Keeping Busy and Connected During These Stressful Times

Friday evening and I have had it! Dare I say this girl is worn out? I hope so because I just said it!

In real-time I am finishing my first week of seclusion because of the Coronavirus. I have been missing my routine, missing my friends and colleagues and, in general, missing my life. We have been trying to support our clients in a totally foreign way for all of us. None of us have ever done teletherapy before.

A stressful week

We have been trying to support one another. Today I - me, little Miss Techoidiot!- coached a colleague through the fine art of making a FaceTime call. When I am doing the coaching, you know that person has technology issues!

Then, to top it off, our water pump burned up. As in smoke throughout the entire house burned up. Ain’t that a kick in the butt?

I think I am a little stressed.

Taking a break

How do I know? According to WebMD’s list of symptoms, I think I qualify. I am feeling rather overwhelmed for one. I have an inability to focus. When I tried to place my first “at the curb” grocery order, I could not concentrate to finish it. I also have low energy.¹ What do I want to do? How about absolutely nothing? Sounds good to me.

Adapting to another "new normal"

As a visually impaired person, how many “new normals” am I supposed to have to adapt to? First vision loss, then a pandemic...good grief. Enough already!

The problem is “Stop the world. I want to get off,” only works as a movie title (Warner Brothers,1966). Ok, it was also a Broadway play, but you get my point. These are the cards we were dealt. These are the cards we play. There is no leaving the game for one with better odds.

Acceptance

All week long I have been preaching acceptance. We can only fix the problems we have, not the ones we wish we had. Sort of like the guy in the old joke. Remember the guy who asked a passerby to help him look for his car keys under the streetlight? He had actually dropped his keys in the alley but “The light is better here!”

Social support

Beyond accepting reality, seeking and providing social support are helpful. Worrying and doing for others allows you to worry about yourself less. If you can contribute to others, you feel less hopeless and helpless. You are actually DOING something.

Seeking and providing social support also build a sense of community. Have you noticed how many actors are in commercials and saying “We’re all in this together”? They are trying to foster a sense of community in these tough times. Somebody told them it would help with the stress and I agree with him.

Exercise and being outside

My other go-to moves when I am stressed involve exercise and being around nature. I have been starting my days with 20 minutes of yoga and I finally got to a couple of virtual Zumba classes. The girls are getting daily walks. With people more scarce, wild animals are more present. Kinda nice to see deer in the field in the middle of the day.

De-stressing

By the time this is published, hopefully, the new normal of COVID-19 will be a thing of the past. However, the new normal of vision loss will continue with us. Let us all make an effort to avoid the associated stress of both new normals.