Trends

Taking Care of Ourselves

Heather Bussing Heather Bussing

youngmother with child pulling cookies from oven

Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes, including you. - Anne Lamott

At ADP, we know people are navigating new challenges as work changes in response to COVID-19, parents are trying to supervise school and get things done, and many are also dealing with natural disasters. We checked in with some of our clients to find out how they are doing, what they are dealing with, and how they are finding time to rest, time for self-care and time to connect with others.

We wanted to highlight some of the caring approaches our clients are taking and thank them for connecting with us and being an important part of our partnership to always be designing for people.

What are you doing to take care of yourself and manage the stress?

When we don't have energy, patience, and resilience, it's hard to be there for others. Many of us have figured out the hard way that to be there for others, we also have to make sure we are OK.

  • Some days, just taking a shower is self-care. Balancing my work with toddlers is tough. As soon as my husband finishes the workday, I hand them off and go take a shower and a minute to myself. – Cortney Hollinger, Special Projects & HR Manager, CLEAN Cause
  • Trying to unplug for at least an hour a day. No news. Playing with the dogs, doing yoga or crafting. – Jessi Keller, Sr. Payroll Specialist, ACIST Medical Systems, Inc.
  • Meditate and outdoor activities. – Matt Jameson, Controller, Transport Clearings East.
  • Working out, making sure I meet my number of steps throughout the day, facials, manicure/pedicures, dance and sing out loud. – Marilyn Milby, Human Resources & Safety Generalist SHRM-CP, Associated Asphalt Partners, LLC
  • Daily walks and bike rides with my children during breaks from school and work. Wine helps too. ;-) – Jaime Blankenship, HRIS Administrator, Commonwealth Care
  • Sleep. – Wasi Imam, Staff Accountant, First Place For Youth

What is your go-to comfort activity or food?

We wondered if we would get some great ideas for new adult beverages in response to this question. Instead, we received lots of mentions of favorite childhood foods (most involving butter, cream or cheese – yes!) and relaxing things to do outdoors.

How are you creating and building personal connections right now?

Many of our in-person relationships have shifted with social distancing and remote work. Initially, many of us moved to video and realized that Zoom fatigue is a thing. For some of us, video works better for personal calls, especially to see family. People are using new tech and apps. Old-school communications like handwritten cards and letters are also making a return.

  • Video chatting and mailing out "thinking of you" cards. – Noadia Cummings, Payroll Specialist, DXL Group
  • I had a Zoom happy hour with friends I haven't seen in years because they live in other states. I hope we keep doing that. – Danielle Ramos, Payroll and HRIS Manager, Multiplan
  • Using Facetime and calling someone every single night! – Alyssa Kauffman, HR Manager, Monarch Steel
  • Trying to find common ground with relatives, peers and colleagues is a great way to support each other. I send out weekly emails to my admins to promote the bond we have as payroll professionals, or "payroll sisters." My family and I all share pics of our socks, something we all have in common yet allows us to show our personality and own sense of style. – Pia Saks, Corporate Payroll Manager, Vanderbilt Global Services, LLC
  • Using Facetime or Zoom to have weekly virtual gatherings with friends near and far. We love being silly with the filters on Facetime and the backgrounds on Zoom. – Jessi Keller, Sr. Payroll Specialist, ACIST Medical Systems, Inc.
  • Talking. Carolann Phalen, Project Manager, The Hillis Group.
  • I'm being entertained and amused by my family at this time. – Janet Naedele, Project Manager, Airshare

What are three things that bring you joy?

Three probably wasn't enough. All the responses brought us joy. We especially appreciated the people who said their children brought them joy, "well, most of the time." It's good to remember when things feel crazy and uncertain, there are still people, activities, and moments to love.

  • My family. Sunshine. "Star Trek: The Next Generation." – Scott Smith, Director of Human Resources, Tax Management Associates, Inc.
  • Spending time with my husband. Taking walks and exploring the neighborhood. Reading and painting. – Tristann Graves, Global Payroll & Equity Manager, Schrodinger, Inc.
  • Sitting on the deck with a cold drink, playing board games with the kids, binging a good show. – Matt Jameson, Controller, Transport Clearings East
  • Family!!!! Helping others. Self-progression. – Shelly Jackson, Sr. Payroll Tax Accountant, ASRC Federal LLC.
  • Three things that give me joy are: 1. my furry coworkers who participate in my video calls and mess up all my papers; 2. being able to do FaceTime with my parents as well as my adult children; and 3. sleeping in – now that my commute is from my bed to my dining room table! – Jill Waltersdorff-Rich, Executive Director of HR, Telesis Corp.

Our favorite response of all was: "This has taught my family that life is short and that the people in your life are meant to be loved."

Related

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