3 ways to cut through brain fog and stress onset by the coronavirus pandemic, according to a productivity expert

Alain Hunkins.Alain Hunkins

• Alain Hunkins, author of "CRACKING THE LEADERSHIP CODE: Three Secrets to Building Strong Leaders," has designed and facilitated leadership seminars for major corporations including Walmart, General Motors, and Microsoft.
• People are experiencing allostatic load — the toll that chronic stress takes — onset by the coronavirus pandemic.
• He recommends people do three things to alleviate allostatic load's effects: normalize your experience, exercise often, and regularize sleep patterns.

When Suzanne got word that she'd be working from home in March, she was ecstatic. Suddenly, her commute time dropped from 75 minutes to 75 seconds. No more people stopping by her desk to ask her questions at random times. Finally, she'd make headway on the big projects that had been stuck on the back burner since last year.

Fast forward two months, and those projects are still on the back burner. When asked to describe her work-from-home experience, Suzanne sums it up with one word: Exhausting. She says, "How every day can feel so hard? I got rid of the commute. I thought that was the hard part. I feel like I'm spending the day stumbling through a fog."

Suzanne's experience is not unique: Many people are experiencing this fog, known as allostatic load. Allostatic load is the physical, mental, and emotional wear and tear that comes as a result of chronic stress.

Our bodily systems are cleverly designed to be self-regulating. When we perceive any potential threat, our bodies smartly respond by producing hormones like adrenaline and cortisol. This works remarkably well when the stressor is temporary. For example, a boost of adrenaline comes in handy if you're fleeing a burning building. However, when the stress is sustained long term, the constant stream of these stress hormones into our bloodstream becomes toxic to our own physiological systems. This leads to illness and the feeling of being "stressed out."

Trauma is defined as a deeply distressing or disturbing experience. Living through a global pandemic certainly counts as a bona fide trauma. Right now, you may judge that you're just sitting around and getting very little done. However, your brain is actually working overtime. Moment to moment, it's trying to make sense of this crisis.

As with any trauma, accompanying physical or emotional symptoms take their toll. Long-term stress is a normal response to trauma. Considering what's happening in the world, increased wear and tear seems rather appropriate.

Awareness of the effects of allostatic load helps: It's even more helpful to do something about it. Here are three essential things that can help you address it.