Five Behavioral Changes That Will Help You During the Pandemic

I have been fascinated by the changes in our behavior and the new way of seeing the world derived from the pandemic. It is as if this time has provided us with new glasses to see a new reality. These circumstances have pushed us to adapt to become productive from home, to manage our time differently, to communicate, to write, among many others. It seems impossible to think of our life without being glued to a mobile device. We have the same needs but with different ways to solve them. Here are some ways to get greater benefit from these behavioral changes we are experiencing.

1. Communication

We have become consumers of information on a large scale, including in our daily video meetings, conferences, emails and messages where we use a universal language of emojis, memes and short texts. Defenders of good linguistic customs may be horrified but it is the way of communication of our times, so we must understand it and create more timely, accurate and precise communication. Remember that the first 3 seconds of our message must engage people and keep their attention or else they will be linked to something else that excites them.

2. Time Management

Mining is a demanding industry, which requires great focus on the goal and a great ability to solve problems. Remote operations generate a change in the way we connect and approach each other, and it is common to receive information and requests that can make us "jump" tasks continuously and lose the pace toward our goal.

The real goal is to find the perfect state of flow, also known as "the zone." This is the optimal mental state in which a person is completely immersed in the activity he/she is executing. To achieve the zone, it is necessary to determine times, including personal, that we can follow as a routine in which our objective is reflected.

3. Change of Beliefs

Our weighting of what we value has changed. We can move but we are not free to leave, we cannot touch or experience in the same way as before. What we took for granted has become scarce, and we have taken refuge in technology to connect. The virtual world has led us to consider new ways of living. This is our time to expand and not duplicate reality in digital forms. It is the opportunity to create tools that allow us a better quality of life and that will last until after the pandemic, as is the case of remote operations, distance learning and expanded digital events.

4. Emotional Coherence

Never before have we had so much time with ourselves. Working from home and in isolation gives us the opportunity to face our thoughts and emotions; feelings influence our decision-making and, in some people, it has come to generate a constant frustration or depression that affects their productivity. What to do? Habits have a profound impact on our emotional balance, including what we eat and think. Additionally, the relationship with others directly influences our happiness. For this reason, creating a routine of appreciation that allows a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment is very important.

5. Perception

Our mind is programmed to observe the reality we want to see. It is like a YouTube algorithm, which offers you more videos according to your preferences. So, the pandemic has made us observe a world of opportunities or challenges. Our history in mining is full of radical changes and opportunities that today, more than ever, happen at great speed. Months ago, nobody thought that we would rely on platforms for digital meetings, video calls or sending messages; businesses that allow us to sell more digitally, that bring us closer, that allow us to move machines remotely were seen as distant but today they are a reality. Our perception of reality has undoubtedly changed and it is a much more agile and hyperconnected world.

Although the mining industry has invested heavily in technology, human decision-making is infused in every operation; therefore, this time is a huge opportunity to break out of our old molds of behavior and generate new ways to understand and adapt to the new stage of our history where communication, beliefs, time management, emotions and perception have been modified.