Those of us lucky enough to have jobs that allow us to work from home will have a number of new things happen once we move from kitchen to desk instead of getting in our cars. Even those of us that are used to working from home will feel the oddity of everyone working from home. In addition if some of our customers are no longer there to interact with then we really have some time on our hands.
Managing the day’s work and giving yourself the right attention is important. When bad news happens It’s a good time for self care, personal development, paying off debt, investing, working on home projects, spending time with friends or family. Getting ahead on things that you know you should do while everyone else is binge drinking, watching escape tv, news binging, or being consumed by anxiety. I think we’ll find our way out of this mess, but in the meantime there’s going to be some tough times. Some of the dark moments are real and some the media looking for the next inflammatory news piece to throw on the fire. Online learning is a great way to build yourself during this time. Sign up for a class if you can. Add it into your daily regimen.
My top favorite self care ideas are nothing new but can get dropped when stress hits. Making it a daily habit is the key even if its a short period of time. A 10 min exercise is better than none at all. Excercise even if it’s just a walk down the street everyday. Add in pushups or sit-ups and if you’re really adventurous a run. Make time for meditation just 10 minutes per day. It will help guide you through the stress that change brings. Learn something new whether from a book or a online course. Get your mind working on something positive
Start the morning with a positive blog, meditation, book or other source
See a friend, family member or neighbor and spend time talking
My top favorite investing activities right now is getting my buy list together and to look at taking small positions over the next months as the news takes swings up and down. Everything is driven in the same direction for greater or lesser extent at this point. So in essence your making bets as much on the general market direction and economy as anything else. However, that said I do like food, healthcare, oil refiners and media companies as the better picks.
If you’re out of work, furloughed or needing income then here’s some thoughts. A neighbor of mine has been madly selling things on Craigslist, facebook marketplace and online service called “next door”. I’m talking about everything you can imagine with a lot of it being junk. Their main motivation is decluttering, but I have to wonder if some of it is the cash. Facebook marketplace seems to be the winner on attracting buyers. Of course there’s plenty of places to go that can help you create extra income online if you’re so inclined.
Breaking up the day is important when there aren’t the work environment distractions we’re used to. I find that Home projects are good options if small. It can be as simple as changing out the air filter in your furnace, moving the trash cans, to cutting the grass. You’ll have some extra time now to manage those things. Pick a break time in the day and use 15 minutes to disconnect from the regular work load. It can also mean taking a trip out of the home to run an errand.
All in all have some perspective that these economic shocks are often short term and can pass as quickly as they came. Stay positive and get some things done that matter.
