Staying Positive

Posted May 15, 2020 by Sarah Callanan

So we are a few weeks in to the break between the Spring 2020 Semester and the Summer 2020 Semester, and it’s obviously a bit different this time around with COVID-19. Last year around this time I was on a trip with my family, and this year we’re in the middle of a pandemic and Massachusetts is still under a stay-at-home advisory. One thing I’ve thought a lot about during the past few weeks is stress caused by the outbreak, and the importance of staying positive. Here are some of my tips for staying positive and coping with stress during this difficult time:

Remember that this is only temporary and you are not alone!
Maintain a sense of routine! As much as I love staying in my pajamas, I have a more positive attitude when I get up, get dressed, and go about my everyday routine.
Take a break from COVID-19 news, media, and other pandemic-related content. I disabled news notifications on my phone a while ago, and I’ve been trying to limit myself from checking COVID-19 information.
Practice gratitude—be grateful for the good things that you have going on.
Think of some of the unique opportunities that have come from the pandemic—for example, there are a lot of virtual opportunities that have come up recently, such as in-person conferences being switched to virtual conferences. I have never been able to attend a library conference before now due to work, school, and financial reasons, and now the ALA Virtual 2020 conference is happening in June, and I think I’ll be able to “attend” some of the sessions!
Remember to exercise regularly, get enough sleep, and have well-balanced meals if at all possible.
Stretch! This is especially useful if you are sitting in the same place all day, or are hunched over a computer all the time.
Take time for self-care.
Drink plenty of water.
Connect with loved ones over text, phone, Zoom (or some other video conferencing platform), email, or another appropriately socially distant method.

Check out these tips for managing stress in the time of COVID-19 from the CDC, Johns Hopkins, and the Mayo Clinic.