The effects of COVID-19 have far exceeded what many of our expectations. My heart goes out to the families, health care workers and businesses that have been severely impacted.
During a crisis, anything can change in an instant. One minute things are calm and you finally feel like you’re making progress. The next minute something happens and you’re completely thrown off and put into an out-of-control-frenzy to keep things together.
At these times, we must divide things into two parts:
- what we can control
- what we can’t control.
What we can’t control is other people’s actions, behaviour, decisions and the impact these might have on us or those around us.
What we can control is how we respond and the actions we take.
The changes that happen in the outside world can impact us and those we care about.
We have no control over are other people’s decisions and actions and how these impact our circumstances.
What we can control is how we respond to those circumstances and actions we take.
Focus on what we can control.
.the circumstances are changed. On the one hand, there are certain things we have no choice and must do, then on the other hand we’re completely stuck in other areas and can’t do anything at all. It seems like everything is in a complete frenzy, out of our normal routines and structure.
Many of our circumstances have changed and for some, it has been incredibly impactful. Regardless of how our circumstances have changed, we can always control how we respond to those circumstances and the choices we make next.
We can choose to think awful thoughts and feel awful and use that as a way to justify why we’re not taking action, or we can choose to think about the results we want to create in the future, then what actions, even the tiniest of actions, we can take right now to move closer towards those results.
Although we can’t always choose our circumstances, we can choose to do smart things now to put ourselves and our businesses in a better position for the future.
Control Your Finances
Reduce your expenses down to the minimum by cutting out whatever isn’t absolutely necessary. Apply for the Government funding that you can for yourself and for your business (if you have one).
Look After Your Health
This is both physical and mental health. You are still able to exercise even if you’re completely stuck at home. Do what works for you but be sure to commit to at least 20 minutes a day of exercise to look after your body and mind. You can start your day with some Yoga and use the 7-minute work out app to keep your energy up. Be sure you’re making healthy eating choices. Now is a great time to work out some healthy recipes where you can bulk cook meals that are ready for the fridge and the freezer so you’re not only eating healthy but you’re saving money and time.
Help Others
One of the best ways to improve your mood is to help someone else. Many people haven’t experienced this level of isolation, working from home or stress before. You might just change someone’s life by reaching out and asking them how they are doing.
Talk To Your Customers
If you have a business, now is not the time to go dark. Ask them how they are, connect with them and see if they need anything. I’m so grateful for my clients and customers so I made sure I connected with them, which has ended up in winning a few extra projects and having some really great conversations.
Develop A Routine
A routine is key when it comes to streamlining your life and saving time. It’s also great for reducing decision fatigue and improving mental health.
One important area to maintain a routine is with your sleep and wake times. Counselling service Betterhelp reports that lack of sleep contributes to fatigue, difficulties with focus, concentration and decision-making, irritability, and low mood, among other symptoms. Lack of sleep also makes your immune system less able to fight off germs and illness.
If there’s one routine you focus on, it’s your sleep routine. Next, I would suggest developing a morning routine to get you primed for the day and feeling amazing. Your morning routine could include:
- Drink a tall glass of water
- Brush your teeth and wash your face
- Write down 3 things that would make today great
- Meditate for 3-20 minutes (the apps Headpace or Calm are great)
- Exercise (just get your body moving any way you can)
- Shower
- Healthy breakfast
By looking after yourself, what’s most important to you and connect with others, you can build a more resilient mindset and do smart things so you can make the most of the circumstances you’re in.
