What to do during a pandemic

Understanding what to do during a pandemic will help you realize that a pandemic is not the end of the world. The impact that a pandemic can have on individuals psychologically, socially, and financially can be devastating. However, there are things that you can do to deal with the situation.

Stop panicking

We can be our own greatest enemies at times of uncertainty. Stay positive and focused on what happens once we get out on the other side.

• Find out what the professionals are saying. Educate yourself about the pandemic and prepare accordingly. Keep up with information from reputable sources like the World Health Organization (WHO) This will go a long way to help maintain your sanity.
• Continue to practice personal hygiene and surface sanitation when you are in self-isolation. Make it a point to disinfect all surfaces and points of frequent contact after each use. Especially if you are living with other people.
• Maintain a healthy diet. Eat nutrient-rich foods. Eat more fruits and vegetables where possible.
• Protect yourself and your loved ones from getting infected.
• Minimize your levels of stress and anxiety.
• Stop listening to doom and gloom.
• Don’t be idle, do something constructive with your time.
• Continue taking necessary vitamin and supplements.
• Continue taking necessary medications.
• Get enough quality sleep.
• Remain active.
• Stay hydrated.
• Take care of your mental health.

Preparing for lock down

It is important to have the necessary supplies that you may need. This does not mean buy all the toilet paper in the supermarket. It means to have the basics that you will need for a months’ worth of isolation.

This includes things like:

• Any prescription medication and over the counter medicines/vitamins etc. that you may need.
• Keep a list of emergency numbers for the different government departments.
• Store reasonable quantities of tinned or dry food and bottled water to last a month.
• Store sanitary and hygiene products.
• Have a First-Aid kit readily available. Usual antiseptic, bandage, gloves, scissors, thermometer, plasters etc. to deal with any bumps, cuts and bruises.
• Household spares and DIY kits can also become handy if you need to replace light bulbs or make minor repairs.
• Soap, shampoo and other personal products you usually use.
• Entertainment material for the family. Books, board games, puzzles etc. Consider some back-yard activities for hotter days. It helps to get you out the house for a couple of hours and helps prevent cabin fever.
• Ensure you have enough pet food if needed.
• You should also get some stationery and other office-related supplies just in case you have to self-isolate and work from home.
• If you can afford it, an Air-Purifying respirator can be a good and useful investment.

Remember that other people are also in the same situation. DO NOT OVER-BUY.

Potential impact and preparing your business

Business owners need to prepare for the potential impact of the pandemic.Knowing and preparing for the economic consequences of a pandemic can help to minimize the impact. Fortunately, there are steps that you can take to continue operating your business or even venture into new business ideas. Working with a business coach can help greatly.

• The consequences can include labor shortages, increased rates of physical disability, loss of clients and loss of income etc.
• There is no doubt that there will be an impact on the economy. Increased food and fuel prices, increase in interest rates and taxes and other unforeseen costs.
• Stay in contact with potential clients and explore new business ideas.
• Start honing skills or work on neglected areas or unfinished work.
• Look at potentially offering additional services or products from what you currently provide your clients if you can. This can increase your customer order value and potentially repeat purchases. This can include up-sells, down-sells and cross-sells. Be careful to not over extend your services so as to negatively impact your ability to deliver quality.
• It is very important to have a risk management process/committee in place. Identify the various risk elements the pandemic will pose against the business. This includes staffing, supply chain, IT, processes, economic and all other related risks.
• Contingency plans must be tested and rehearsed.
• Staff training and educational workshop must be conducted to ensure that everyone knows their duty and responsibilities. (Some of this can even be done online whilst people are in lock down. This will help speed up recovery once everything is back to normal.)
• There may be a need for staff members to work from home even after the pandemic has passed.

Working from home during a pandemic

It is very important to have a schedule and plan in place to help get things done in the most effective way. A great way to do this is by utilising a default diary. It will also help to keep you motivated, positive and focused. Remember that “Idle hands are the devil’s workshop.”

Have a strategy in place to do the things you want and need to do. Always keep a positive outlook on things and find ways to distract yourself. If you don’t usually work from home, it may seem strange at first. It certainly also takes commitment and diligence. If you already work from home, then ensure you use the time effectively.

There are a few things you can do to make the home environment conducive to office work.

• Have a tidy, organized place to work that is out of the way.
• Some people find that dressing as if they were going to work helps them to stay focused.
• Allocate 6 to 8 hours to do your work without interruptions. If you have kids, noise is inevitable. Just ask that they don’t come and disturb you during this time. That way, you can spend the best quality time with them when you are done.
• Working from home saves time and money traveling to and from work so make the most of it.
• Stay in touch with your staff, colleagues, boss etc. if possible and necessary. This helps to not feel so isolated.
• Sharing ideas, correcting each other, and coming up with new methods of tackling your work becomes more comfortable and even faster.
• Stay in touch with clients and contact potential clients.
• Plan how you can satisfy your market and get new clients both during and after the pandemic.

Tips for personal development during a pandemic

A pandemic does not mean you should stop personal and professional development. You can also still enjoy your life and have fun while the situation outside is playing out.

Do an online course

Take some time to educate yourself by learning new skills or by enhancing some of your current skills. Not only does it help keep you more positive, it can also help prepare you for a new role for when the pandemic is over. You could potentially also start to prepare to start your own business when it is all over. Especially if your current position is under threat due to job losses or the business going under. There are many online courses on various subjects available.

You can start to vlog or blog

You can start your own YouTube channel or create a blog. The contents of your blogging can be anything that you want. It can even help you to receive an income during this time. If you are already in business, then this is also very useful to keep in touch with your clients and to give added value.

