I write this knowing we are in times of uncertainty. Uncertainty around COVID-19 and your classes getting cancelled or transitioning online. You may be uncertain about losing your job, working from home, or transitioning your career.
The COVID-19 pandemic has left much of the world in a state of lock down. Many places around the world are closed to everything but essential services. This is life like we haven’t seen before. I don’t think anyone could have predicted this black swan event.
Nonetheless, we are all in this together. And we should aim to take the steps to remain resilient and come out ahead in these uncertain times.
Please check the CDC website for updates on COVID-19.
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Bill Gates starts a 2015 Ted talk by saying “Today the greatest risk of global catastrophe doesn’t look like this [picture of nuclear explosion]. Instead it looks like this [picture of H1N1 virus]. If anything kills over 10 million people in the next few decades, it’s most likely to be a highly infectious virus rather than a war.”
He continues, “the failure to prepare could allow the next epidemic to be dramatically more devastating than Ebola.” They were 11,310 deaths caused by the Ebola outbreak. Currently, worldwide there are above 14,300 deaths from COVID-19 with this number projected to increase in the coming weeks.
Seeing that this talk was in 2015, we can clearly see that world leaders didn’t head this warning. Nonetheless, we are where we are today – hindsight is 20/20.
What to do about COVID-19
I had a Facetime call with one of my friends yesterday. For the first 30 minutes he had the news on and was constantly shifting focus between our conversation and the news. I insisted that he turn the news off and that he only check it twice per day.
As important as the news can be, checking the news every 5 seconds is not going to keep you any more informed as if you checked it a couple times a day. To that end, only get news two to three a day – once in the morning, once before going to bed and one other time. This way you skip all the sensationalism of the news these days and can focus on the fact. Trust me, if you need to know something ASAP you will find out one way or another.
I beg of you (those of who are able to stay home and still have enough to survive) to stay in doors and practice social distancing. This can truly save lives since we can be asymptomatic and be a carrier spreading the virus. Only go out when you need something such as groceries or medicine. Social distancing can truly lower the burden on the healthcare system.
Wash your hands with soap for 20 seconds or more. This has been shown to be effective to remove the virus from your hands. Also remember to frequently clean surfaces that you use frequently.
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What To Do In Uncertain Times
In life there is only so much that we can plan for. Some things come up very unexpectedly and put your life on hold. Such is the case and is universally evident with COVID-19 as of right now. There is always some part of life that is going to be unplanned. However, you should always aim to be prepared for the most unlikely event.
So what can you do in times of uncertainty?
Personally
Don’t push yourself into panic. Try to keep a level head. If you’re panicked then you’re going to make irrational decisions (i.e. buying 300 reels of toilet paper or bottled water). Ensure you have everything to meet your needs and not just the sensational items that won’t be necessary for your home-survival. Think about what you are going to need if you were to self-isolate for a few weeks.
Practice solidarity. People all around the world are struggling through this pandemic. Many of them may be in much worse situations that yourself at present. Remember this, remember them and remember humanity when you make actions over the next few weeks to months. This time of uncertainty is universal, have solidarity with your fellow human.
Contact your loved ones. I don’t think there was a time in my life where i can think of a better time to contact your family and friends. Most people are home more than usually and are going to be feeling a lot of the same uncertain feelings you are. Reach out to them and catch up, especially if there are elderly and/or socially isolated.
Start a mindfulness practice. While you are spending more time at home, maybe you can try to build in a mindfulness practice into your daily routine. Mindfulness has been shown to improve your positive emotions while reducing negative emotions and stress.
- Headspace is a great free resource to start meditation
- You can also start a journal practice to help you be more mindful
- Practice positive affirmations/gratitude
Remember this too will pass. In 5 or 10 years from now, you’ll be thinking about what you did during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic. Life will continue. It may be different as we come out of this uncertain time, but it will be life and it will there for us to live. Make sensible decisions that your future self would be proud of.
Help financially if possible. There are many economic implications to COVID-19. There is a lack of resources for many of the essential services and equipment that are necessary to combat this pandemic. Additionally, many people are getting laid off and others getting their hours or pay reduced. There are many foundations and non-profits that are asking for donations to help them to serve the populations most devastated. Look for local organizations and donate or volunteer if possible.
