HugOps4Humans: Self-Care to Community Care-giving

Statistics show that Americans are experiencing the highest levels of stress in a decade. With new challenges like COVID-19 and the added social isolation and personal productivity challenges of remote work, the stress levels are even higher. In this talk, I go through my own journey of self-care.

The analogy to "HugOps" is this. Humans are complex systems that need continuous availability despite unpredictable stressors. By observing your own "system", you can detect the things that stress you and figure out strategies to help control or cope with them when they occur. And you can also devise comfort strategies that increase your threshold for resilience agnostic to the kind of stressors you face.

The bigger takeaway from HugOps is this. It is not enough to just fix your system when you figure out the problem. You need too share your solutions so others can use it to improve their own resilience. More importantly, if you see someone having these issues, have empathy. And if you have the resources (time, health) to do so -- lend a hand to help them overcome their challenges. Self-care is also a privilege that not everyone has resources for. Community care-giving ensures we help each other in these difficult times

Transcript

1. #HugOps4Humans / #Flutterista @nitya @nitya #HugOps4Humans / #Flutterista HugOps For Humans Self-Care to Community Care-giving June 30, 2020 Nitya Narasimhan, PhD | #Flutterista #HugOps4Humans | @nitya Image Credit: Noun Project
2. #HugOps4Humans / #Flutterista @nitya @nitya #HugOps4Humans / #Flutterista
3. #HugOps4Humans / #Flutterista @nitya @nitya #HugOps4Humans / #Flutterista
4. #HugOps4Humans / #Flutterista @nitya
5. #HugOps4Humans / #Flutterista @nitya #HugOps4Humans / #Flutterista
6. #HugOps4Humans / #Flutterista @nitya #HugOps4Humans / #Flutterista
7. #HugOps4Humans / #Flutterista @nitya Self Care can help you manage your stress better Image Credit: Unsplash Community Care is about sharing the burdens together
8. #HugOps4Humans / #Flutterista @nitya https://www.statuspage.io/hugops
9. #HugOps4Humans / #Flutterista @nitya Complex Systems Unpredictable Stressors Continuous Availability Observability Detect patterns = warning Empathy Embrace failures = learning Communication Share learnings = growing CONTEXT CULTURE DEVOPS HUGOPS
10. #HugOps4Humans / #Flutterista @nitya Complex Systems Unpredictable Stressors Continuous Availability Observability Detect patterns = warning Empathy Embrace failures = learning Communication Share learnings = growing CONTEXT CULTURE DEVOPS HUGOPS Human-Ops
11. #HugOps4Humans / #Flutterista @nitya Know Your Enemy Let’s talk about stress Image Credit: Unsplash Acute Stress Episodic Stress Chronic Stress
12. #HugOps4Humans / #Flutterista @nitya Allostatic Load Cumulative Wear and Tear.. Image Credit: Unsplash ..on the body can cause permanent changes to brain architecture and reduce ability to cope with future uncertainity
13. #HugOps4Humans / #Flutterista @nitya Stress Our body’s response to perceived threats to mental or physical well-being Image Credit: Unsplash Adaptive Stress Response our built-in survival instincts adrenaline (fight or flight) cortisol (alert, persistence)
14. #HugOps4Humans / #Flutterista @nitya Learn TRIGGERS Manage RESPONSES Share BURDENS How can we effect change? Refactor our behaviors Revitalize our communities Psychological Environmental Physiological Social Anger Fear Insecurity Anxiety Ask for Help Offer Help Share Stories Give Feedback
15. #HugOps4Humans / #Flutterista @nitya Learn Triggers ENVIRONMENTAL PHYSIOLOGICAL PSYCHOLOGICAL SOCIAL Pollution & Toxins Food & Drink Illness & Sleep Injury & Disability Family & Friends Social Media Self Esteem
16. #HugOps4Humans / #Flutterista @nitya Image Credit: Unsplash Stress vs. Self-Esteem A destructive cycle Manage STRESS CONTROL STRATEGIES Mitigate RESPONSES COPING STRATEGIES Boost SELF-ESTEEM COMFORT STRATEGIES Manage Responses
17. #HugOps4Humans / #Flutterista @nitya MANAGE STRESS Control Strategies Image Credit: @nitya time-based triggers #30Days Food Sleep Exercise “Bundling Habits”
18. #HugOps4Humans / #Flutterista @nitya MANAGE STRESS Control Strategies Image Credit: @nitya space-based triggers #Declutter Social Media Workspace Memorabilia “Does it spark joy?”
19. #HugOps4Humans / #Flutterista @nitya MITIGATE RESPONSES Coping Strategies Image Credit: @nitya cultivate calm #Refocus Sketching Meditation Knitting “Be Present”
20. #HugOps4Humans / #Flutterista @nitya MITIGATE RESPONSES Coping Strategies Image Credit: @nitya support systems #Ally-Up Run Interference Collective Bargaining Moral Support Accept help!
21. #HugOps4Humans / #Flutterista @nitya BOOST ESTEEM Comfort Strategies Image Credit: @nitya celebrate milestones #GratefulFor Anniversaries Successes Failures Acknowledge wins!
22. #HugOps4Humans / #Flutterista @nitya BOOST ESTEEM Comfort Strategies Image Credit: @nitya know yourself #SelfAcceptance Culture (by birth) Nurture (by upbringing) Venture (by choice)
23. #HugOps4Humans / #Flutterista @nitya BOOST ESTEEM Comfort Strategies Image Credit: @nitya value yourself #SelfAppreciation Embrace achievements Embrace failures Champion yourself Practice saying.. Thank You when complimented I (not we) when you did the work No thanks to emotional labor Yes thanks when offered leadership roles My turn when overlooked for opinions Mine too when overlooked for rewards It happens! on facing failures
24. #HugOps4Humans / #Flutterista @nitya BOOST ESTEEM Comfort Strategies Image Credit: @nitya grow yourself #SelfAppraisal Focus Feedback Forgiveness FOCUS Set clear goals Make concrete plans FEEDBACK Ask for help Trust (but verify) FORGIVENESS Assess mistakes Then move on
25. #HugOps4Humans / #Flutterista @nitya #HugOps4Humans / #Flutterista Self-Care Put on your oxygen mask first Image Credit: Unsplash
26. #HugOps4Humans / #Flutterista @nitya #HugOps4Humans / #Flutterista Self Care to Community Care-giving Self-care cannot solve systemic issues! Credit: Flare.com / April 2019
27. #HugOps4Humans / #Flutterista @nitya We need to destigmatize burdening others, normalize asking for help, and challenge ableism “Beyond Self-Care Bubble Baths: A Vision for Community Care” ~ Abeni Jones (Jul 2017)
28. #HugOps4Humans / #Flutterista @nitya Self-care is a self-esteem issue. It needs introspection Self-care is a community issue It has ripple effects with global impact Self-care is a marathon It needs resilience. Self-care is a privilege today Extend yours to those who need it more
29. #HugOps4Humans / #Flutterista @nitya Self-Care to Community Care-giving Stress Anxiety Depression Break the Stress, Self Esteem Cycle CONTROL 30-Days Declutter Help yourself Ask for help Help others COPE Refocus Ally-Up COMFORT Celebration Self-Acceptance Self-Appreciation Self-Appraisal
30. #HugOps4Humans / #Flutterista @nitya @nitya #HugOps4Humans / #Flutterista Thank You! Slides: https://bit.ly/2020-06-HugOps4Humans Work In Progress: Site: https://selfcare.dev Nitya Narasimhan, PhD | @nitya | #HugOps4Humans