Behavioral Strategies to Stay Productive during COVID Isolation
We are in the middle of an unprecedented global health pandemic. As more and more people across the world practice social distancing, sanitizing, stockpiling, and quarantining, it almost feels like we are preparing to face an impending apocalypse. Amidst the chaos, older people remain the most vulnerable to the deadly coronavirus, requiring extra precaution and care from their families and societies. But, though their physical risk may be lower, young people will also bear a heavy emotional, psychological, and economic cost from the fallout.
Every summer, as graduates transition into a lifestyle that is quite arduous in comparison with the bubble-enclosed, fun-filled college experience, they are forced to learn how to face the challenges of the “real world,” without a myriad of friends and mentors around to comfort and guide them. Students of the graduating class of 2020 are unexpectedly making this transition in March, without even getting a chance to say their goodbyes. Their spring semester plans have gone down the drain, those who have missed on-campus recruitment opportunities are fearing joblessness, and the majority have been forced to return home for an indefinite period of time. Meanwhile, recent graduates (myself included) are suddenly navigating travel-less work in travel-heavy professions, contemplating the visa and immigration challenges associated with going home, dealing with online meetings at ungodly hours, and wondering if our career plans for the foreseeable future now hold any water.
This sudden unpredictability is perhaps the greatest long-term existential concern for young people. Though the economic dislocations will hit every demographic, a potentially protracted recession would likely have a disproportionate effect on younger people. This was the case in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis that led to the highest rates of unemployment for young adults [1]. That in turn, had lasting negative effects on their mental health [2]. While our physiological immunity to the coronavirus may be strong, our emotional immunity to its effects might be lower than what our parents, employers, and institutions would like to believe.
The good news is that insights from Behavioral Science can help equip the young to become better at dealing with these tough times. With the right approach and intent, we can implement practices that help enhance our own well-being and also allow us to care for others in need. Here are a few behavioral nuggets to chew over:
References
[1] Hoynes, Hilary, Douglas L. Miller, and Jessamyn Schaller. 2012. “Who Suffers during Recessions?” Journal of Economic Perspectives, 26 (3): 27-48.
[2] Forbes, M. K., & Krueger, R. F. (2019). The Great Recession and Mental Health in the United States. Clinical Psychological Science, 7(5), 900–913.
[3] Webb, C. (2016). How to have a good day. Harness the power of behavioral science to transform your waking life. New York: Crown Business.
[4] Lieberman, M. (2013). Social. New York: Crown.
[5] Loewenstein, G. (1994). The psychology of curiosity: A review and reinterpretation. Psychological Bulletin, 116(1): 75-98.
[6] Kang, M.J. et al. (2009). The wick in the candle of learning: Epistemic curiosity activates reward circuitry and enhances memory. Psychological Science, 20(8), 963-973.
[7] Ryan, R.M., & Deci, E.L. (2000). Self-determination theory and the facilitation of intrinsic motivation, social development, and well-being. American Psychologist, 55(1), 68-78.
[8] From Kahneman’s dual system theory of intuition & processing. While System 1 is automatic & responsible for “effortless intuition,” System 2 is more slow paced and processes information with “deliberate reasoning.” Kahneman, D. (2011). Thinking Fast and Slow. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux.
[9] Orbell, S., & Sheeran, P. (1998) Regulation of behaviour in pursuit of health goals: Commentary. Psychology and Health,13, 753-758.
[10] Coronavirus: Postcard bid to help self-isolating neighbours. (2020, March 15). Retrieved from https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-cornwall-51880695
[11] 2014 : WHAT SCIENTIFIC IDEA IS READY FOR RETIREMENT?” Edge.org, 2014, www.edge.org/response-detail/25436
About the Author
Ipsitaa Khullar
Ipsitaa Khullar received her Bachelor’s degree from Yale University where she double majored in Economics and Psychology and conducted research in clinical & social psychology, consumer behavior, and development economics. She is currently studying cross-cultural differences in ‘belonging’ between Indian and American college students. Having spent two summers working at J-PAL, Ipsitaa is interested in guiding public policy informed by behavioral principles.
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