As we face an unfamiliar landscape of isolation, working from home, layoffs, and remote learning, the stress of these changes couple with the uncertainty of our future to induce a lot of anxiety. As you struggle with this anxiety and a litany of change, here is a conversation I had with my partner, Morgan Dean, that we hope will help you to create normalcy in the chaos of COVID-19.
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The below transcript created automatically by Otter.ai
Brett Bittner
This is a warning that the next few seconds are going to be rather loud and chaotic.
That clip that you just heard is probably what you feel like is happening all around you as you have tried to adapt in your new working from home mindset and the rest of this episode, this bonus episode of Hustleburg, is a conversation in which I talk about how you can kind of mitigate some of the anxieties, and some successful strategies for what we’re now finding is our new workplace.
Welcome to a bonus episode of Hustleburg. In this one, we’re going to be talking about a lot of the things that have changed as a result of coronavirus or Cova 19. We’re actually recording this on the day that Pinellas County orders a stay at home order for the coronavirus, and it’s going to be released. The day after that it takes effect and I’m having a conversation with Morgan Dean. She is a law student at Stetson University College of Law. She also happens to be my partner, and we’re talking about some of the things that we’re anxious about, or that we are concerned about and how we can kind of mitigate some of those concerns as we face this, what has become at least a temporary new normal. So I’d like to welcome Morgan to the show.
Morgan Dean
Thank you so much for that warm welcome.
Brett Bittner
So Morgan, in our dynamic, generally speaking, I’m more of a calming presence, whereas you might be perceived as a bit more anxious. And I know that when it comes to this particular situation, you’ve been very consuming of the news, and have let it worry you probably a little more than I would like. Tell people a little bit about some of the things that you’re experiencing as a student who is having gone from going to class to now all remote for the remainder of the semester and kind of the things that have changed about your routine and things that are making you anxious about this new normal.
Morgan Dean
Yeah, so it’s definitely weird. I got used to going to campus to study in the library and see people from my classes, as well as attend class. And now, none of that is happening, which is really weird. So, one of my classes is recorded. It’s not even live. So that’s very, there’s like no interactive element now, which is tough, especially in law school where so much of it is like discussing the law and trying to figure it out, like as a class really, because we’re all in the same boat. The other class is live using zoom like technology through Blackboard, so that’s nice, because you at least get that interactive element. But yeah, like you said, I consume a lot of news, obsessively I would say a little bit. And you know, I’m kind of also an insomniac. And so this is, this is not an ideal situation. Um, but yeah, I’m seeing a lot of changes and I know we’re seeing a lot of changes in the Small business community here in St. Pete. And yesterday was the great American takeout day.
Brett Bittner
Oh, yesterday was great American takeout to help support some of the restaurants, small business restaurants as they try to adapt to a to go and delivery only model for the foreseeable future. So as you’re moving off of campus and doing more of your studying at home, and even classes at home now, what are some of the struggles that you’re finding that you’re having?
Morgan Dean
Well, um, I think it’s just like the lack of the routine and the, like, lack of stability in a way like, and I you know, it is a little like, I am an introvert and I’m a homebody to an extent, but it definitely starts to wear on you. I think I’m on day 12 of not leaving the house except to go to the grocery store.
Brett Bittner
Yeah, that sounds about right
Morgan Dean
And yeah, I mean, it It’s definitely weird. I’m finding like, it’s kind of sometimes it’s hard to focus when I’m working on class stuff, especially with like the craziness that is having two rambunctious dogs and a crazy cat. So that’s a little difficult. And I think some of it is also the changes that are potentially happening in our grading system moving from GPA base to potentially pass fail. Can you sort of, you see, there’s a lot of positives and negatives on both sides. But this is definitely a difficult semester and very unorthodox, and I think everybody’s just trying to adjust to it the best they can
Brett Bittner
Well, I think people that are home from their everyday jobs are certainly trying to adapt to conference calls and zoom being part of their everyday life. And we did insert a little bit of audio at the beginning of this episode to give you a taste of what that chaos can feel like, if only for a few seconds there. But you know, you’ve got kids and dogs And things going on in the background that are that are certainly distracting. And hopefully most of our small business people are remaining open, if they’re essential, or if they are unable to remain open, they’re doing some things as I am to, you know, plant some of those seeds for longer term projects and goals, to make sure that down the road, we’re going to be successful. Even if in the short term, we’re having some struggles. And one of the things that I wanted to make sure that we talked about today is focusing on what you can control. You know, you talked about the change in grading and everything being at home now and just a topsy turvy world. You know, a lot of people who have kids in the school systems school is at home for either the foreseeable future, possibly through the rest of the school year. And so with those closings, you know, really we have to learn that the only thing that we can control is ourselves and try to Do a little bit about the environment around us. And one of the ways that I found to be useful and I think that you have as well is if you figure out a daily routine, you know, where you’re getting up at kind of the same time, you’re making sure that you’re getting whatever stretching or exercise or physical activity. You know, you know, make sure you’re working that into your day and, and making sure that you’re departing your quote house to get to your quote, office, even if you’re just segregating where you do that work from the rest of the house so that when you’re sitting there, it does feel like you’re at work because it’s a situation where you’re setting that routine. Okay, this is home me in this new world. And this is work me when I’m in this space, and yeah,
