UW COVID-19 Coping Study Research Support | UW Center for the Science of Social Connection

Breathing: This simple breathing meditation is a 30-second practice we suggest you do right before challenging social interactions. Breathing meditation is one of our most effective ways of dealing with anxiety and other distressing emotions so that we can be at our best in relationships we care about most.

Loving Kindness Meditation: This simple loving kindness meditation has been scientifically demonstrated to improve mental health and increase our compassion and ability to connect with others.

Disconnecting from Media: An excessive focus on news media increases anxiety and makes it harder to connect with others. This suggestion encourages you to consider decreasing news media consumption for the day and notice the results, with particular attention to changes in the quality of your social interactions.

Bringing Critical Thoughts with You: Self-critical thoughts often stop us from doing things we value. Instead of fighting with your thoughts, this suggestion provides an evidence-based way to “bring your thoughts with you” as you connect with others.

The “Fast friends” Procedure: Answering these questions, also called “the fast friends procedure,” is a very effective way to quickly build trust, closeness, and connection with your partner.

Exploring Grief and Loss: When we are experiencing grief, loss, and other difficult emotions, bottling up and avoiding those feelings can make things worse, especially in the long run. This suggestion presents a gentle way to explore and share these feelings with others.

An Island of Good Feelings: Research suggests that sharing positive experiences and feelings with others helps keep those feelings alive for longer, helps you remember these experiences better, and helps you connect with others, especially when they can share the same with you. This suggestion is to find a partner and spend a few minutes on an “island of good feelings” with them.

Exploring and Sharing Feelings: Scientific studies show that writing about the emotional events of our day provides us multiple important physical and mental health benefits. Sharing these experiences with others helps us feel closer to the people we care about. This suggestion is to find a partner, write about the emotional events of your day, and then share what you wrote with each other.

Gratitude: This suggestion - which involves expressing appreciation or gratitude to someone who had been especially kind to you (but had never been properly thanked) - has been shown in scientific research to increase your happiness and decrease depression, with results lasting as long as one month.

Acceptance: Acceptance is being willing to have uncomfortable or distressing thoughts and feelings in our bodies rather than trying to avoid or get rid of them. Many studies suggest that practicing acceptance is beneficial for mental and physical health. This suggestion teaches a simple acceptance practice and encourages you to apply it to a social interaction you may be avoiding because it makes you uncomfortable.

Expanding Your Social Group: Social distancing increases feelings of loneliness, which in turn has many negative health consequences. One way to combat loneliness is to reach out to others. This suggestion encourages you to reach out to others to expand your sense of connection to your social network.

Being a Vulnerability Hawk: Decades of research on relationships suggests that one of the most important things people can do to create close, connected relationships is get better at really listening to and responding well to others. This is especially true when the person you are talking to is expressing something vulnerable. This suggestion provides you tips and encouragement to practice responding well to others’ vulnerability in social interactions for the day.

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Responsiveness

Sharing My Strengths: Like our suggestion on gratitude, this suggestion has been shown in scientific research to increase your happiness and decrease depression, with results lasting as long as one month. It involves identifying what you are good at in relationships, and looking for opportunities to engage in your strengths for the day.

Giving to Others: Altruism - or giving to others - benefits not only the person who receives the gift, but the giver as well. One study found that if you are given $5, you will experience more happiness if you give it to someone in need than if you keep it. This suggestion - needed during this COVID-19 crisis more than ever - involves encouraging you to find ways to give to and support others.

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