Default
We reset ourselves by feeling like we've reclaimed control of our environment.
Most of us have learned repeatable behaviours that help us feel normal.
I wrote about how a bath resets me in a piece earlier. For some, it could be cleaning or cooking for another person. Some people maintain to-do lists. I've also heard about stress-induced baking as a coping mechanism.
Playing a sport, jogging, or running could also be possible vents for a disoriented person.
On the whole, physical expulsion of any stress is so natural we rarely see it as a remedy. We think of most of the tasks mentioned above as daily chores.
But what if we label these tasks as defaults instead of calling them coping mechanisms, escapes, and chores?
The reason for labelling these tasks as defaults is to view them as activities that centre us in some way. In a machine or software, default is a pre-selected option that is standard to how the machine or software functions.
Of course, we must address the issue we are avoiding by falling back on such defaults, but sometimes troubleshooting behaviour takes time. Placeholder tasks or defaults would help us get the job done.
Defaults would bring back our focus or a sense of accomplishment during a time of turmoil. It would keep the machine running instead of breaking down completely.
My opinion may not be palatable because the trend is to diagnose everything and direct as many resources as possible to fix it.
But I do not think everyone can afford such a reallocation of resources. Some of us keep going regardless of how clunky the machine feels.
Defaults help temper the uncertainty or shocks we experience regularly. The only thing to ensure is that the default is constructive and healthy to pursue.