.
Again, Ms Wright recommends the following practices:
1. Maintain good hygiene
Regular and thorough hand washing is essential in preventing the spread of the disease. Using soap and getting a good lather is really important. The recommendation is to wash hands for around 20 seconds, making sure to rub the tips of your fingers and the gaps in between. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitiser.
2. Observe physical distancing:
Although it is not yet known exactly how coronavirus is spread from person to person, we do know that similar viruses are spread via droplets – when a person coughs or sneezes. So, coughing or sneezing into a tissue (or into your flexed elbow) and discarding the tissue immediately into a closed bin is encouraged.
Additionally, not touching your face with unwashed hands is also really important. Avoid unnecessarily close contact with others, particularly people who are sick – anyone who has a fever or a cough. Be mindful that whilst shaking hands or kissing on the cheek might be friendly ways of greeting others, if you want to limit the risk of spreading illness, it might be better to use alternative ways of greeting people for the time being.
3. Use of face mask
Experts say that surgical face masks give a false sense of security. In order to be effective, these masks would need to be changed frequently, removed properly and disposed of safely.
4. Use reputable information sources
If you think you have symptoms, do not go out – instead, call the NCDC. Be sure to seek medical advice early and share information about any recent travels.
If you have come into contact with someone who may be infected, the experts are encouraging people to self-isolate for 14 days. The self-isolation process includes:
i. Staying at home (working from home, if possible).
ii. Not going to work, school or public places.
iii. Not use public transport or taxis.
iv. Asking friends, family members or other services to complete errands for you.
v. Avoiding having visitors to your home – it's OK for friends, family or delivery drivers to drop off food.
However, it’s important not to jump to conclusions. These are measures to take if you think it necessary for the benefit of your health, or others'.
5. Stay informed but keep things in perspective
If you are worried about something, it can be tempting to constantly seek out information. But, watching upsetting footage or reading the latest news from other countries isn’t always useful.
“Each time we watch yet another news clip, we are re-engaging the anxiety. We are reigniting the anxiety,” she said.
6. Seek emotional support
For people with anxiety – particularly health anxiety – it can be helpful to talk to someone about your worries. A counselor, lifestyle coach can help you to understand why your fear of illness makes you feel anxious and notice when and why your behaviour changes, in order to break this negative cycle.
You can find out more about health anxiety on Counseling Directory. If going out is difficult for you right now, you can still access support remotely – many therapists offer counseling online or over the phone if that feels like a more manageable option.
So basically, becoming a lifestyle coach at a pandemic places a huge demand on the individual to avail himself of the available resources from the Nigeria Centre for Diseases Control, NCDC, the World Health Organisation and others in order to be well equipped to help others take control of their lives and dispel their anxiety, clear their heads and regain their minds.
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