Reading Corner

Links related to the weekly posts.

 

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This week in our blog, we discussed how to handle changes in your life and relationships arising from the coronavirus. We found some good views on this, each one from a different perspective.

Our post-pandemic selves: why the virus is an opportunity to grow and develop “Without downplaying the tragedies of the current pandemic, Smith…observes ‘there is liberation in this suspension of more or less everything. Any fashion, sensibility, ideology, set of priorities, worldview or hobby that you acquired prior to March 2020, and that may have by then started to seem to you cumbersome, dull, inauthentic, a drag: you are no longer beholden to it,’ he writes. ‘You can cast it off entirely and no one will care; likely, no one will notice.'”

How will coronavirus change the world? “There are a number of possible futures, all dependent on how governments and society respond to coronavirus and its economic aftermath. Hopefully we will use this crisis to rebuild, produce something better and more humane. But we may slide into something worse. I think we can understand our situation – and what might lie in our future – by looking at other crises.”

Stress and Coping “The outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) may be stressful for people. Fear and anxiety about a disease can be overwhelming and cause strong emotions in adults and children. Coping with stress will make you, the people you care about, and your community stronger.”

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In this week’s blog, we wrote about how our connections with community have changed as a result of the stay-at-home orders. We found some interesting articles around this subject.

Helping Others Can Help You Cope with Lockdown “Our first instinct may be to hunker down and protect ourselves and our immediate families. But to get through these times with our sanity and well-being intact, we may need to push back on this initial impulse—to turn outward, not just inward. Research shows that when we put a high priority on reaching out to others, our own mental and physical health flourish.”

Here Are 18 Of The Best Examples Of Social Distancing During The Lockdown “Health authorities all across the world are declaring quarantine and encouraging people to practice social distancing by minimizing contact with other people as much as possible and maintaining a distance of at least six feet between themselves… some people [who] think it’s best just to lead by example are dedicated to making the best of the quarantine period. And to our joy, they took to Twitter to share their ideas!”

Coming together amid the coronavirus crisis: how Londoners are connecting with neighbours and building micro communities during lockdown “Even though front doors are shut, residents and local businesses are finding new ways of supporting their neighbourhoods, with WhatsApp groups being set up street by street and “angel” volunteers delivering supplies. But there is another epidemic to tackle. Loneliness is a modern urban disease expected to spread during the lockdown. Jessica Kleczka, a student in Islington, is one of thousands posting leaflets through doors to make contact.”

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Well, here we are, still in the year of the virus! Last week we shared experiences of couples and what it’s like living together during these times. This week we spoke with those who are living alone, and here are some other articles looking at this subject.

Coronavirus: How to cope with living alone in self-isolation “There are millions more stories like this around the world. As governments scramble to contain the deadly Covid-19 pandemic by restricting public life, many living alone have had to accept that they might not spend time with anyone else for a long time. I know because I’m among them. Weeks into the UK lockdown, my ordinary life in London goes on but it looks and feels different.”

A woman living alone: Seven stories of solitude during the coronavirus, from ages 24 to 86 “Today approximately 23.5 million American women live alone, more than ever before. That’s largely because we’re staying single longer. The average woman now waits until she’s 28 to get married. More women are getting divorced or opting out of marriage altogether. Women who live alone are not necessarily lonely.”

How To Cope With Loneliness During Social Distancing If You Live Alone “Social distancing is tough on all of us, but people who live alone may be struggling even more right now…. We asked experts to share their advice for how to feel more connected during this period of social distancing.”

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In this week’s blog, we looked at the stresses of living together during this time, and talked to a number of people about this. These articles cover various ways to deal with the situation.

Can Your Relationship Survive the Togetherness of a Pandemic? Here Are 11 Things Couples’ Therapists Recommend “Have you recently noticed how loud your partner chews? That her placement of items in the fridge is illogical? That his consumption of toilet paper/soap/the good snacks is remarkably high? That parenting is not one of his or her core strengths? If so, you might be married during a pandemic.”

The coronavirus lockdown could test your relationship. Here’s how to keep it intact (and even improve it) “If you’re both working from home, and with nowhere to go out to in the evenings, there’s a chance you might start to get on each other’s nerves. Perhaps it’s happening already. This is normal, particularly given the increased stress we’re all feeling right now. But since we could be in this predicament for a while yet, it’s worth taking steps to ensure we get through this period with our relationships intact. We might even be able to come out stronger.”

How the Coronavirus Can Damage Relationships “Death and financial upheaval are of course the primary concerns in the COVID-19 pandemic. But people aren’t the only targets of the virus—relationships can die too…. The first question is, what is happening? Is it that couples who would otherwise have remained happily married are torn apart by the extensive and enforced time together? Or is it that couples who would otherwise have eventually gotten divorced anyway are simply getting divorced sooner?”

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In this week’s blog, we talked about time in the year of the virus. We’ve had to stretch in finding links, but here are some interesting perspectives on life in these times.

Ease and Flow in Uncertain Times “Who would ever have guessed that we would get a crash course in uncertainty? Well, here we are. A global pandemic, the health of everyone in the world at risk, including ourselves and our loved ones… Wow! One question on my mind is about how to meet the uncertainty we’re all facing. And there is a lot of it.”

Coronavirus Will Change the World Permanently. Here’s How. “A global, novel virus that keeps us contained in our homes—maybe for months—is already reorienting our relationship to government, to the outside world, even to each other. Some changes these experts expect to see in the coming months or years might feel unfamiliar or unsettling: Will nations stay closed? Will touch become taboo? What will become of restaurants? But crisis moments also present opportunity: more sophisticated and flexible use of technology, less polarization, a revived appreciation for the outdoors and life’s other simple pleasures.”

“Our new life of isolation”: 5 people across the world on staying inside to avoid Covid-19 “We spoke to people in five different countries: from China, where people in Wuhan have been living largely inside their homes for more than a month, to Singapore, where people are required to take their temperature before and after they leave school or work. People around the globe are taking the threat of this disease seriously. Here are their stories of enduring the outbreak.”

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