‘We have a chance to reinvent ourselves.’ An interview with lecturer Maria Sovago.

Many of us are going through a difficult time at the moment. COVID-19 and the measures imposed by the Dutch government and TU Delft affect us all. Everyone is facing major challenges. We asked Dr Maria Sovago – lecturer in physics at the faculty of Applied Sciences  – to share her experiences and best practices with us. 

‘Some of us are struggling because we are having to deal with a completely new situation. We have no control over it. How we cope with the COVID-19 outbreak at home depends on our mind-set, our expectations and how we deal with changes in general.

‘I thought at the beginning: I must prepare myself! This new situation will be with us for quite some time. It will take months before we reach the new normal. We now have a chance to reinvent ourselves. How can we prepare ourselves for the post-lockdown world? What will the new normal look like? What will we be leaving behind and what will we be doing that is new?

‘What helped me was to recognise the stages we go through when facing a change. We experience a period of temporary excitement and then a temporary dip, following the shape of a potential well. Scientists will know what I’m talking about. At the first excitement, we start preparing ourselves for the lockdown by stockpiling food. We are excited to see our colleagues during online meetings and we get comfortable working from the home office. Do you recognise it as well? And then, slowly, our energy level sinks, down through denial, irritation, anger and madness to depression. We become scared, frozen, alone and isolated. We run away from others, we turn off our video mode during meetings and keep quiet. Or we don’t even show up.

‘We might have the feeling that we’re the only ones not coping. We see everybody smiling. But if we start sharing our thoughts with others, we discover that we’re not alone in this situation. We start seeing the problem more clearly, and what is great: we concentrate on finding solutions. Together! We accept the change and that allows us to summon up more energy so that we can move on.

‘Some people go through this process of excitement–despair–hope in five minutes, whereas it takes others as long as five years. And when we manage to cope with the new situation, a new change comes along. And yes, this happens now more often than before, doesn’t it?

‘I went through this process myself. When I started working from my home office, I was very worried. I’m an extreme extravert. I get my energy from interacting with my colleagues. I was frightened I might start feeling alone. But being in virtual meetings with your colleagues all day is also very tiring. And not a complete solution. I realised I had to develop a different daily routine. I decided to structure my day: I start work at nine o’clock, I take regular breaks, I go outside for a walk and I finish at six. And then – and this is very crucial – during the day I turn off my phone and email programme and concentrate on my work for at least two hours. Then, when six o’clock rolls around, I have the feeling I’ve achieved something. What is your routine?

‘I am very happy to see colleagues opening up during our DEWIS Virtual Coffee&Connect meetings. It’s fantastic! I’ve once again seen the strength of sharing: we feel boosted. So let’s talk about what we’re going through. Don’t hesitate: reach out! Make a phone call! We need to support each other to see the new reality. We should pay attention to our colleagues and students and take care of our emotional wellbeing.

‘This transition phase to the new normal will allow us to connect differently with each other and to build stronger working relationships. Let’s take time to really connect. We can avoid slow meetings by using a higher tempo and engage the others as well. And let’s encourage and empower! Let’s give each other more compliments! In a tough and competitive working environment, we tend to forget it. Even criticism can be formulated as a compliment. [Smiling].

‘Now we have the chance to reinvent ourselves and connect with each other on a deeper level.’ 

Maria uses theatre techniques to show scientists how to share knowledge, how to teach, and how to present and defend proposals. She also coaches on academic leadership: how do I take on the role of a leader even though I don’t yet have a leadership position?