avatarJevin Lortie

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ing to break up the monotony–a little delineation of time that has a reward at the end.</p><p id="6fb4" type="7">What I needed was something to look forward to.</p><figure id="3a50"><img src="https://cdn-images-1.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/1*EmV1TYNH82VeF4bvCi4C1w.jpeg"><figcaption>Image courtesy author — My new kite: the excitement of waiting for it in the mail + waiting for a good day to fly it = :)</figcaption></figure><p id="6524">I realized it didn’t really matter what it was, but just the little anticipation of something positive was enough to bring about that kick of dopamine I was craving. I made weekend videochat plans with friends. I ordered a kite off the internet. I rearranged my living room. I tried out magnet fishing, got my magnet stuck to a metal bridge, and had the embarrassing challenge of having to return with a hammer to loudly dislodge it.</p><p id="f741" type="7">The thing didn’t matter, it was the anticipation about the thing that was important.</p><p id="8b92">Find something that you can look forward to. Order a present for yourself in the mail. The next time you go to the store buy more candy than you can eat. Order delivery from your favorite restaurant once a week. Give yourself permission to indulge during this time.</p><p id="f8a7">Sure, have a drink, but maybe look up a fancy cocktail online, treat yourself to the anticipation of making something beautiful, and savor the flavor along with the buzz.</p><p id="83c6">You also might enjoy:</p><div id="c521" class="link-block"> <a href="https://readmedium.com/how-to-be-a-good-partner-during-quarantine-5b39514c09a7"> <div> <div> <h2>How to be a Good Partner Duri

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ng Quarantine</h2> <div><h3>It can be challenging to be a supportive partner when you’re locked in together. Here are a few tips to get you through…</h3></div> <div><p>medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/1*iE7YYYW2xYXvx91Ii-KAgQ.jpeg)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div><div id="7984" class="link-block"> <a href="https://readmedium.com/5-tips-from-gamers-that-will-keep-us-sane-right-now-63cf308d1ebc"> <div> <div> <h2>5 Tips From Gamers That Will Keep Us Sane Right Now</h2> <div><h3>How to hang out together, separately.</h3></div> <div><p>medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/1*cKcNJR6i-SaSSsBAmWEOnQ.jpeg)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div><div id="850e" class="link-block"> <a href="https://readmedium.com/how-audiobooks-cured-my-insomnia-2ae5cf50804c"> <div> <div> <h2>How Audiobooks Cured My Insomnia</h2> <div><h3>This was a game-changer for me, and I use them every night to fall asleep.</h3></div> <div><p>medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/0*cQDGnHYLP-gIULOG.jpeg)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div></article></body>

Is Day-Drinking the New Normal?

Adjusting to life in lockdown.

Photo by Mitchel Lensink on Unsplash

Right now you’re probably in one of a few small categories: working from home, furloughed, laid off, or incredibly stressed out because your job requires that you work and put yourself at risk.

While I can’t stress enough my appreciation for people in the latter category that are keeping our world from devolving into bands of wandering marauders, most people in the first categories are bored at home, staring at the same walls, trying not to go insane, and coping in whatever ways possible to get through this.

This has led many of us to raid the liquor cabinet (or whatever stash you have) at 2pm, 12pm, or heck even 9am, saying to ourselves, “why the hell not?” It’s easy to justify, when you either don’t have to work, can make your own schedule, or can just pour wine in your coffee cup for that Zoom meeting.

This was my go-to for too many days in a row, and each day I woke up feeling worse than the last. I needed something else to fill the hole, and heck, while I’m at it–add a little hope to my life? The rainy Wisconsin spring certainly wasn’t doing it.

Not knowing when this is going to end might be the worst part. When there is a light at the end of a tunnel and we can count down the days, it makes suffering much more bearable. We need something to break up the monotony–a little delineation of time that has a reward at the end.

What I needed was something to look forward to.

Image courtesy author — My new kite: the excitement of waiting for it in the mail + waiting for a good day to fly it = :)

I realized it didn’t really matter what it was, but just the little anticipation of something positive was enough to bring about that kick of dopamine I was craving. I made weekend videochat plans with friends. I ordered a kite off the internet. I rearranged my living room. I tried out magnet fishing, got my magnet stuck to a metal bridge, and had the embarrassing challenge of having to return with a hammer to loudly dislodge it.

The thing didn’t matter, it was the anticipation about the thing that was important.

Find something that you can look forward to. Order a present for yourself in the mail. The next time you go to the store buy more candy than you can eat. Order delivery from your favorite restaurant once a week. Give yourself permission to indulge during this time.

Sure, have a drink, but maybe look up a fancy cocktail online, treat yourself to the anticipation of making something beautiful, and savor the flavor along with the buzz.

You also might enjoy:

Lifestyle
Drinking
Coronavirus
Happiness
Work From Home
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