COMMENTARY ON WEATHERING THE RECESSION : Feelings of Self-Worth Must Not Depend on the Bottom Line : Many people in the work force personalize hard times. A few tips may help keep the situation in perspective.

Don is in sales in a small Orange County business heavily hit by the recession. For the past two months, his sales have dropped. As he reviews his list of accounts, Don finds himself becoming more and more depressed. How could he let his sales slide like this? He should have prepared better for the economic downturn. Discouraged, he feels swallowed up by the recession, which seems bigger than life and unending.

Don is not the only one who feels this way. The sluggish economy has hit us all in one way or another. Chances are we can pull through the current economic storm financially, if we make appropriate cuts.

We may not be so lucky in another area, though. If we aren’t careful, the recession could cause us damaging psychological distress.

Many people in the work force link their self-esteem with professional success. When the economy causes them to not be as successful as usual, they personalize. The recession becomes something they should have seen coming. They don’t see the market as slow, they see themselves as lacking in ability, which results in a debilitating loss of self-esteem.

Additionally, as the recession represents a loss of income, they become fearful. The recession then not only means business is slow but there is the additional concern that they won’t be able to provide for themselves and their families.

This fear causes workers to stop problem solving. The resulting decisions are then more harmful than helpful because they are reactionary--not planned.

Though things may seem hopeless now, it’s important to not take the recession personally. You need to get through this time emotionally unscathed, so you can spring back even stronger when things get better. To do so, keep the following tips in mind.

- Remember you’re not alone. Everyone is going through this with you. Just recently I got in to see my hairdresser in one day, which was miraculous, because he’s usually booked six weeks in advance. When I arrived, I asked him about it. He said that everyone in the salon was experiencing slow times. Instead of becoming depressed, he decided to take advantage of the lull and spend extra time with his wife and child.

- This condition is only temporary. Think of other rough times. Remind yourself that you survived then, and you can survive now. This will free up your creative juices and enable you to perceive the current economic conditions as solvable, rather then everlasting.

- Keep your sense of humor. The old adage is true, laughter is excellent medicine. Lighten up and learn to see the humor in situations. A business owner recently told me she was having trouble collecting on her accounts, so she went to the stationers to buy a past due stamp. The clerk told her they were sold out. What did she do? She laughed at the irony of the situation.

- Give more service than expected. Take a little extra time helping customers. They’ll really appreciate your thoughtfulness, which makes you both feel good. This became clear to me years ago when my parents called an electrician to our home. While working, he noticed that my tomato plants needed support. The next day he returned with stakes. To this day, whenever my parents need an electrician, they call him.

- Don’t be frozen by fear. Layoffs and reduced property values are signs of a recession, not the end of life as you know it. Don’t be so upset that you react instead of planning ahead. Solutions do not come to someone who is panic-stricken.

- Communicate your fear, then move on. To ease recession tension, vent your frustrations and fear on a regular basis. Then brainstorm for solutions with office mates. Afterward, you can return to work feeling more positive.

- Don’t hurt future business. During rough economic times, many business owners panic and make hasty cutback decisions they later regret. A person in the cruise business told me that a competitor decreased overhead by reducing services aboard ship. People who take cruises pay for and expect exceptional service. By disappointing customers, the company reduced future repeat business.

Business owners can also profit from a better understanding of the psychology behind the recession, because it affects them on several levels. It impacts their business, which they feel personally attached to. It’s wise to remember that self-worth should not be dependent on the bottom line.

The recession, however, also impacts their employees. When owners keep their fear in check they create space for creative solutions throughout their company.

Also, business owners might want to try not penalizing their employees. Aware owners realize that cutting pay and hours results in plummeting motivation. Keep in mind that the company is yours, not your employees. Tightening your belt may seem natural to you, but it isn’t second nature for your workers, who don’t have the long-range benefits of company ownership and face problems if their regular paycheck is cut. When possible, avoid balancing your books at the risk of damaging employee morale. If you must cut, make sure you reduce your salary as well, which shows that you’re also willing to take a loss.

Everyone needs to project lower earnings this year than they would otherwise. Setting attainable goals will keep spirits up and self-esteem high. A positive attitude will help all of us weather these hard times and emerge wiser and more successful than ever.