I'm writing a little survival phamplet for my family. And, I want to write a little section on trying to cope with the stresses of survival. A section on something possibly titled, "Rest, relaxation and play". Can you please provide all your thoughts on this subject?

Thank you very much,
Xavier Phx, AZ

Probably a good book, or just sitting back, talking with my wife, and doin' nothing for a while. A stong toddy wouldn't hurt either...

I would add a deck of cards and one or two of those little easy-on-the-batteries electronic games. And a decent pillow.

Sue

My experience has always dictated that the busier that people are, the less time they have to think and lament about their circumstances.

When stranded, start building a shelter (whether you need one or not), have everyone stand a watch, looking for search and rescue units, foraging details (for firewood, water, and/or food), or whatever you can think of that will add to the safety and security of the group as a whole.

Remember back to earlier pioneer days when folks had to entertain themselves, and use those games to keep your people entertained during the evenings.

Hold a morning briefing for everyone so everyone knows whats going on and what is required from them for the group to do well as a whole. Give everyone "ownership" in what is being accomplished towards getting found and back to their homes.

That's my thoughts.

Sharpen whatever
Whittle whatever
Burn a spoon or bowl
Sew something
Read something
Write something
Teach / learn something
Make tea
Talk calmly about whatever
Make up and play a game
Get to know your companions

one of the common processes found in survivor mentality is breaking down steps in a simple ways +1 on giving everyone a task to do.

+1 on the deck of cards. Also include writing materials for keeping score - that can add interest to a game, and by scoring over several games it can last longer. If you don't have paper you can improvise, eg with counters or chips. Pen and paper has other survival uses, but entertainment is an important one.

My current favourite board game is Backgammon. It's easy to learn but hard to master, and there's an element of luck so that even poor players get the occasional win. Second is probably draughts/checkers. Chess comes last because it's harder to learn and slowly paced. With all of these you can probably improvise a board in the field, but it would be better to have a pre-made board and improvise pieces (again, Chess loses because its pieces are more complex). The board doesn't need to take a lot of space; you can get them printed onto a bandanna, eg at NomadTravel (that's not a recommendation; I've not tried their product it was just the first I found). A pair of dice are needed for backgammon but they don't take much space.

It's worth learning other games that don't need many resources, eg Liar's Poker. I imagine if you have children you already know how many games for them.

Personally I get much of my entertainment from my smartphone. It has a readable screen and I keep many novels in it. I also have a Sudoku game on it which I play a lot. You can of course get other games. In an emergency I'd have to consider battery life and reliability carefully, but it's something I carry and use daily for non-emergencies.

I'd echo what others have said about keeping occupied with (more or less) useful activities. Doug says he included a fishing kit in his survival kit partly for entertainment.

Breathing and visualization exercises were the first thing to come to my mind. I do these all the time anyway, but especially during stress. When my mind is running in circles trying to deal with a problem, I'm not always aware of solutions that appear when my mind is calmer. If nothing else, pausing for a moment to breath can help me realize that I'm in that pattern.

I think it is very powerful to establish some sense of normalcy and familiarity in an abnormal and unfamiliar situation.

Establish a daily routine. Chores, tidying up, washing and hygiene, exercise, group time, private time ... not an overload, but sense of purpose and direction throughout the day.

Games are good, especially a few familiar ones. Card games can eat up a lot of time. A package of balloons takes up very little space; yet balloon volleyball (kids, kids and adults, kids vs. adults) can be a tremendous, silly stress reliever.

The other thing might be a "formal" forum where kids and adults can talk about things that are worrying them. Call it a family meeting of sorts. It doesn't matter that you can't solve all these problems; it's important to have them heard and acknowledged by the group.

My 2¢.

Good idea. And that's another reason to include a condom in your survival kit.