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from the does-anybody-really-know-what-time-it-is?-♪♩♪ dept.
Why are we all forgetting what day it is?:
Google searches for "what day is it?" have been steadily rising throughout lockdown as people desperately try to recover a semblance of normality.
Likewise, the phrase has been trending on social media, with more than 307,600 posts under the hashtag #WhatDayIsIt on Instagram demonstrating how many people are struggling with the phenomenon.
Struggling with time is only normal given the pandemic has ruptured our sense of routine, says Mary E. McNaughton-Cassill, clinical psychology professor at the University of Texas.
"During normal times our days, weeks and months follow predictable patterns," she tells The Independent. "How we dress, what we eat, when we go to bed and when we wake up are all dictated by our work, school and leisure routines."
[...] But in lockdown, of course, many of these cues have been eliminated. Our homes are no longer places to unwind. They are our schools, nurseries, offices, cafes, co-working spaces, bars and cinemas.
[...] To those experiencing difficulties remembering the time or what day it is, Dr Bijlani suggests enforcing structure and rhythm into your daily routine. "Try to wake up at the same time each day, eat healthy meals at regular intervals and ensure adequate hydration throughout the day," she says, adding that it's best too avoid excessive alcohol as this will disrupt your sleeping patterns even further.
Other tips include getting exercise where possible, not remaining sitting for prolonged periods of time and setting some boundaries on your working hours, avoiding working overtime. "Try and create a different structure for the weekend from the weekdays, too," she adds, "so you are able to differentiate between them".
Given that we don't know how long this period of lockdown will last, McNaughton-Cassill explains that it is also important to try and come to terms with this new reality.
"Setting specific goals, and scheduling time to achieve them in addition to our other obligations, can help us to structure the days, and feel more productive," she adds. This will also provide a sense of achievement, something many of us have been lacking in lockdown.
(Score: 4, Insightful) by looorg on Tuesday May 05 2020, @12:35PM (3 children)
I usually remember what day it is, I just don't always remember the date. That said neither of them are all that interesting unless I have to do specific things on said day or date in which case I do tend to remember them. But if it doesn't matter then it just doesn't matter and I don't really care all that much. One day (or date) is just as good as the next one really.
(Score: 2) by DaTrueDave on Tuesday May 05 2020, @12:58PM (1 child)
Same here.
I don't know if it's good or bad, but I suspect that retirement (just a few years off for me) will make this much more evident to me. I like to think that retirement will be so laid back that I'll just roll with it. What day is it? Don't know, don't care.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday May 05 2020, @03:42PM
Unfortunately it gets replaced with an obsession about the weather. Basically you can't win.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday May 05 2020, @03:09PM
That's the thing, knowing the specific date is of relatively little importance if you're not coordinating things with other people. Laundry just needs to be done sometime before you run out of clothes, similarly with grocery shopping, you just need to do that before you run out of food. You might consider stock piling a bit now due to possible meat shortages, but other than that, you're probably fine.
Same goes for most other things that people are likely to do, you can call your friends pretty much any day and unless you're working, the specific day doesn't much matter.