Morgan Dean
I think it can also help I haven’t personally tried this because I’m kind of lazy, but I think it can also help to get ready like you’re going to work, you know, Oh absolutely. If you’re someone who wears makeup, putting on makeup putting on like I mean you know you can be a little comfier than you would be at work maybe but still putting on you know, real clothes and not just like your pajamas, which like I said, I haven’t been great about. I have to say that I think that that can help as well, from what
Brett Bittner
I’ve heard from other people, well, for sure it’s a mindset shift, you know, you’re moving from home you to work you. So it’s not just an environment thing. You have those routines that you’ve set for yourself, you maybe don’t have the commute that you did, maybe it’s a lot shorter as you go from the living room to the office or the bedroom to the office or just to a desk that separated from a lot of the things that are going on in the house. And you mentioned earlier we talked about your overconsumption or I think you call them obsessive consumption of the news specifically with regard to the coronavirus. And I’ve for the most part, kind of stayed away from that focusing on not really consuming because I know that you’re going to tell me anyway what’s happening. Although I have been very focused on what’s happening with the small business community, and little Here in St. Pete and Pinellas County, you know that overconsumption of the news when we have a 24-hour news cycle that’s constant, you know, there’s always something new coming out. And that can add a lot of stress.
Morgan Dean
And yeah, I think it’s also that even if you’re not like looking up news specifically, you’re just on Twitter because you want to see some funny memes or whatever. You’re still inundated with it constantly because it’s really the majority of the content out there right now. So I think it’s, I think it’s difficult to avoid I I’ve been trying to take a break from social media in general because it’s just everywhere, even on Instagram, which is just amazing that you can make a site that’s all pictures about the coronavirus.
Brett Bittner
Well, and I’m seeing it too generally my feed is a lot about what’s happening locally and you know, what’s happening for small businesses and what’s happening in tech and, and marketing and so I’m seeing that that has been overtaken by news about coronavirus and you know, all the closings and infections and testing.
Morgan Dean
It would seem that there is, in a way like trying to look on the bright side cuz I’m trying to do that more. Yeah, it would seem that there’d be an opportunity for small business owners with utilizing like social media and virtual events, I guess right now because I’m seeing a lot of that which is interesting. I actually saw a virtual happy hour the other day, yes reply, which I thought was kind of interesting. Yeah, it’s kind of nice because everybody is missing that like social connection, even us introverts, I have to say.
Brett Bittner
Well, one of the other things that I think we have been working on together to help reduce stress is being more mindful and meditating a bit more. We’re also spending more time with our two dogs and a cat. They’re very comforting. They are very comforting and it gives that time spent there I’m sure that they are thinking that we don’t do it enough as it is. So they’re appreciative of as well. And then just just taking a break when we need to take a break because it feels like you don’t get to when you blend the home and work or home and school, you don’t really have that opportunity to take that break. So we’re, we’re doing a little more when it comes to recreation with regard to just kind of watching things or checking out a little bit and painting painting for some of us, not for me, because I know that that would be terrible, but…
Morgan Dean
It’s terrible for me to… painting
Brett Bittner
So, is there anything as we wrap up that you want to share some of the tips or tricks that you want to share that you found useful for you in this kind of, I guess I’ll call it new normal.
Morgan Dean
Yeah, um, I think it’s just the little things the day to day things meditating and getting outside like I went outside in the yard the other day and filled up our kiddie pool. That’s actually what we pay their dogs and I cleaned it first I filled it up with water and I put a chair right next to it and dipped my feet in and read a book and I felt like I was kind of out of pool Not really. But it helped a little bit it helped to like get the sun and feel nice. So doing things like that that maybe seem a little crazy to our neighbors perhaps. And yeah, just reading for fun. I’ve that’s been helping me a lot. You know, taking walks, getting that exercise, doing virtual yoga classes that’s been helpful. hula hooping, that’s fun, virtual hula hooping classes are also fun, by the way. So yeah, I think though, it’s the day to day things. And I think those things help shift the mindset because I think that’s the most important thing. But I know it’s hard. And I think everybody’s feeling it differently. And we’re just gonna get through this together, I think well.
Brett Bittner
Together. I like that. Well, I want to thank you. For taking a little bit of time to chat with me today and I hope that those of you listening have enjoyed hearing that you’re not alone and that everybody is kind of struggling with their own things with the adaptation to what we’re having to kind of do right now. And hopefully, we were able to share a little bit about how you can make the situation that we find ourselves in just a little bit better.