In view of current events, today there is a tip for your own psycho-hygiene: Dissociate yourself!
What does that mean? Hygiene does not only exist in the form of hand washing to prevent infection. To dissociate is a competence that helps us to cope with a difficult, shocking or stressful experience. In a healthy form we learn this intuitively. When we see something we do not want to see or experience something that makes us uncomfortable, we look away or switch to another level internally. We direct our attention to something else and do not let current events get to us.
This healthy degree of detachment keeps me fit for work these days. I consciously do not watch the news or listen to music on the radio. I do not want to let images of current events into my head. Yes, I read newspapers online and keep myself informed, but I control how far I let the dramas of the world get to me.
While surfing the net, curiosity struggles internally against the desire for separation and psycho-hygiene. And since the Corona news just got the upper hand, I consciously separate myself.
It is the opposite of the flow that gives us active relaxation – as I described it on the weekend for active and passive recreation: The complete association with an activity I like to do brings us into the flow state. When we cook, read, have sex or go for a walk, we do not normally dissociate. We want to be “drawn in” and savour the images and feelings, not to think, but to be absorbed in doing.
Try it out… When do you want to consciously pull yourself out and dissociate and when do you want to just do, enjoy and work in flow or relax?
When everything becomes blurred because the home office is at home and work, food, children, partners and the next web meeting are always more independent of time and place, then it is even more important to be consciously in an associated or dissociated state.
PS: An extra app tip for “associated observing”: Look at the earth from your sofa and be dissociated from world events to the maximum! With the “ISS Live Now” app from an app store.
PPS: And I know, I still owe you the tip for “Design your life according to your needs! – He’ll be here. We still have some time.