How To Not Go Crazy Under Quarantine

This week, we’re struggling with the same problem as our listeners: self-quarantine. As news of the coronavirus pandemic intensifies, how do we stay sane while staying home? How do we reduce stress and remain healthy while juggling remote work and rambunctious kids? In this episode of How To!, we bring in Celeste Headlee, author of Do Nothing: How to Break Away from Overworking, Overdoing, and Underliving. Long before the pandemic, Headlee spent a lot of time thinking about how to slow down while practicing her own kind of social distancing—in her case from a hectic life and career. Headlee’s first tip? Pick up the phone and call someone. “It can't be underestimated how powerful the voice is,” she says. “It gives you a feeling of belonging…the most important need that a human being has after survival.”

What are your toughest challenges during the pandemic? And what have you found is working for you? Leave us a voicemail at 646-495-4001. We’re collecting your problems and solutions for a recurring segment on the show.

Slate Plus members get ad-free podcasts and bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence. Sign up now to listen and support our work.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices