On the front of the Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy, printed in large, friendly letters are the words "Don't Panic." Arthur C. Clarke suggested this was perhaps the best advice that could be given to humanity, and I'm thinking it might be useful to remind ourselves of this in the current coronavirus situation. Now, don't get me wrong, the virus is serious, and we should treat it seriously. However, I don't think anyone needs reminding of that, because all we hear is how serious it is! This is the job of the media, governments, economists, and health professionals. They are doing that job extremely well, from what I can tell. In fact, if that's all we listened to, we might just panic.

When bombarded by up-to-the-minute micro (horror) stories, it can be important to take a step back and take a look at the bigger picture. Doing so makes me think it's safe to say we aren't currently headed to a situation that's truly catastrophic (I'm thinking world wars, the great depression, or the bubonic plague). Maybe this is more like other natural disasters -- Katrina, Fukushima -- though more widespread. Or perhaps it's like the 2008 market crash. No matter what parallel we favour, this societal challenge, like those, is an event that we will recover from. And usually recovery is surprisingly quick compared to our lifetimes -- this becomes more obvious the older you get.

Silver Linings

Keeping this bigger picture in mind is one overarching way to prevent panic. But there are many others. For instance, we can focus on the 'silver linings' that coronavirus has brought us. For one, it's somewhat comforting (to me at least) that our current hardships are a result of smart decisions (very unlike the 2008 market crash). Being careful to limit spread, and save more people is why we are self-isolating. More generally, this kind of response shows that society, and the governments that guide them, can make intelligent decisions for the good of all. Indeed, the amount of cooperation between traditional competitors is almost heartening -- we're all on the same side for once! All this cooperating and responding is also preparing us for anything worse that might come along (there are many more fatal, transmissible diseases than Covid).

I'll mention one more possible silver lining: Life has slowed down. Many of us complain about the breakneck speed of modern life, the demands on our time as we participate in the rat race. That's not so evident at the moment. This new pace might be something worth noting, even savouring. Hectic attempts to get to all of our meetings, events, clubs, stores, classes, and practices have dwindled. The difference is so remarkable that CO2 levels and air pollution have already measurably fallen. Perhaps we should be careful not to miss this rare opportunity to do ... less.

How Not To Panic

Of course you don't want to overdo it. You don't want to do nothing. So, what should you do? First, realize that you get to pick a 'new normal'. That's pretty unique. In doing so, it's good to not lose yourself in the news cycle. Instead, you want to make a routine: we are creatures of habit, after all. That means doing the same kinds of things every day -- productive things and healthy things. For instance, your routine should include taking care of yourself by exercising, eating well, breathing deeply, not overindulging in the 'bad stuff' (e.g., coffee, alcohol, junk food, etc.). You also want to stick some 'normal boring' stuff in there -- doing your work, looking for jobs, going to classes -- and some 'after hours' stuff -- talking to friends, playing games, and pursuing hobbies. Working out your new normal sooner rather than later will allow it to take hold and help life to settle down. Perhaps the most important thing to keep in mind while doing any 'new normalizing' is to be kind to yourself: show yourself patience like you would to anyone trying to learn something new. Change is hard. It's good to acknowledge that, to allow mistakes, to forgive and forget. But don't forget about the silver linings.

Useful articles I found while writing this (feel free to send suggestions): Ars; Feliciano