Coronavirus Anxiety: My Tips for Coping
With the coronavirus in full swing, global anxiety levels seem to the through the roof. Here’s how I’m coping.
Let me tell you: I’ve been training for this coronavirus situation all my life. I’ve always been obsessed with washing my hands, and I keep my social life to a minimum because I have no friends. I’m ready for this thing!
Nonetheless, the situation is a bit dire. The world is getting crazier by the minute — if you’re asking me, the problem is there are not enough beds in mental facilities. People seem to be stocking on toilet paper and pasta (honestly, I have no explanation about this), social media posts are getting in-sane, fake news are spreading faster than usual, etc.
Here are the little things I do to retain the little sense of control that I have.
Work from home
Our team is distributed — some of us work from our office in Sofia, Bulgaria, and some of our colleagues work remotely. We decided that we will all be working from home for a bit, at least until the panic passes.
The transition has been seamless as the entire work process at AdEx Network is structured for remote work, but I miss my co-workers. To keep up with each others lives, we are quite active in our “Random” office chats where we discuss non-work related stuff, share memes, etc. We’re also having Zoom Beers — we get together after work on Zoom, have beers/wine/whatever, and just chat about anything and everything.
Checking up on family and friends
I’ve noticed that I check up on my family members and on my friends more often than before — this is silly because I wouldn’t be able to help anyone who’s sick but it still gives me peace to talk to them. It’s good to reconnect.
Social media detox
Right now, my Facebook feed is a steaming pile of shit — suddenly everyone is an expert on Covid-19 and has a loud opinion they need to share. It’s bloody annoying and I prefer to limit my time on social media, and focus on more important stuff.
Hobbies and interests
Now that I don’t commute to work or put any effort in looking presentable, I have extra time for my hobbies: I play the piano, I do calligraphy, and I’m catching up on my TV shows (my favourites lately are Awkwafina is Nora from Queens, Good Girls, and Devs).
Cooking
I don’t usually cook — I eat out or I order in. With the state of emergency my country has declared due to the coronavirus, though, eating out is not an option (all restaurants, diners, bars etc. are closed now), and takeaway options are limited. This forces me to do grocery shopping and cook at home, which is kind of nice.
Reading and getting new skills
I now also have time to read more than usual. I have a list of books waiting for me on my Kindle, and I never find time to get to them (I mostly read for work and I miss reading fiction).
The self-isolation recommendations have also prompted a lot of companies to offer a lot of content for free — like online classes for example. It’s a great opportunity to brush up some of my skills and knowledge in various areas.
Memes
There are many, many new memes about the situation, and while most of them stem from some very, very dark humor, I enjoy them. Coronavirus memes are a nice reminder that this too shall pass and we will eventually get over it.
Well, there you have it. These are the things I do remain (semi)sane. What are your tips?
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