Let’s face it–in order to keep working well as writers and editors, we all need to preserve our sanity. This is especially true in these horrific times* in which we find ourselves in 2020.
To keep from going crazy, one thing I do is take walks in my neighborhood. I live in a suburban community which happens to also be close to cow pastures and farms, and I like to walk and enjoy the sights, especially the flowering trees in the spring and the colorful leaves in the fall. Seeing the Holstein cows in their fields is also really neat, since the sight of farm animals is not something with which I grew up.
I also exercise. It’s weird because I always seem to put off working out, yet while I am doing it and right afterwards, I feel fantastic. Music (particularly 1990s Eurodance) is essential to my workouts, and YouTube contains a plethora of such music mixes, which have been uploaded by DJs from around the world.
Finally, I throw myself into editing. Any piece which I am editing is a welcome distraction from the news about COVID-19 and other world problems. Editing actually makes me feel better.
So, dear reader, what do you do to keep your sanity?
*I do not like euphemisms, and I can’t stand it when people say, “these challenging times,” “these uncertain times,” et cetera. Let’s call these times what they are.