10 Ways to Distract Yourself From Coronavirus
We’re in the middle of lots of news/fear/anxiety about COVID-19 aka “the coronavirus". The news of the spread of the illness is everywhere, and new headlines are pouring in about transmission and death rates. Just today, Twitter announced that they are sending all employees home, and they’ll be working remotely until further notice. When an event happens that changes how people behave in their daily lives, it’s destabilizing. As I often do, I’m writing to help distract myself. If any of these ideas are helpful for you to distract yourself from coronavirus, please use them!
Look at lots and lots of photos of dogs
I swear, I can feel the oxytocin hitting my blood stream when I just glance at a photo of a dog. Like many of you, I do most of my dog stalking through Instagram. Some of my favorite accounts include: LiamthePittie, CoppersDreamRescue, HopperthePitHeeler, RocketDogRescue, IloveFamilyDog, and GreyhoundAdoptionCenter.
2. Go to the nearest park and find a dog to love on
If you don’t have one already, I mean. Fine, if you’re a cat person, you can do that too. I can’t promise it will work as well as a dog. Bonus is that through meeting a new dog, you often meet a new human too, and that can help you get distracted.
3. Turn on music right now
If you don’t know what to listen to, start with the Beautiful Voyager official playlist. In particular, listen to Alice Coltaine’s Journey in Satchidananda. It’s immediately transporting. Or to change it up, try listening to bird music!
4. Take off a layer of clothing and cool down
RBG in cross-stitch by yours truly.
Note sure why it works, exactly, but it does. Esp if you are cooling down. I literally just took off my sweater as I wrote this. Full disclosure: This isn’t a new idea of mine. I’ve written about it before, and it comes up in my book, but it really is worth doing.
5. Open some messages in a bottle
I created this Lighthouse Map of Overthinkers for situations just like this! Click around to see all of the other people all over the world who are facing this global outbreak, and remember you are not alone. Look at the words they shared by clicking on a message in a bottle. I am going to do it now myself. It really does help to feel less alone.
6. Pick up a random-ass craft project
Why is random important? Cause you don’t have to be good at it. In fact, it’s better if you AREN’T good at it. Here are a couple of ideas from one Beautiful Voyager. I actually have started cross stitching lately and though I suck at it, let me tell you, it’s a real distraction.
This is an actual place I get to walk, as long as I haul my butt off the couch.
7. Trick yourself with a smile
I recently learned that you can trick your brain into thinking you’re relaxed and happy by smiling just a little. My colleagues and I call this the half-smile, and we’re always doing it to each other, weird as it may sound.
Try it by turning the corners of your mouth up just a little.
8. Take a 1-mile walk
I know that taking a walk is on every list like this, but it’s because it actually works! Over the weekend, I forced myself to take two long walks with my dog and it was incredible how I felt it in my body (like tingly relaxation).
Since I have an anxiety disorder it is even more important for me to try to take actions like this to relax my body, which in turn relaxes my mind. Yours too!
9. Wash your hands
It is literally the only thing you can do to stop the spread of coronavirus. It’s not as much about washing your hands as it if accepting that you can’t control this entire situation. You can only control your little corner of the world. Wash your hands and know that you are taking the action you can take.
10. Share your own distraction tip in the comments below to help others
Helping others is one of the greatest, most fulfilling distractions possible. If you’ve found something that helps others with anxiety in this situation, for the love of god share it below.
xoxoxo, Meredith
