Covid 19 coronavirus: Ashley Bloomfield opens up about how she handles the stress of handling a pandemic

Director General of Health Ashley Bloomfield has opened up about how dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic put pressure on her mental health.

Speaking to Sir John Kirwan on his podcast Open-minded: Leadership During a Pandemic, Bloomfield spoke about the tensions he faced while offering advice to Kiwis who may be struggling with their mental health.

When asked about how he kept his mental health in check, Bloomfield said he had a couple of little reminders to keep him focused on the job at hand while ignoring the unwarranted noise.

He told Kirwan that even after facing the public for eight months, he still gets nervous.

“I was very nervous, on January 27 [the first time Bloomfield fronted the public]. I still get nervous now.

“But from day one it was just being myself and being true to myself. While you know something like this [a pandemic] it will come, you are never quite ready for it.

“All you can do is get up every day, play what’s in front of you, work with your team members but stay true to your values.

“If something has not gone well, we will say how we can fix it.”

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Despite being at the forefront of the country’s Covid-19 health crisis, Bloomfield admitted that the role came with a number of tensions.

He told Kirwan that there came a time when he realized that he was starting to get stressed, acknowledging particular triggers, something he says is important for everyone dealing with mental health to understand.

Bloomfield revealed that he initially had trouble sleeping, but identified stress points and came up with a plan to combat any mental health problems.

“Giving the advice to blockade the country for four weeks is very important.

“It was very difficult for me at first. I wasn’t sleeping well. I was dreaming about Covid-19 for the first few weeks and I knew it was affecting my performance.

“There was a pivotal moment where I made a change. What can I control? Because most of this I can’t. I can control how I behave, how I feel, the information I have and how I communicate it, and the advice I give. The rest I don’t have to worry, I got up every day, played what was in front of me and took advantage of my skills, experience and supported myself.

“I had moments of doubt. Of course I did. Is my advice good?

“What I found good was using the people around me … The more I used the people around me, the better I slept.

“When I know I need to take a break is when I accelerate. What I have discovered in the last eight months is that I would hit 10 in the morning and my cortisol levels would start to rise and I would start sweating.

“It was when I got to a day where I didn’t have a 1:00 PM standup and it was 10 AM And I had the same reaction. It was a trigger and I realized I needed a break, otherwise I would not be at my best as a leader, an advisor and as a person. “

How did Bloomfield deal with uncertainty and perceived failures?

He told Kirwan that he can’t worry about the little things and that he should go back to his core values, look at the big picture, and lean on those around him to get ahead.

“It will not turn out 100% well. But we cannot allow anything that is not perfect to turn into failure … because we will stop learning and adapting.

“There were a couple of moments where a major failure was perceived and I said that I am responsible for the system, so I will take responsibility for what happened. It was quite a difficult time. I was asked several times when I was going to resign.

“You have to refocus on your values, work with your team, tap into your energy reserves and think about the big picture. You can’t afford to stumble upon things that might not work 100 percent.

“Ask other people how they are [is most important]. It is good not to be good. Be on the lookout for other people. Be kind. That’s being kind to yourself too.

“Resilient people are people who get stressed and anxious, but recognize it and have ways to control and prevent it.

“It’s an uncertain moment. But there are things we can control. Gratitude, being grateful … It doesn’t allow Covid-19 to define your life. Most of what makes us happy are the people around us.”

Sir John Kirwan started the podcast, Open Minded, in an attempt to collect stories and advice from those who are making mental health wellness a priority.

For Kirwan’s full interview with Ashley Bloomfield, click here.