I suspect like most people I listened with a mix of dread, fear and a sense of the inevitability, to the PM’s statement on Monday.
I’ve spent the intervening days worrying about catching the virus, plummeting income, lack of social contact etc., whilst doom and optimism wrestled in my head.
Anyway, time to get a grip so here are some ideas for keeping your spirits up:
- Use the time to learn a new skill so when things get back to normal you have more to offer to your clients. I will be learning to get more out of Photoshop.
- Get your finances in order. Income will drop so reassess your monthly outgoings. For now, its food and shelter at the top of the list so look at your lifestyle and see what unnecessary outgoings you can cut down on in the next few months.
- Organise your business. De-clutter your online and paper files, you’ll be amazed how much irrelevant and outdated information is slowing down your laptop or cramming your filing cabinets.
- Get news updates but don’t over- indulge. As Morrissey said: “Stop watching the news because the news contrives to frighten you”.
- Keep in touch with your clients work friends and associates. Social media will help to get us through this. Again, don’t overdo it as there is a lot of noise out there and not all positive.
- Stay fit. Keep up your regular exercise routine. There is plenty of opportunity for walking. Thankfully spring is here and, weather wise, the best months of the year are ahead.
- Re-connect with your local community. I’m already amazed how people are opening and offering help to the more vulnerable in my local community. Even little things like putting the bins out for an isolated neighbour or offering to do some shopping will make a massive difference and make sure no one feels they are on their own in this.
- Re visit old hobbies. If the guitar is gathering dust or the watercolours have dried out now is the time to reignite the enthusiasm that made you take it up in the first place.
- Sort the garden out. Not one weed will grow on my patch this year!
- Stay connected and keep communicating. We don’t know how long this will go on for and we are only human so we will experience highs and lows. We are in this together and will pick ourselves back up by working together and for each other.