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Writer's pictureChris Weinkauff Duranso

Preparing for the 'what ifs' can help reduce your anxiety


Hello again, everyone! I hope this blog post finds you well. Today is the first day of the semester for me, and I am teaching all of my courses online this fall. I am relieved to be able to continue to work, and to be able to do so from home, thus reducing my exposure risk. While teaching online courses is, for me, a little less professionally satisfying than interacting with students in person on campus, I am pleased to know that I can find some creative ways to connect with them while staying safe (and hopefully they are staying safe, too).


The first week of classes is always a busy one, filled with questions and details to smooth out, and I am really glad for the distraction from all that is going on around us. What comes to mind for today's post is something I have talked about before, and that is the value in list making. So today I want to talk about a particular type of list that, by creating it, will hopefully alleviate some of your stress regarding the pandemic and all the other parts of life impacted by it.


Lists. Maybe you are not a list maker. I am finding that list making is 'growing' on me. As I practice it, I find that I am more productive, and that I am able to see how much I have accomplished each day. There are those days, we all have them, where you feel like you were 'spinning your wheels' and ended the day frustrated, thinking little was accomplished. If you have a list where you can check things off when they are completed, you might find that you accomplished more than you thought!


But today's list topic is not about those lists, those to-do lists. Today's list topic is the 'what if' list. We have those stressful thoughts, conscious or otherwise, that weigh us down, emotionally, mentally, and physically. It is the 'what if this happens' and 'what will I do then' concerns of which I speak. So, one simple thing we can do, is write those concerns down!

Writing them down does two things for us: it frees up our head space from holding onto them, and it initiates the problem solving response. What will I do if this happens? Well, write that shit down, too!


Specifically. Are you worried what will happen if you catch the COVID-19 virus (who isn't?)?


Make a list.


Who will you call? Write down their names and phone numbers or email addresses. Neighbor, family member(s), friend(s), partner, work, doctor's office.


Where will you go for a test? Write down the name of the place, the location (address) and a phone number. This can change, so make sure to check with the local department of public health and update your list regularly.


What will you do with the dog (or cat, hamster, bird, pet caterpillar)? Make a plan and write it down. The name(s) of the person or place. Their phone number. Their address.


If you are too sick to take care of getting the dog (or cat, hamster, bird, pet caterpillar) to the planned location, how will you get them there as an alternative? Write down the name of the person/service, phone number, address.


If you need to seek professional medical help, where would you go? Check local recommendations. Some doctors do not want you to come to their office, others do. Some urgent care facilities are the first stop, others are not. Sometimes the hospital is the first step, but they may want you to call first. So, make a PLAN. Check into local resources and see what the local COVID-19 plan is, so you can write it down. And know that this changes sometimes, so keep up with the local recommendations. Write down the location of the place you should go, the address, the phone number, and any steps you need to take to get help if you are sick.

Keep a copy of the list handy, in case you need help and cannot do this on your own. Take a picture of the list and keep it on your phone. Hang a copy on the refrigerator. Give a copy to a neighbor, friend, family member.


Breathe. You can do this.


I hope that making a list helps you. This process is actually an exercise in a concept we talked about last week: problem-focused coping. Focus on the problem (stressed out about what to do if you get sick), and act on a solution (plan, write it out, share it).


Hang in there!


Stay safe, and be well.





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