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and seek out more outlets for hope. But why does it feel
hard? I hear a lot of colleagues reporting that they are
having a harder time moving forward now than they did
back in March or April. Expectations are increasing (this
is the “new normal,” after all, so why aren’t you
up to normal speed?), and yet the malaise has not lifted
for many.
If you’re feeling like it is getting harder, instead of
easier, to operate as you did “in the beforetimes,” it might
be because you have zapped your surge capacity. As one
writer has explained, “Surge capacity is a collection of
adaptive systems — mental and physical — that humans
draw on for short-term survival in acutely stressful
situations, such as natural disasters.” 3 It’s the rush of
adrenaline that makes you push forward even harder in
the face of adversity. We saw this surge capacity in our
e-mail inboxes, as so many lawyers and bars scrambled
to put together quality support systems for lawyers to
ensure they were on top of changes in the law and
changes to practice, and we were bombarded with offers
for webinars daily. We saw parents spring into action and
working around the clock to take care of business and
childcare at the same time. As wonderful as surge
capacity is in helping us push through a crisis, it is not a
sustainable way to move through life.
The problem is that now, many months in, this is not
a short-term problem. The state of emergency, while
slowly morphing, is chronic. These times bring a toxic
combination of overstimulation, which affects focus
(what is the bad news now?), and understimulation,
which lowers motivation (will I ever see a building other
than my home again?). 4 This chronic and constant stress
can cause symptoms that parallel those of depression,
such as anxiety, loss of motivation, racing thoughts,
social withdrawal, and changes of eating or sleeping
habits. Many are calling this group of symptoms
“quarantine fatigue.”
So if we can’t rely on our surge capacity anymore, how
do we combat quarantine fatigue? The experts’ advice is
simple, but not always easy. The usual tools we hear
about for combatting everyday stress will also help
combat quarantine fatigue — practicing mindfulness,
recharging through proper nutrition, at least 30 minutes
of movement and exercise a day, and getting 8 hours a
night of sleep. And don’t forget to connect with others
— whether it’s by a Zoom event organized by the HCBA,
a funny text string with your law school buddies, or
picking up the phone to actually hear the voice of
someone you’ve been missing (in these days of text and
Zoom and social media, plain phone calls are still
allowed!). Consider, also, limiting yourself from the
constant onslaught of COVID news. Turn off
notifications, turn off your TV, and check your emails
and news at set intervals instead. Most importantly, look
for interactions that bring you hope.
As you page through the issue, you will find reports of
the many ways our leadership has worked to connect and
support our members. Don’t miss pictures from the YLD
virtual scavenger hunt (at 17), or the virtual happy hour
connecting judges and practitioners (at 64). The Board
approved a new Technology Section (at 54), just in time
to assist members through the Zoom era, and a new
Government Lawyers Section (at 38) to support state and
federal employees in our midst. Check out their
introductions and welcome these new sections to our
vibrant community.
The HCBA is continuing to offer support and hope.
Don’t be overwhelmed, but also don’t hesitate to take
advantage of the support offered, at both the state and
local level. n
1
Duggal, Devika et al. “The Impact of Hope and
Resilience on Multiple Factors in Neurosurgical Patients.”
Cureus vol. 8,10 e849. 26 Oct. 2016, doi:10.7759/
cureus.849, available at https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/
articles/PMC5120968/ (last visited September 1, 2020).
2
Id.
3
Tara Haelle, Your ‘Surge Capacity Is Depleted – It’s Why
You Feel Awful, Medium, available at https://elemental.
medium.com/your-surge-capacity-is-depleted-it-s-why-youfeel-awful-de285d542f4c
(last visited September 1, 2020).
4
Quarantine Fatigue Is Real: Here’s How to Cope,
Healthline, https://www.healthline.com/health-news/
quarantine-fatigue-is-real-heres-how-to-cope (visited
September 1, 2020).
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