Can you cope with change?

The one thing we can be sure of is that the rules about what we can and cannot do will keep changing, and will continue to keep changing. Local lockdowns like Leicester’s mean we may get used to certain liberties, then have to put them on hold again.

It’s imperative for your mental wellbeing, therefore, to know which qualities are most strongly associated with the ability to cope well with change. You can then capitalise on the ones you possess, and work on those you feel need strengthening.

One area that shares some similarities with the current situation is organisational change – when your job and/or the company you work for is reconfigured.

Maria Vakola and colleagues at Athens University asked 137 Greek professionals, all of whom had experienced major organisational changes at work, to answer questions measuring personality traits, attitudes to change and emotional intelligence (EI). Using this they created a profile of an employee who accepts change well.

They found the Big Five traits were important – extroversion, conscientiousness, a lack of neuroticism and, most particularly, agreeableness and openness to new experiences. EI, competency in managing yourself and your relationships with others, also matters – particularly optimism, self-efficacy, and emotional control. Vakola points out that whereas EI can improve with training and effort, personality traits – particularly the Big Five – have a substantial genetic basis and therefore tend to be stable across the lifespan.

However, a recent study by Eileen Graham and colleagues at Northwestern University offers convincing evidence that the Big Five traits are more open to change than had been previously supposed.

Taken together, these findings suggest you can improve your ability to cope with the changes you’ll face. Here are four tips to help: Journal it: Set aside five minutes each evening. Write down three things you did well that day, however small; three things you’re grateful for; and one behaviour you’ll try the next day that will take you just beyond your comfort zone. This will boost self-efficacy, conscientiousness, optimism/wellbeing, extroversion and openness to new experiences.

Listen well: When someone wants to tell you something or asks your opinion, put down other activities and listen fully. This will develop empathy and boost agreeableness.

Put judging on pause: Take five minutes twice or 10 minutes once a day and simply breathe slowly and evenly through your nose while observing your surroundings carefully and without passing judgment. Neuroticism/anxiety will decrease and you’ll enjoy better emotional control.

Ensure continuity: Spend at least 10 minutes each day pursuing an activity you discovered and enjoyed during lockdown – for example learning a language, or growing herbs. This will provide continuity and help you feel safer and more in control, whatever restrictions you face.