My family and I are on Day 15 of a quarantine due to the Coronavirus pandemic. Last week I talked about how I came to realize that our way of life, either temporarily or long term, has changed. Accepting this is the first step in moving forward during this very difficult time. Burying your head in the sand and ignoring everything is not beneficial to you or your family. You must take action today to set yourself up for future success. Whether you’re experiencing COVID-19 symptoms or not while in quarantine, there are steps you can take to remain as active and healthy as possible during this time.
Life isn’t going to go back to normal in a few weeks, and we might be looking at a new normal for our future. This is not a bad thing, per se. Things change and as humans we will adapt after the coronavirus pandemic, maybe even with a better way of life in our future.
As I mentioned in my post last week, we’re already seeing some good come out of this. Families are spending time together that we didn’t get in our old “normal” life. Neighbors are helping each other out. We are all rallying behind our medical professionals. Most of us are even pushing politics aside for the greater good of ensuring we don’t spread COVID-19.
We are fighting this issue on two very big fronts. Both are vital and both are leaving people with uncertainty, fear and even anger. The coronavirus and the economy are on everyone’s minds, pretty much all day, every day. What can I do? Will I need to apply for unemployment? These questions and more are sure to come up. I’d like to share some things that are helping my family and can hopefully help yours.
There are things we can all do to help stop the spread of coronavirus. The first one is obvious: stay home. No, really, stay the hell home. Self-quarantine is the best way to get through this. My family isn’t even going to the grocery store at this point. I personally think those places are overrun with germs. Get your groceries delivered. If you have to go to the bank or pick up a prescription, use the drive thru. Sanitize your hands before you reach for the tube, to protect yourself and those inside, and sanitize after getting the tube back, to protect yourself and the people after you. Going to those places might be essential to you and your family, so protect yourself and your loved ones the best you can and quarantine yourself away from other people whenever possible.
We’re trying to avoid making this quarantine one big binge fest. We’re giving ourselves the best possibility of fighting off COVID-19 by eating healthy and continuing to work out. Eating junk food and drinking alcohol every day does nothing to boost your immunity. I haven’t had a single drink in these 12 days. Alcohol suppresses your immune system. Avoid it. Junk food provides zero nutrition to your body. Leave it.
Remember when you “didn’t have time to work out”? Hey, now you do! Exercise is an amazing immune booster. In fact, now is the time to make your personal health your No. 1 priority. Start today. Get your body in optimal physical shape so you can take yourself out of the “higher risk” category because of your weight, high blood pressure, heart disease or diabetes. These are all things that are very much under your personal control. An invisible virus isn’t, but your body’s ability to fight it absolutely is. Then the next time (and there will be a next time) this happens, your body will be better equipped to handle it. If you’re doing your part to stay home and quarantine, also do your part to get yourself healthier and take the pressure off of hospitals that are dealing with a surge in patients due to COVID-19.
If you’re like most, you were probably overwhelmed financially even before the coronavirus. Many Americans live paycheck to paycheck. My family relies on face-to-face sales for our income. None of that is allowed to operate here in Pennsylvania at this time. I truly understand the hardships most Americans are facing. The financial pressure can feel like the weight of the world is on your shoulders.
We have called all of our bill collectors and utilities and have asked for deferment or discounts. Get on the phone and start calling. You might be on hold for a while but it’s worth the time, effort and energy. Many companies and providers are understanding and giving people (who ask) some options. Don’t wait for the government to do the work. You need to be self-reliant and take action.
Eliminate all unnecessary spending. I am the queen of online shopping, but that has to take a back seat right now. You don’t need new sandals or a swimsuit; your ass isn’t going anywhere any time soon LOL. Keep your cash. Cash is king.
Now is the time to make your business more “work from home” friendly. We have opened Pandora’s box when it come to pandemics. I would anticipate and plan for this to happen again. Maybe in the near future, a year from now or five years from now but one thing is certain, it will happen again. Anything that you can move “online” should be implemented now. We had to move our entire sales process to a no contact process in a few days. We can now do the whole process of selling a car digitally and through Zoom and FaceTime. Don’t sit back and wait for the next crisis. Get innovative and think outside the box on how you can still serve your customers when this happens again.
Keep working. Even if you’ve been laid off and need to apply for unemployment. Work on your personal brand. Take an online course and sharpen your skills. Keep your mind fresh and active. Do this so that when things do get back to “normal,” you’re not rusty. I know this isn’t easy. Last week, I was distracted by everything that was going on. I had a very hard time focusing on anything but the coronavirus. Get off of social media. Turn it off. Stop waiting for every COVID-19 news bulletin and focus on your line of work. This crisis evolves by the hour, and if you’re trying to keep up with every bit of coronavirus news, you’re just treading water. You’ll find out about the big stuff. The play-by-play isn’t that important.
If you are new to my Forty Young community, you might not know that my husband and I own a Ford dealership. We had to close our doors last week due to PA guidelines. I understand the financial, mental and health pressure of not being able to work and the possibility of applying for unemployment. My family and I are right there with you guys. I cannot put into words the amount of empathy and compassion I have for those all across America right now. We are all in this together. Help your fellow man if you are able to. Donate to your local food banks, do what you can to help others if you can.
Right now, you may be feeling like the coronavirus has taken everything is out of your control. I know some days I feel that way. The way I stifle those thoughts is by doing. Taking action is the name of the game right now. Sitting around thinking or planning isn’t going to get you anywhere. Take big, drastic action against the coronavirus, for your personal and financial well-being.
There is so much uncertainty in our country right now. I do like to look at the past and the resilience of this great country for hope. We have weathered two world wars, several depressions and 9/11. We will weather this too. The more people that firmly believe that, the better. The coronavirus has nothing against the determination and the sheer will to survive of the people of this great country. God Bless America. God bless you. Stay healthy, safe and hopeful.
