Day 16: Handling a crisis tips

Just going to wing it here, certainly not a professional anything.  I do have a pilots license and sailing certifications that train you mostly on how to handle an emergency.

We got our phone alert notifications yesterday that it is indeed extended until May 3rd at least.  I never do the lame top 10 stuff (that BTW gets more hits than my blog).  My nature is very calm in a crisis, then fall apart after the fact.  I wrote that on one of my countdown days.

Here’s what I do:

1. Stay Calm – This seems obvious but it’s not a natural reflex to a lot of people.  I have family members who like to take it up a notch.
2. If you’re the calm one, keep others calm.
3. Don’t panic – Also obvious but what was the first thing on everyone’s list?  Panic and hoard.
4. Don’t obsessively watch the news!!  Watch it if you must, just not all day long and not right before you go to bed.  Watch Seinfeld reruns.
5. Get out if you can – it really helps.
6. Call people to check in and ask about them – It surprisingly gets your mind off of your stuff.
7. Steer the course – The whole point is to get through this, not freak and overthink it making a knee jerk reaction.  Unless the current is steering you into a coughing, sick person just stay the 6′ away from everyone and we should be fine.
8. Don’t minimize others fears – Keep them calm, but don’t say “Look at how fortunate you are, you’re as happy as you want to be” BS.  This is a crisis, people are entitled to feel how they feel.
9. Cry – It’s OK, this sucks.
10. Find something to look forward to – short term and long term.  People need a reason to wake up in the morning!