Physical exhaustion, sore muscles, and sweat top my list of things to avoid. I realize exercise’s benefits, but I prefer to disguise my daily dose wrapping my sessions inside other activities. Yoga, dancing, gardening, housework, and long walks are more to my liking. This week, I have noticed feelings of lethargy with no increase in my routine. I’m not surprised, because I’ve been here before. Symptoms suggest mental fatigue, and maybe you recognize some of them.

Experts point to high-pressure situations, financial stress, being a caregiver, poor work-life balance, and lack of social support as common causes for mental exhaustion. A crisis like COVID-19 might precipitate these conditions. While we are staying at home, we face too much. Too many decisions to make with insufficient information. Too much work steaming from creating home-based offices and classrooms. Concerns over job stability, money matters, and inadequate separation between work and personal time enters the equation. In caring for children, family members, and friends, we often neglect to care for ourselves. Insomnia or trouble sleeping fuels the spiral into fatigue.

There are ways to regain your normal energy levels, but they take effort, and they are not always easy to implement. One tactic is making fewer decisions. This may mean delegating responsibilities to others or enlisting their help in lightening the load. Getting outside lifts your mood, and exercise that makes your body tired can encourage relaxation at bedtime. Today I cranked the music loud enough to drown my bad singing and danced with my family. They are snoozing, and I am ready for a good night’s sleep.

Are you taking care of yourself?

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

I watch the panic buying and high demand items with interest. First to fly off grocery store shelves was toilet paper and milk followed by hand sanitizer, paper products, and anti-bacterial cleaning supplies. Then the sale of gloves, masks, and face shields surged. The locust swooped in, hoarding canned goods and shelf-stable foods like rice, dried bean, and pasta. As business sent employees to work from home, sales of webcams, routers, Wi-Fi boosters, headphones, and videoconferencing software soared. Let’s not forget the run on over-the-counter cold and flu medications, pain relievers, and thermometers, as we learned COVID19’s symptoms.

I found it funny that purchases of gym equipment and alcohol gained in popularity the same week. As we settled in for the long haul, board games, puzzles, and video games claimed their day in the spotlight. Self-isolation has increase home-cooked meals and baking. Store shelves lack yeast and flour as people bake bread, rolls, and cake from scratch. Social distancing coupled with increased videoconferencing, has us scrutinizing our image on the screen. Is it any wonder hair dye, hair clippers, beard trimmers, and other grooming supplies are the latest must-haves?

I have the luxury of observing other people’s reactions because I practice disaster preparedness every day of every year. The chest freezer is stocked, labeled, and the contents cataloged and rotated. I maintain backups for my backups. My grocery list contains mostly fresh fruits and veggies, and staple replenishments. Last week a woman sneered at my 15 items and asked if that was all I was buying. Yep, just the necessities for the next two weeks.

Have your buying habits changed?

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

I remember playing as a kid. It was a magical time. Apple trees magically transformed into space stations. A sandbox set the stage for a town with a moat. The bare spot under a row of pines was a deep, dank dungeon below a giant castle. Epic adventures, to distant lands filled with mystical creatures, were only a heartbeat away. Inspiration floated on the breeze, shadows created villains, and dappled sunlight illuminated the path to a happy ending.

We deride social media for encroaching on the wellspring of ideas. Our minds are seldom allowed the freedom of downtime. The minute we disconnect, we grow anxious. We fear we will miss something important, and feel uncomfortable, no longer friends with silence. Our hands shake, we break out in cold sweats, and we hallucinate thinking we hear our phone beep. We are strung out on technology’s constant stimulation and in need of intervention.

In some ways, COVID-19 has redeemed Social Media’s value. When we are forced into practicing social isolation, and social distancing, it provides a way for us to stay connected. We have become reliant on it for work, school, and any interactions we would typically have outside the home. But it has also fueled a surge in creativity. When we unplug, when we allow our mind the quiet it craves, creativity comes out to play.

How will you nurture your imagination today?

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

Security is a scarce commodity. Uncertainty has replaced peace of mind, social distancing preempts heartfelt embraces and customary greetings, and worry permeates our once-normal life. With daily reports detailing hospital admissions and death counts, I can’t imagine how anyone can be truly happy.

I have heard people relate stories of harrowing experiences. They speak of job loss, illness, dire accidents, emotional trauma, and other life-altering events. You would expect the end of the story to reflect despair, anguish, fear, and total surrender. But. unexpectedly, they say, “it was the best thing that could have happened.” I stand in awe.

These people are survivors. Their spirit is powerful. I know they felt every raw emotion imaginable, cried never-ending tears, and wondered if they would ever recover. The one constant is their ability to find wonder. They grab hold of one thought, one goal, one reason to live. They develop the power to stay laser-focused. You can see it in their eyes. Through their ordeal, they have discovered joy.

Where do you find joy?

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

“Happy Easter” seems so understated, anti-climactic, and wistful this year. The transition from sluggish winter to Spring exuberance is overshadowed by feelings of isolation, confusion, and grief. Everyone is struggling with the fallout from the virus. Data indications the spread is slowing, but nothing is certain. Humans are social, and in challenging times we come together for support. A practice that is contrary to scientific advice.

This time of year has a long tradition in surviving dark, difficult days. History tells us our ancestors face dwindling stores of food. Hunger was a reality to be survived until spring restored the land and provided new sources of sustenance. There is evidence of ancient civilizations holding vernal celebrations. The season of renewal seems premature. We link celebrations with overcoming adversity or reaching our goals. Yet we are still practicing safe social contact and are adjusting to new ways of thinking.

Family members have arranged watch parties. We coordinate online service attendance, apart and still together. Through Internet connections, we hold hands. Hope unites us and strengthens us. We honor the sacrifices, no matter how small, each of us makes every day, secure in the knowledge we will defeat the virus.

How will you celebrate today?

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer