• Take breaks from watching, reading, or listening to news stories, including social media. Hearing about the pandemic repeatedly can be upsetting.
• Take care of your body. Take deep breaths, stretch, or meditate.
• Keep active and get some sunshine. Go for a brisk walk, run or cycle while keeping a safe distance from others.
• Eat well and stay hydrated
• Try to stay connected. At times of stress, we often want company and support. Try to keep in touch with your friends and family (e.g. via telephone or video call). Talk with people you trust about your concerns and how you are feeling.
• Try to relax. It is normal to feel vulnerable and overwhelmed as we read news, especially if you have been struggling with anxiety, depression or social isolation in the past. See below for relaxation techniques.

• Create a daily routine. Plan how you will spent your time. It might help to write this down. You could read more, have an exercise routine or try new relaxation techniques. Try to view this as a new and unusual experience that might have its benefits.
• Do not stay in bed all day, unless you are sick.  
• If you do not have a balcony, consider placing a comfy chair next to your sunniest window, so you can read or take a little nap in the sun.
• Take the time to cook or bake something elaborate.
• Play an instrument? Now you have extra time to master that particularly tricky piece.
• If you need help running errands (e.g. buying groceries) and do not know whom to ask, try web sites such as http://www.quarantaenehelden.org

• The FU psychological counseling centre temporarily offers phone consultations for FU students and employees. For that please make an appointment via Email: psychologische-beratung@fu-berlin.de
• if you are seeing a therapist, ask them whether they offer phone or video consultations
• if you need to talk to someone neutral, consider calling Telefonseelsorge (0800 111 0 111, 0800 111 0 222 or 116 123) or Berliner Krisendienst (https://www.berliner-krisendienst.de/en/).
• Telefonseelsorge also offers a chat format: https://online.telefonseelsorge.de

Relaxation techniques (in English)

Free audio instructions available on:                                                                                                                                    

• Body Scan audio instructions by Jon Kabat-Zinn: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=15q-N-_kkrU                                   • Body Scan audio instructions by Mark Williams: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CyKhfUdOEgs                          • Breathing exercise audio instructions by Jon Kabat-Zinn: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=524RMtfHKz8             • Breathing exercise audio instructions by Mark Williams: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fUeEnkjKyDs

Entspannungsübungen (in Deutsch):

• https://www.tk.de/techniker/magazin/life-balance/aktiv-entspannen/download-anleitung-entspannung-2006922              • Body Scan Video-Anleitung der AOK Rheinland: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RLCg4mkhlAg