WELL, IT HAPPENED. After two and a half years of somehow avoiding it, I got COVID.
My symptoms were very mild in comparison to what I’ve heard from others who contracted this variant, but I’m still having a hard time focusing. Sometimes when I type, my words are rearranged or I’ll type the same word in a row, but with two different spellings. For example, “I bought to two wide-format printers at the tradeshow.” I imagine this would be frustrating to anyone, but for someone whose job it is to edit and write, it’s pretty maddening.
“Brain fog is not a medical or scientific term; it is used by individuals to describe how they feel when their thinking is sluggish, fuzzy, and not sharp,” says Andrew E. Budson, MD, in a blog for Harvard Health Publishing. He refers to a recent Chinese study “The Landscape of Cognitive Function in Recovered COVID-19 Patients” by calling the feeling “persistent impairment in sustained attention.”
I would say I have the attention span of a goldfish, but that would be putting it mildly. A recent study by Microsoft states human attention span has dropped to eight seconds – shrinking nearly 25 percent in just a few years. A goldfish has an attention span of nine seconds. I must be clocking in at five or six with COVID brain.
To combat my cognitive challenges, Dr. Budson recommends exercising, eating a Mediterranean diet, avoiding drugs and alcohol, sleeping well, practicing mindfulness, and participating in social activities. I try to stick to these rules on a regular basis, so hopefully I’ll be back to a whopping eight seconds in no time.
For anyone who is dealing with mental or physical health issues due to COVID-19, try to follow the previously mentioned tips and, most importantly, rest. Surround yourself with a good team that can pick up the pieces while you focus on your health.
- When printing graphics for a client hosting a large-scale event, treat them like a partner, as opposed to a customer. It can make all the difference. (The Big Story)
- The print time, proofing, and file preparation of dimensional textured printing can be challenging. Do your research before jumping into a new technology or application. (Special Feature)
- 64 percent of PSPs reported they’ve had employees resign in the last year. Consider automating parts of your business during the current labor shortage. (Special Feature)
- Include product descriptions with before and after shots of a space to help interior décor customers visualize what their print product will look like. (Big Business)
Advertisement