I don’t know about everyone else, but I find myself in what I’ve termed a “Death-Sprial” of Coronavirus news from time-to-time. Be it Facebook, Twitter, Email or the news on TV… There is an ENDLESS parade of news, comments, posts and memes about COVID-19. It goes on forever and forever. Refresh, refresh. Wait – did I miss something? Refresh. Try another channel. Is there something new? Refresh. A person can go crazy quickly.
So I’m trying to avoid that. I’m giving myself set times where I can watch the “news”, refraining from reading the comments on posts via Facebook or Twitter as these can often be distressing, and trying to keep my mind busy with positive things! And you know what? It is working. I feel so much better now. I was getting more stressed out than I realized with all that, all day, constantly.
I’d like to share a few resources of ways you too, can “free your mind” and do something good with it!
- Read a book (this one is so easy!). Find a peaceful spot and settle in. Put your phone in another room. No computer. No TV. Just read. Before you know it, you’ll be in another world.
- Not a reader? Try an Audiobook. There are freebies here, and a great assortment of children’s books free right now (many of which I love!).
- Have a special “movie night”. This means do som ething special! Have the popcorn, some treats – put that phone or iPad away, not even in the same room. Turn down the lights and emmerse yourself in some great work of fiction.
- Grow your brain! Try a free course https://www.coursera.org/courses – many of these are free, and if not, you can “audit” the course which means you can do it all, just not get any sort of credit or certification for it. Awesome!
- 450 free Ivy League courses you can take!
- Create Art. Ok this can be challenging if you are not creatively-inclined, but there are options out there for everyone. Just try coloring.
- Coloring books: Car fan? Try these from Audi! Over 100 free coloring books from museums and libraries here. A quick websearch will yield endless options here.
- Exercise! Now, this may be a walk outside, maybe a walk around your house, or a full-on exercise program. Nothing clears my mind more than a walk outside with my dog. But maybe now is a great time to try something new. Peloton is offering a 90 day free trial for their exercise app. You don’t need the fancy bike for these, either. FitBit is offering a 90 free trial for their Premium Service, which includes a lot of great tools!
So many great options available, but one does have to make the CHOICE to do so. We have to get up, go do it, download the book, find the old book and open it up, move away from the TV. You will feel so much better both mentally and physically. No more death-spiral, but instead, things to look forward to during uncertain times. We can make this experience help us grow into better people, or at least stronger in some way.
Do you have any suggestions or ideas of how to get out of the death-spiral? Share!
About Digital-Melissa: I am a veteran of all things internet, located in Rhinelander, WI. 20 years in eCommerce with everything from design to copy, social media, marketing, project management, website help & management plus more. Contact me today if you’d like to talk about how I could help your business.