Tag: coping

I started to add a daily coping tip to the SQLServerCentral newsletter and to the Community Circle, which is helping me deal with the issues in the world. I’m adding my responses for each day here. All my coping tips are under this tag. 

Today’s tip is to spend as much time as possible outdoors today.

It’s a work day for me, so not a lot of time outside. However, it is spring and there are things to do after a long winter. I took advantage of the flexible work time today to do some yard work. Taking a few minutes to spread some grass seed. Move a sprinkler here and there, move some dirt around to clean up the areas that eroded over the winter.

It was a good day for a bike ride as well. My wife and I went out, with our new dog stroller, and enjoyed a bit of the longer spring day.

I started to add a daily coping tip to the SQLServerCentral newsletter and to the Community Circle, which is helping me deal with the issues in the world. I’m adding my responses for each day here. All my coping tips are under this tag. 

Today’s tip is to get natural light early in the day. Dim the lights in the evening.

Like many of you, I work indoors for most of my job. While I do have a window, I can get distracted on the computer and not look outside. I do try and take some breaks, and may go outside, but likely not enough.

A few days before this post, I went to get my first COVID vaccine. I was up early, outside in the car for a few hours as we drove and waited. I came back to work, but I made it a point to get up a couple times and take a 10 minute break outside. walking around a bit and enjoying the day.

Evening was good, as I tried to take it easy, so we lowered some lights, and my wife and I read a bit and chatted in bed.

I started to add a daily coping tip to the SQLServerCentral newsletter and to the Community Circle, which is helping me deal with the issues in the world. I’m adding my responses for each day here. All my coping tips are under this tag. 

Today’s tip is to turn a regular activity into a playful game today.

One of the things I like to do to relax is play some guitar. While I enjoy learning and playing songs, I don’t do quite enough dedicated practice for things like scales. These would help me with improving my play and exercising my fingers. I’ve seen a few exercises, but I haven’t always been interested.

Today I tried something different. I set up a metronome app on my phone, and set it to a fairly slow speed. I then worked on a scale, matching the beat.

Not terribly playful.

However, I started to try other things.

• doubling up, two notes for each beat
• tripling up, 3 notes for each beat
• playing triplets, as in for the C scale, playing
• C, D, E
• D, E, F
• F, G, A
• etc.
• Skipping some beats. As a prelude to some solo practice, I would play3 notes on one beat, then let a beat go by, holding the 3rd note. Then 3 more on the 3rd beat, and holding the fourth.

None of these are earth-shattering, but they do make the exercise a little more fun, and they are a little game.

Now if I would do this more often.

I started to add a daily coping tip to the SQLServerCentral newsletter and to the Community Circle, which is helping me deal with the issues in the world. I’m adding my responses for each day here. All my coping tips are under this tag. 

Today’s tip is to eat healthy food and drink lots of water today.

I did better at the beginning of the pandemic. Well, apart from a few donut days, I was cooking more, adding lots of vegetables, and drinking lots of water. In fact, I used to fill up water bottles and drop them on my desk every day to remind myself to drink.

I got out of both habits a bit, so I’m going to try and do better. I’ve been aiming for more roasted vegetables, salads, and grilled meats.

I’m also going to start filling the bottles and putting them on my desk in the am.