Improving our ability to cope

While there's little we can do to change the realities of a global crisis we can change the mindset we use to face them.

• Channel your inner lawyer. Verbalize the negative assumptions you make about the future, then dispute them with realistic facts, not mindless optimism.
• Turn constraints into decisions. Examine every problem by listing the apparent limitations on your freedom and then considering how you can change them. For example, if you feel a dip in your productivity because of the lockdowns, change the definition of productivity.

The healthiest way to look at a difficult period in our lives is as an opportunity for improvement and personal growth.