Learn a new language

Learning a new language is a great way to stay busy, as well as grow your grey matter. If you are planning a holiday or trip, why not learn the local language of the place you intend to visit?

Reflect on your goals

Take some time to reflect on your goals. Set goals to hit the ground running when things go back to normal.

Read

Read books that relate to your industry or books that can help you to learn new skills. This is also a great time to learn speed reading as it will help you to save time with reading after the pandemic is over. If you are not an avid reader, then audio books are a great alternative.

Maintaining some level of intellect is important to stay healthy. The above are only a few of many ways you can keep your brain active during a lock down. You could also play strategy and logic games etc. that require you to think.

Things to do with the family and kids

Origami

Origami is an ancient Japanese art of folding paper to make different kinds of shapes like animals, plants, etc. It is an engaging form of art that anyone can learn. All you need is some paper, color pencils, scissors and glue. There are many tutorials on YouTube to learn from.

Indoor camping

A fun activity for families with young children. You can turn the living room into a camping place or fort.

Make movies

You could write and create short videos. Everyone can participate in the whole process, from writing the script, to picking the wardrobe, to acting it out the scenes.

Treasure hunt

Hiding treasure, like sweets, for the other members of the family to find.

Indoor Olympics

Great entertainment for hyperactive family members. Create ten competitions that you can do indoors. Activities like eating competition, cup golf, bucket ball, singing, etc.

Family master chef

Depending on the resources you have available, you can have a bake off. This can be done over a period of time so that all the food is consumed, and nothing goes to waste.

Go through or create a family album

This can be done digitally or in hard copy. If you have digital frames, you can re-order the displayed photos by events, themes or dates.

Brain stimulating games

Brain games that challenge the intellect will keep your kids mentally sharp, competitive and entertained.

Let the kids help with household chores

Teach them or ask them to give you a hand with the chores. Make it interesting and fun. See if you can make a game out of it.

Get them to read

Books are a great way of keeping your child’s mind off what is going on in the outside world. Depending on the books, they can also be learning something new.

Help with their schoolwork

Some children may have been given assignments and homework to during lock down.

Watch movies

Movies are without a doubt a great source of entertainment for both adults and kids. Watch movies that they enjoy.

Let kids come up with their own ideas

This is also a great way to empower them when you have run out of ideas.

Help cultivate their talents

You can take advantage of the situation and find ways of improving or even discovering your child’s talent.

Other things you can do to pass the time

Staying at home is enjoyable for the first few days. However, staying on lock down for too many days can drive anyone crazy. The best way to avoid getting out of your mind during a pandemic is to have things to do.

Get fit

While lying on the couch may be fine for the first few days; keeping physically fit will not only help your body but also your state of mind. The fact that you can’t go to the gym does not mean you can’t exercise.

• Set a daily reminder to do 20 to 30 minutes of exercise.
• You could do an online workout program. There are many on YouTube.
• There are also many free apps and websites that can teach you alternative home-based exercises that you can do without equipment.
• Keeping a record of what you have achieved can help to keep you focused.
• Varying exercises can help keep you interested and stop boredom from setting in.
• Make sure you stick to your workout schedule.
• Pay attention to your diet. Eat proper meals and avoid junk food or snacking.

Clean up or revamp your house

Staying at home is an opportunity to de-clutter, clean up, and reorganize your house. You have all the time you have always needed, so why not use it to improve your home? (Or do the things that your partner has been nagging you to do.) A clean and tidy house will make it more enjoyable to stay indoors and to work from home.

Pamper yourself

Researches show that doing something pleasant for yourself can be very therapeutic. So, take some time every other day to pamper yourself. This can be as simple taking a bubble bath or having scented candles lit around the house.

Plan for future holidays

Research possible destinations and activities which you could do at that destination. The positive feeling that come from this activity can help to eliminate the feelings of doom and gloom.

Start a new personal project

Having an ongoing project gives people something to look forward. Craft projects, genealogical tree, pot planting etc, are just a few ideas.

Rediscover old forgotten games and TV shows

It is a great opportunity to catch up on some TV shows or old games that you use to enjoy. You could revisit some classic board games with the family.

Staying connected with family members during a pandemic is very important

• You could use the time to repair strained relationships.
• Check-in with texts and video calls.
• Play online games together.
• Work on a family project from a distance.
• Plan a future family get-together or vacation.
• Help each other with goals and resolutions.
• Time to forgive and reunite.

Take control of your finances

This can take on many forms and include various outcomes. It may be starting an online business to bring in extra money. It could be that you look at direct debits, standing orders and other payments that are no longer relevant or that can be cancelled. It may mean looking at your budget and where you can save money. Especially if you are out of work or not getting paid.

Take time to care for someone else

Caring for someone or putting a smile on someone else’s face can be very rewarding. It is a decent thing to do for a fellow human being and it can have a very positive impact on our own lives as well.

Meditate

Meditation and mindfulness are excellent ways of relaxing your mind and having a much clearer perspective on things.

Wrapping it up

It is quite clear that going through a pandemic is a unprecedented period and there are many potential yet unknown impact areas that we can face. It is important to do our best in this time of adversity to support one another and to stay positive. Focusing on the positive and what we can do to move forward. It is important to enjoy whatever it is that you do. This helps to take the monotony out of it, as well as keep one motivated and focused. Keeping busy helps to keep one active and sane in times of uncertainty.

If you need help with dealing with the impacts on your personal or business life, then don’t hesitate to contact us. You can have a free consultation to discuss what help might be available.