FEATURE Happy Hour is Not an Option Learning to cope with the tremendous stress of these times By Scott Anthony Photo Josh Keown " Scott...two weeks' notice. This job currently is leaving me mentally exhausted after every shift and causing enough stress for me where I am jeopardizing personal relationships. " The devastation and uncertainty around COVID-19 is causing stress, anxiety and depression in many Americans. Reports state that hospitality workers are two to three times more likely to experience these. At my own business, Punxsy Pizza, we've experienced a 40-percent loss of staff and a 30-percent sales increase. The stress caused by the surging work load plus the constantly changing health guidelines contributed to many resignations. The pizza industry is seeing either a huge loss of revenue in more upscale dine-in concepts or increases in pizzerias already doing a larger percentage of take-out and delivery. Either scenario comes with its own angsts. Hospitality workers are left to deal with extraordinary stress. Pizzeria owners can't turn in a two-week notice, and with no light 4 4 / P I Z Z AT O D AY. C O M / J A N UA R Y 2 0 2 1 044_PIZ_0121_OPhappy.indd 44 12/14/20 2:48 PMhttp://www.PIZZATODAY.COM