Activities We Relied on for Relief From Every Day Stress and Anxiety Are No Longer Available to Us

In the new normal brought on by COVID-19, typical activities that we rely on to recover and recharge are not available anymore due to the economic shutdown. For example, socializing with friends at a restaurant or going to the gym.

In addition, some of those previous activities that might have been restorative actually detract from overall well-being. For example, going for a leisurely walk outside raises your anxiety every time you pass someone on the street and are reminded of the virus or protecting your vulnerable household.

  • Drinking Alone Is a Distinctly American Phenomenon

    During the rapid expansion westward in America between 1790 and 1830, the average adult drank more than nine gallons of spirits per year. Most were drinking to get drunk and most of the drinking was done at home due to isolation on the frontier. Even in the eastern cities, industrialization caused widespread loneliness and anxiety from labor changes.

  • § What I Learned 2020

    COVID-19

  • 89 Percent of Employees Said They Experienced Occupational Burnout in the past Year

    A survey by Visier found that 89% of employees experienced burnout in the past year. The primary factors that contributed were workload (being asked to do more work, faster, work-life balance), culture (toxic workplace, micromanagement, lack of support from managers or co-workers), and world events (COVID-19 pandemic, police brutality, climate change).