This Circle Taped to My Wall Is Keeping Me Calm-ish Today

And other strategies I’m using to compartmentalize my election stress

The day after a tense, unfinished presidential election seems like a good time to exercise my trusty compartmentalization skills. Throughout my life, I’ve been able to box up and set aside life stressors — on a temporary basis, of course — in order to crank out something that resembles a productive workday. Here are five ways I’m doing that this week.

A couple notes: One, no one should be expected to work to their normal productivity today. And two, psychologists say compartmentalization is useful for people who are mentally healthy, but left unchecked, it can lead to emotional disconnection. It’s crucial that you find ways to express your anxieties about this election. These tips are merely meant to help you focus on the welcome respite of your job, if you see yours that way.

I’ve taped a drawing of the “circle of control” on my wall

I voted. Even though it’s not easy, it’s time to acknowledge that where things go from here is out of my hands. That’s where the “circle of control” comes in. (Here’s a primer on the “circle” — it’s a modification of the original Stephen Covey “circle of influence” from The 7 Habits of…