So, everyone is now locked in their homes, waiting out the problem that is COVID-19. While I wouldn’t suggest anyone not take the coronavirus pandemic seriously, I do think that people are failing to see the silver lining around this dark cloud. Yes, people are dying. Yes, people are out of work. These are bad things, which should be avoided, in spite of the fact that these things always happen, and will continue to happen, for so long as life exists here on Earth. Also yes, we are all (or most of us) supposed to be “sheltering in place,” or shut up in our homes. Many people are, and many people aren’t.
Let’s assume that you are one of the people who are staying in as much as possible. I’ve noticed that a lot of you are spending your time eating, drinking, and basically looking at this situation as an extended “staycation.” I think this amounts to a terrible waste of time, and allows for the cultivation of very bad habits that will come back to bite you in the ass later. So, I urge you all to see the positive side of the global pandemic, and try to keep your life on track. So, some suggestions:
1. Focus on the positive. I’ve notice that when I do have to go out, Chicago traffic is much more manageable than usual. Also, being somewhat of a misanthrope, the reduction in the amount of humans clogging up public spaces is a true relief. If you are working from home, view this as an opportunity to enjoy the much more pleasant and controlled lifestyle of the person whose work is more integrated with his life, as opposed to the standard office dweller – I don’t believe anyone misses their cubicle that much. Spend time with your kids, your dogs, your cats, whatever. Between commuting and working, most people actually spend very little time with their loved ones. Now you get to do so. Make the most of it.
2. Take care of your health. Yes, I know the gyms are closed. So what? There are plenty of things you can do at home to keep your body functioning properly. For those of you who don’t know, besides being a lawyer, I am the owner of a gym. So believe me, I sympathize when you say that it sucks that gyms are closed but liquor stores aren’t. My gym is offering online training during this time, either live via Zoom or through a series of videos recorded by our coaches, who are the best out there. If you are interested, send me an email, either here tim@cutofthemurphy.com, or at the gym tmurphy@pureelitefit.com and I’ll send you a link to the sign up page. The cost is very low, and the benefits are high. If you aren’t interesting in training, you can still take a walk, ride a bike, do calisthenics – just basically keep your body moving. When this virus thing breaks, people are going to flock to the club, the bars and the beaches in droves. Don’t you want to look and feel your best?
3. General self-care. Your schedule is somewhat less busy than it used to be, and will continue to be less busy for a while yet. Nobody really knows. So, do the things that you know you should be doing anyway. Cook healthful meals at home. Make sure you are getting enough sleep. Do the things that help reduce stress in your life. You may just find the lifestyle that you always wished you had.
Work on your side hustle. There are an awful lot of people out there who would like to start making a living, or at least supplementing their income, with an online business. The lifestyle designers have been talking about location-independent work for many years. Now is the perfect time to do that. Fire up the computer, and get started on your own online business. There is nothing stopping you. In fact, with the whole world functioning by online meetings right now, there has perhaps never been a better time to get your online moneymaker shaking.
4. Use that tech to keep in touch. Everyone has now migrated to online communication. That webcam and microphone also allow you to call friends and family, not just the office. Reach out to all of those people you miss, but never seem to get around to catching up with. Happiness is found in relationships, not in the bad news of the day. Turn off the news, turn on the Skype, and reach out and touch someone (virtually, of course!)
5. Feed your mind. This is a great time to learn a new skill, take up a language or a musical instrument, dive into a topic that has always interested you, and just generally, learn something new. You know you won’t have the time when things get back to normal.
Speaking of getting back to normal, I have to say that I’m not sure I ever will. This COVID-19 lockdown has shown me a way of life which I may actually prefer to the “normal.” Obviously, there are things about “normal” that I’m looking forward to getting back. Still, I think that the slower, more focused, more relaxed pace that this forced situation has shown me is going to be integrated into much more of my “normal” life going forward.
Whatever you decide to do during virus time, I wish you help and happiness. As always, I’d love to hear from you, email me at tim@cutofthemurphy.com.
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