As a Students
I know this is a particularly tough time of uncertainty. Many of you have traveled home or are living in your school apartments and transitioning to online classes. This is a tough time for both you and your professors as they have to learn these new techniques to best teach you all for the foreseen future.
For those seniors or soon to be graduates, my heart definitely goes out to all of you! You have been working so hard to get your degree and now many, if not all, graduations are being cancelled. I know how heartbreaking this can be, I sympathize and really hope that this is under control so you are able to celebrate your accomplishments as you rightfully should in some capacity.
Continue to build community. Build community with your school colleagues and reconnect with your family and friends during this time. Maybe you’ll learn something cool that will spark your interest to pivot into something that will truly make you happy. Stick together with your fellow students as you all are feeling the same hurt from this. Be there for someone, especially if you know they can’t be home with loved ones.
Be active. Gyms have closed and most of us are told not to go outdoors. Now is a time to start to do in-home exercises. With a wealth of information on the internet, it is easy to have access to online workouts. A cool thing I saw was people on Instagram tagging people to do 10 pushups – how awesome! As with physical fitness, mental fitness tools have really become really accessible online. Check out Headspace or YouTube guided Meditations.
As a Professional
Firstly, I hope that no one reading this has gotten laid off. And if you have been, I hope you have a means to survive over the next coming months. With COVID-19 and gas prices dropping because of a price war between Russia and Saudi Arabia, the US economy is near about to hit a recession. The same is true for many economies around the world as people have been stopping working in droves. Times of uncertainty have spread universally and are affecting many people in various sectors.
While the Trump administration is hoping to send out 2 checks to the US population, the fact is many employers don’t offer paid leave programs and many people will be without a job and be told to stay home for the foreseen future.
Use it to learn. If you are working right now then chances are that you are working from home. This gives you an opportunity to learn how to become an effective remote employee. You’ll find ways to be productive in a new work environment. This can be tough, but you should aim to stick to the same habits you did when working out of the office. Brush your teeth, take a shower and change your clothes. You can also think of this time as a way to take online classes to better existing skills or learn new ones.
Stay at your job. Now is not the most opportune time to look for a next job. With many organizations going to be closing for what may be a few months – this can mean bankruptcy or just lots of lay-offs. Many non-profits are being hit the hardest as they don’t have the financial or staff capacity to serve the populations that need it the most. If you are in a job where you are able to still work and get paid, stay there. I don’t know what the job landscape is going to look like in 2-6 months from now.
Continue to Invest. Whether you are investing in a 401K, Roth IRA, or a taxable account like M1 finance, your finances have probably taken a sharp decline over the last few weeks. Now is not the time to sell off your portfolio. Remember you are investing for your future in 5, 10, 15, 30 years so this short term dip in the market is not bad but rather good as you will be able to purchase good companies at discounted prices during the market drop. So keep steadily investing. And if you have not started investing, this would be a great time to begin.
Think about your career future. When this uncertainty ends there is still going to be a future for your career. Some people may be feeling like their company didn’t treat them the best during these times. This is the perfect time to start to evaluate your job prospects. Are you getting paid enough for your position? Think about what you need to do while you are home in the coming weeks to better your career trajectory. Do online courses or use YouTube as your university. Just improve the skills that will be important for you to accelerate your career at the same company or at a different one.
Afterthoughts on times of uncertainty
My thoughts are with each of you and your families during these times of uncertainty.
I hope that we will soon be over the worst of this and life will return to how it was a few weeks ago. I’ve begun working from home since Thursday and it has been an adjustment that is for sure. I am very fortunate that I am able to work from home during these times.
Times of uncertainty like this truly provide us new ways to spread our love. I have seen so much positivity being spread on social media, even while no one is sure what is going to be coming in the next few days or weeks. I hope we are all able to stay strong during these trying times and come out stronger on the other end.
Let’s all try to keep a level head during these times and work to support and be there for those that need it the most. Be compassionate and respectful of others life and health in the coming weeks. We can see just how interconnected humans are by the way this virus has spread and devastated many communities around the world.
How are you dealing with these uncertain times?
