In my experience, a community with even the most basic and rudimentary filter to join has consistently higher quality people in the community. Kinder, more active, and better posts. A bigger community does NOT mean a better one, often the inverse has been true ime but blah blah analogies aren’t evidence.
I like that the mods are prioritizing healthy growth over just growth. It’s easy to look at number go up and get excited, then to open the flood gates. And whenever a community does that, a bunch of people whom are not wholly interested in the point of the community swoop in and push out the invested crowd.
The only downside would be wanting to answer something more personal, but making a throwaway account isn’t exactly easy with this system. That’s, really, the only downside I can immediately point to.
I’m a very flitty sort of person, and can be pushed off balance decently easily. My job is pretty fast paced, so I can’t just go for a walk or meditate for 10 minutes. So my rule is to not focus on everything coming up, but just focus on what’s directly in front of me. Which, yeah, I know sounds dumb but it honestly does work.
Instead of thinking “Oh, that line of customers is long” -> “Oh god I’m not going to be able to serve the customers fast enough” -> “oh my god they’re going to leave and I’m going to get in trouble for not being fast enough.”
I don’t even acknowledge the length of the line. Look directly ahead, and focus on what you’re doing right now. Shit will always be coming in from every direction, but quick steps make for shorter journeys.
Outside of work, hobbies, crochet, gardening. Getting in touch with nature is a big one for me.