These are uncertain times and most everyone feels some degree of anxiety or fearfulness—whether related to the spread of COVID-19, possible illness themselves, or the impact this will have on daily life and our economy. With news changing hourly, it is easy to become glued to our devices, awaiting more worrisome updates. Our access to too much information is, in many ways, a good thing right now—it has led to a swift response designed to slow down the spread of the virus. But it makes us incredibly susceptible to overload, misinformation, and panic. Here are tips for taking care of yourself.

Limit your exposure. To the virus, yes—but to the news too. More is not better. Set a timer and boundaries around how much news (and what kind) you read each day.
Find the helpers. Actively look for stories in the news or on social media featuring people who are doing kind things for each other and the community. Follow upworthy or tanksgoodnews on Instagram.
Engage in a daily gratitude practice and pursue small acts of kindness. Can you send a delivery of groceries to someone who needs it? Can you FaceTime your grandmother or someone else who might be isolated and lonely? Leave a thank you card for the mail and delivery persons working around the clock for your community.
Reframe the problem. Yes, time away from work can result in financial problems and it is a very real source of anxiety and stress. Where you can, focus on what this allows you to do that you might not otherwise have had time for (for me, it’s writing this blog post right now!).
We are all in this together and we can do hard things.