This is the second post in the series dedicated to the best way to “charge your batteries” during the Covid lockdown. You can find the first blog HERE. In it, I have offered some examples for the Harmoniser and Thinker Personality Phase.
I invite you now to look together at the Rebel and Persister Personality Phases.
Just as a reminder, here is the summary table for the main psychological needs of our Phase Personalities and the distress behaviours (failure patterns) we exhibit when we don’t take care to cover those needs (if we don’t “charge our batteries”, especially during tough times like a lockdown).

Phase Personality: Rebel
Psychological needs: (Playful) Contact
- Decorate your space the way you like it – with lights, colours, gadgets, photos, etc.
- Listen to music while you work, to keep energised, even during a lockdown.
- Watch TV, play video games, or even do some online karaoke with friends. Even if it’s on Facebook Messenger or Zoom, I’m sure you can find a way to make it fun! I bet there are Apps to help you with that.
- Take part in webinars or trainings you like, which would allow you to get to know new people and interact with them.
- Enjoy the freedom of having a bit more time for you to play at what you like to do. No more commuting to work for a while.
- Watch some funny videos for a laugh.
- Use your breaks to call friends or family and to have a chat or do some sports/Zumba/dance/exercises – in front of the TV/Computer (YouTube has many such options for free) or in a park.
- Let your creativity play. See how you can have some fun with your family or with your friends (while keeping each other safe)
- Learn to play a musical instrument.
Phase Personality: Persister
Psychological needs: Recognition of Work + Recognition of Convictions
- Ask for recognition of your work and dedication. Tell others that this is important for you and that you would like to hear that you are appreciated for the quality of your work and your dedication.
- Share your opinion with friends, family and colleagues – people whom you respect and trust. It can be about economy, politics, trends, etc.
- Set up some “coffee-talks” on subjects that you are passionate about, invite like-minded people and see if there’s any action you could take together to improve a situation (e.g. offer mentoring to young professionals, to NGOs, etc.)
- Choose to invest your time and energy, every day, in activities you believe will bring results proportionate with the effort you invest and that further your values.
- Remind yourself about how valuable your contributions are and reward yourself for your dedication
- Set the agenda for meetings you take part in, if that is possible.
- Bring on your desk any awards you have obtained for reaching an objective you considered important. Additionally, you can exhibit there any photographs of you together with people you respect. Consider also creating some personalised text canva prints with your favourite mottos, principles, quotations and keep them in sight.
- Volunteer or donate for/to causes and organisations you respect and believe in.
- Offer suggestions about potential improvements to the right people.
- Give yourself permission to rest and relax. Put your “off” time in your schedule and respect it. Otherwise, you might end up drained – both physically and mentally. Especially those of us who have Phase Thinker or Persister are in higher danger of burn-out during the pandemics “work from home” reality, as they feel the need to do things perfectly and they start to push their opinions on others if they see things do not happen as they should. This often translates in delegating less and taking more and more work on their plate.
This is it for today, I hope you found this article useful. Please feel free to add your examples of how you charge your batteries in these lockdown times.
You can find the last part of this series, covering the Imaginer and Promoter Phase Personalities HERE.
Take care,
Magda.
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