On staying calm

[downer]

In the weeks following 9/11, I quickly stopped watching TV and cable coverage of the unfolding drama and stuck to newsprint. I did the same with the rise of Trump. That helped me avoid high levels of anxiety.

I'm finding that now, partly because news alerts I get on my phone and partly because of social media, it isn't enough to avoid TV and cable, because each new alert increases my anxiety levels. I need to step away from all media for some periods of time.

I do think it is important to keep abreast of new developements and also to be in dialog with others about how to achieve social distancing and remain sane, as well as coping the the growing social disruption and all the changed expectations for the coming months and years. So it is a matter of finding the right balance.

I'm also doing things like running regularly, and making sure I eat healthily.

What are you doing to stay calm?

[dismalist]

Drinking wine. :-)

[mamselle]

Taking the time as gift, using extended deadlines to go into more depth into parts of my work.

Since one paper won't be given until fall, now, and another looks as if it's going to go that way, I'm deliberately waiting to work on them and putting the time towards a book project that's been getting short shrift instead.

I'll also be figuring out how to do all my students lessons virtually, since that's what they've decided they want.  (And do more of my own practicing.)

Oh, and, let's see....watching old "What's My Line?" re-runs, seeing all the (all too short) two seasons' worth of Nero Wolfe mysteries, making jewelry, helping my godsister with sewing projects (see the new thread!/sorry for the pun), and, um....hmmm...probably some cleaning and clearing.

I just usually don't have enough time to become anxious, if that makes any sense.

M.

[secundem_artem]

I have enough Ativan to sedate the entire 319 area code.  Better living through chemistry.

[apl68]

Though streets are vacant
Blossoms emerge as before
The birds keep singing

[Puget]

Running and walking
Playing with the cats (they are the only real winners in all this)
Feeling useful by taking proactive steps to support my lab and students
Texting with friends and family
Re-reading favorite books
Netflix/Prime video

[nebo113]

Drinking wine. :-)

Manhattan.  Retired.  Out camping in AZ.  91 year old mother in retirement community in SC.  4 day jaunt back east to beach house, a few hours from mother older than me.  Canadian friends who are here 'til end of March....left tonight.  We "social distanced" along with 4 bags of groceries from them.  And a quick handover of a Manhattan.

F*ck the orange turd.  Long live Justin.

[backatit]

Weeding my garden (taking out my anxiety on the weeds is VERY therapeutic). Hiking, and spending a LOT of time in the fresh air. I'm finding it helps a lot. This IS very stressful; I agree. My yard is going to look spiffy when this is over.

[Chemystery]

I'm staying calm by not following things too closely, working on my transition to online, and watching movies.

I'm trying very hard to keep my hypochondriac brother in Neighboring State calm.  At his suggestion, we're filling out fake March Madness brackets and he is going to use an old video game to simulate the whole tournament.  He has warned me that will mean a lot of upsets since it will matter more how strong the teams were in 2006 than this year.  We've been filling out brackets for years and he still hasn't figured out my criteria for picking teams is how much I like the name of the school. 

[Nightshade]

Grading, planning virtual classes, getting out that article, waiting for job news, and gaming - - Finishing Red Dead Redemption II for now, then the Assassin's Creed games I missed are planned for extended Spring Break (so French Revolution, Egypt, Peloponnesian War)...thinking about how to get ahead of moving woes, but hard to do when future is uncertain....thoughts of scrapbooking important life events over the last 10 years, but will likely only get as far as collecting all of the scrapbook worthy things...hanging out with lovely spouse and 19-year-old cat (she's got another three years at least, but good to cherish right now). Sigh. Good things, hard things. I hope you are all finding ways to enjoy this unprecedented time.

[Thursday's_Child]

Setting the alarm for 8, working on transition to on-line, organizing office & such-like, then pets and yardwork and checking up on family in the afternoons with beer and tidying the house and reading in the evenings with wine, and cooking - lots of cooking since I guess I'd better not eat out anymore.

[Morden]

I'm baking more and will probably begin making sauerkraut today. Stay safe everyone.

[Anselm]

Gyms closed by state Guv.
The worst case scenario
Fatness will kill me

[spork]

Turning off my email for longer periods each day.

Have managed to start running again after nearly two years of medical problems caused by medical incompetence and misdiagnoses. Covid-19 social distancing is nothing compared to be told you will need a liver transplant, and then being told oops, it was all a mistake.

Will increase my pie baking frequency.

[downer]

Woke up this morning with a slightly sore throat, which is not unusual. But I started to get worried about it and my heart was beating faster and I was wondering if I had shortness of breath.

I went out and did an 18 mile bike ride, and feel better now.

It is a good time to connect with old friends and more distant family. I've been sending and getting a bunch of messages.