This past year has been a roller coaster, and our lives continue to evolve as the pandemic wears on.  Health, career, school, social, and business activities have all changed.  Even as we return to previous events, they may look different than before. 

The changes the coronavirus pandemic has caused can bring on big feelings: anger, elation, frustration, sadness, disappointment, depression, relief, and anxiety.  How do we handle these  emotions and support ourselves and our kids so we can function in this new normal? 

Support people by acknowledging their emotions, involving them in the planning process, being transparent, and providing resources.

Change management is a business discipline dedicated to supporting people to implement changes at work.  This practice addresses both the functional changes people need to adopt and the emotional impacts of whatever changes are being implemented.  It equips people to navigate the change successfully by fostering communication and providing resources. 

This business framework offers a useful perspective that I’ve learned as a Certified Change Practitioner.  Here are four ways to help people manage change successfully, at work or in everyday life:

• Acknowledge and validate emotions

• Involve people in the planning process

• Clearly state the pros and cons

• Provide resources to make the change

Acknowledge and Validate Emotions

First, let’s talk about those big emotions. Understand that they are normal reactions to change and involve a response similar to the classic grief response: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance.  People need to work through these different emotions to process their grief over what they are losing from the change. 

By doing that, people are better prepared to address the situation and move forward.  Give them time and space as needed to work through new changes emotionally. 

The change response is similar to the grief response.

It helps to be aware of the magnitude of the change and its effect on people. A bigger impact on a personal level usually elicits a stronger emotional response, while a smaller change produces a smaller response.  

Give people time to process their emotions and go through the grieving process. Don’t be surprised at their anger, negotiation, or depression; talk with them about it.  

For example, if your kids are resisting going back to in-person school, ask them how they feel about it.  Give them a chance to work through their feelings.

Also realize that people have limited capacity for change.  If your family has a lot of changes going on right now like returning to in-person school, starting a new semester or job, etc., give them space and time to work through these transitions before starting something new.

Involve People in the Planning Process

To encourage people to support a new endeavor, it helps to get their input – the earlier, the better. The more involved people are in the planning process, the more engaged and cooperative they’re likely to be. No one wants to be told what to do when they haven’t been consulted first.  

With that in mind, ask for people’s opinions and use their input. Have brainstorming sessions where everyone considers possible solutions.

For example, ask your kids what they want to do this summer and discuss what the options are. These may be different from a typical summer, but you can talk through them together.

People have a greater feeling of control over a difficult situation if they feel like their perspectives are valued.

Clearly State the Pros and Cons

Along with being involved, people need to see benefits of doing something before they will support it. Transparency is important, so be honest about the positives and negatives of the change.  

This kind of communication can be useful to help people see the reason for the change, while at the same time acknowledging that it won’t be easy. Think of a short explanation of what is happening, the benefits and potential drawbacks, and how you feel about the change overall. 

When it comes to social distancing, for instance, you can say, “Keeping our distance from friends at recess is difficult and not very fun, but it is the school rule and protects us from COVID.”  This will help kids process the idea. 

Provide Resources to Make the Change

After focusing on communication, ensure that people have whatever tools and resources they need to make the change.  This could be training, therapy, coaching, or helping them get tasks done.

Does your elementary schooler need practice wearing his mask for six hours?  You can practice at home or try a more comfortable mask. Does your teenager need therapy to deal with the depression they are feeling from isolation?  Schedule the counseling sessions and continue to check in with them periodically to see how they’re doing and provide additional functional and emotional support. 

By allowing people to work through their emotions, involving them in the planning, being transparent and providing needed resources, you can encourage people to adopt the changes going on around them. These steps provide the emotional and functional support to equip us to continue to ride this pandemic roller-coaster.

Hilary Kinney is the author of Project Management for Parents, a timeless book that provides resources for busy parents to streamline life at home. She is a certified Professional Project Manager with 17 years of experience at a Fortune 500 company.