Surviving Stress in the Time of Self-Isolation
Danielle Fatzinger (@bonniecelt) is the current PGR Office Intern and in the third year of her PhD in Celtic & Gaelic, studying late-seventeenth century Gaelic manuscripts written in Kintyre, Argyll, their scribe, and his patrons. In this post, she reflects on the stress of the current moment and shares resources and tips to handle work during self-isolation.
I don’t think I need to say the thing that has been on people’s minds across the world: COVID-19 (aka the coronavirus) and the resultant changes to classes, work, and lifestyle. Many people are opting to practice social distancing in the name of community health: working from home, avoiding public gatherings, not taking public transport, staying in rather than heading to the movies, or pub, or gym, etc. I, for one, have been home since Thursday, choosing to keep myself and my cough away from other people, and being lucky enough that I can access most of what I need for research and my internship on my laptop.
But I still find my base-level of stress to be higher than normal, and I get the sense than many people in the community are having the same experience. Uncertainty, anxiety, and fast-paced change can do that.
There are things that can be done to help manage the stress of staying at home, and to be kind to yourself in these difficult times. I’ve brought together some of the advice and resources I’ve seen/found below.
Limit Your Contact to Information
Information is good, but do we need it more than once or twice a day?
This may or may not seem counterintuitive, but the barrage of information we’re getting about the virus can make the stress about it worse. Not only are we discussing it with friends and family, but we’re also seeing it on the news, hearing about it on the radio, and for social media users, we’re seeing it constantly. On top of that, we’re working on adjusting our lifestyles and even learning new skills to move more online in the hopes of working at home. It is, too put it simply, a lot.
And that’s why it’s important to try to step away from it. I spend less time on social media, trying to avoid a constant stream of news and opinions. I try to make sure I’m talking about other things with my partner. I do check in a few times a day for updates and look at the Johns Hopkins Map once a day, but that’s better than last week, when I was checking for updates every 30-60 minutes (or less).
Let your mind focus on other things, particularly things you enjoy or find stimulating or relaxing. Call or video chat with your family. Play a game. Fix something you’ve been meaning to. Try a new recipe. Watch a movie. Read a book. Those breaks will help keep your mind off things.
And if you’re going to search for things virus-related, try #QuarantineLife on Twitter. The hashtag is used for people sharing some heartwarming and funny content in addition to information (like this and this and this). There’s also #QuarantineCats…and #QuarantineDogs, and #QuarantinePets for a wider variety of virtual animals.
And to get your information, stick to official sources, like WHO, UofG, and gov.uk.
Learn to Work from Home, and Adjust for Mental Health
Some of you may be pros at working from home, and that’s amazing! For the rest of us, home life may be more distracting. Netflix is within easy reach, and so are our favourite games. Some PGRs have kids or other relatives that need looking after. Chores are tempting. The space may not be the best set-up, or you may not have a desk. Therefore, many of us need to learn to work from home. Here are some tips (some taken from Twitter):
As a childless PGR, I won’t pretend to tell parents how they can manage working from home if their child is home, but the internet has some tips here and here (and lots of other places with a quick search). If you have some advice for others, do share it in the comments or on our Twitter so we can pass it along.
You can brighten up your workspace with some flowers or even some colourful drawings. You can make paper flowers, too, for some colour (I’ve done it, and it helps).
If you’re going to have a video conference, arrive early to check that all your equipment is working correctly. I once tried a video call only to discover my video wasn’t working at all, and I spent ten minutes looking for the right settings to turn it back on. It was a call with my mom, at least, but try to avoid any technical glitches by checking your set-up.
Set work hours just like you normally would and change into ‘work’ clothes (even if more casual clothes). Still treating it like your job will help you focus and keep you in a routine.
Still take breaks! You deserve them. And since you’re at home, you can even spice it up with a dance break, or a stretching break, or stare-outside break, or knitting break... You can also take walks or go for a run. Get creative!
Need ideas of what to work on, especially if you’re in the sciences? Check out this Twitter thread. Some of the ideas: learn to code, work on a paper/chapter, add to/work on your literature review.
UofG has advice about working off-campus, including remote access: Glasgow Anywhere.
There’s also advice on setting up your home office and stretching exercises. Take time to set up your workspace well and think about how it can be more ergonomic.
If you’re on Twitter, check out the #remoteretreat hashtag for an online working community. We’ll be hosting some ourselves over the following weeks, and others host them sometimes, as well. You can even host one yourself.
Be kind to yourself. Things may be more difficult working in a new environment and with different access to resources. You may be dealing with extra anxieties or responsibilities, and you may have some upskilling to do related to working from home. That’s okay: you’ll get there.
Stay Active and Connected to Adjust to Self-Isolation
If you’re able to work from home and/or are self-isolating, it’s going to be an adjustment. Some of you work in labs with others on a regular basis. Others work in coffee shops, or the library, or an office with fellow PGRs. You may get lunch with a friend or meet up to talk about an experiment or chapter. PGRs can often spend a lot of time alone working on our own things, but we also spend time with others, and that’s good for us.
Self-isolation is, then, a difficult thing, especially if you live on your own. We’re human, and we like social interaction. Even the more introverted among us like to have people around sometimes. Being confined to your home can get in the way of that. Technology can make this easier, though, if you let it. Here are some tips:
Have virtual meetings with colleagues, friends, and family! If you can’t meet up for lunch, have a virtual lunch. Video chat while doing chores or crafting or playing games. Host a virtual ‘pub quiz’. The interaction via video or audio will be something to look forward to.
Also: calling people is a great alternative to visiting or video chat.
Another alternative for gamers: online audio gaming with your friends (either through video/computer games or to play games like Dungeons & Dragons together).
Talk to your supervisor, co-workers, or fellow PGRs about the strategies you want to take to keep in touch and check in.
If you’re healthy and able to, see if there are any neighbours, friends, or family members who may need help, such as by getting groceries. You’ll get the satisfaction of contributing to your community, and you’ll be connecting at the same time.
Keep active. Short walks are one option, but you can also do things like stretch, clean, and dance. If you have flatmates, a partner, or kids, you can do things together. Some in Research and Innovation Services are doing yoga through Youtube together to stay active, so you can even consider bringing your colleagues into your plans.
Trying new things or completing activities that you may not otherwise have had time for is another option.
You can stay in touch with the UofG community virtually on Twitter and Instagram @UofG_PGRblog. Tag us in your pictures and thoughts about working from home and self-isolation, and we’ll share that with our social media community.
The UofG PhD Society is hosting virtual meet-ups through Zoom in place of their usual in-person ones.
You can find more about taking care of your wellbeing from Mind.
We’re working on adapting our support, online training, and contact for PGRs over the next few weeks/months, and we welcome any thoughts and suggestions you have (such as on topics related to PGR life you may want covered). You can fill out our contact form or let us know on Twitter or Instagram.