SUMMARY
This article is about things to remember while going through these tough times, where uncertainty Is on the peak, people are feeling low and depressed and many of us cannot keep our eyes on the horizon…
This article basically is the “Road Map” to be where you aim to be and to be optimistic for the future while keeping your eyes on the Current situation.
COVID-19 has completely turned around our lifestyles, things which were not considered very important or worth to be kept on our priority have become for instance washing hands, for a perfect 20 seconds. Our palms are worn out from constant cleaning and scrubbing, hand cream was not on the shopping list before has become a must against the rigorous hand washing.
Our routine has changed things have become topsy turvy and the chores seem to be never-ending for instance Clothes need to be folded; cooking seems to be an uphill never-ending task, and one thing that needs to ensure is that we must not cheat and be grateful for our relative honour. We all are wondering time and again, what happens when all this ends? Would we be the same people? Would our routines be the same as they were? Nope, we cannot make any predictions, as maybe some or all might be wrong. No one can tell.
We are all spending a disproportionate amount of time in this lockdown, trying to figure out and work out, how the world will be after this COVID-19 saga. Some romanticize and feel liberation in working from home; some fear that the world is on the verge of deepest and greatest recession; some imagine and feel that there is complete government control on our lives, and some are waiting to see the end of tab authentication and return to their local community based interactive and engaged living. We just don’t know.
We love and adore living in the tomorrow and the future. The main idea behind this “loving the tomorrow Lala land” that there is a superior place to go to and to be, and that somehow everything will be different, and agreeable so we envisage that we will holiday after stepping down from work; will start working on fitness and be fit someday in the future; and begin plans to save and finish our debts in that bright tomorrow that awaits us. Our determinations and plans for our post-COVID-19 world are quite parallel. They help us to cope, to deny the present and forget and escape current realities.
So, should we expect that the world won’t change at all? Of course, it will. Nothing in recent time has created such an impact on the entire world like this. Every crisis creates something new, pleasant, gigantic, surprising inspirational, and empowering us to jump ahead. Such is the influence of human innovation. But that way isn’t all rosy and straight.
Then one day, after all this COVID-19 chaos ends…we will be all full of memories and nostalgia and shall and weave that story of the way we have survived COVID-19. A story that will be fit incorporating events we choose to consider in the story we weave. The excitement of being a “survivor” would be so strong that we would be all up to share with anyone and everyone ready to listen. It will be “THE” event and story of our lifetime. The thing is that we don’t know it now since we are so busy to get out of it and see the end of this difficult time. However, one thing that needs to be remembered is the more we try to figure out and analyze and sometimes over-analyze the situation, we will fail.
Which is why it is recommended to stop predicting and guessing, about what will happen? And stop wasting time over worthless crystal gazing. It is a gift from God and we should accept with utmost humility that the most amazing thing about the future is that it is mysterious.
We have developed a list of nine (9) things to prepare yourself for your life while and post-COVID-19 as we navigate these tough and testing times.
Keep Cash with you….
The first thing that you need to do ensure is that…the money should be kept handy, don’t oversee the very possibility of losing your current job, keeping that in mind manage your expenses efficiently and effectively and only use it for a necessity or if it is an emergency. Right manage your bank balance and keep a good amount secure for as long as you can.
Prepare yourself….
The next thing that you need to keep in mind is to be underpaid, made redundant or even be jobless for a while, with the economy at a lull and no goods and services being produced many jobs are on the line. Mentally prepare that you may have to economic despair and the brunt of COVID-19. In this time look into the skills that you can acquire….
Keep yourself calm and collected through this crisis…take help to keep you mentally collected and relax, don’t stress yourself out and think of possibilities to make things work.
Debt is a Disease….
The third important thing on the list is…. “SHUN DEBT LIKE A DISEASE”, the important thing to remember during this time is that not to borrow from anyone, family, friends, and relatives anybody…
Keep away your credit card until necessary and always pay it in full if you have to use it..rely on your debit card till the COVID-19 dust settles, you must be sure that you don’t default or get into a financial abyss during this crisis.
Assets that can be used in times of need…
Fourth on the list and probably at the moment, most is to keep track of your assets that can be liquidated if need be, keeping the present scenario you may also need to let go of them at a lower price or even at a loss. It can be the property you bought as an investment, your stocks, your mutual funds or maybe your art or jewellery.
Remember that all the wealth can be accumulated one the situation is better and things once get back to normal. But you should know well before time what to let go…one thing that should be ingrained in your head is “Don’t take a loan against your assets”.
Trade your future Assets for your present survival…
Five, be willing and ready to trade off some long term goals for your present survival, it’s important to realize that what important when, so always be ready to swap your present for your future, as it would allow you avoid present loans and would save you from “favours”.
Don’t Pay heed to the Peg-piper…
Six, do not fall for ploys and tricks that play on the crisis. Snake oil sellers will tell you that it is the best time to buy a cheap property or that shares that are being traded at much lower. Or that you must buy like one Mr Mark or Mr Buffet does when there is blood on the roads. Don’t listen to these stories. This is not the time to listen to what being drum is rolled on the streets.
Keep your eyes on the Horizon….
Next to foresee is that “every crisis can be a birth of new opportunity” being said that you should be alert keeping your eyes and ears open, keep track of what is happening what new trends can be seen as the new way things would work.
Figuring that out learn new skills as we don’t know things that seem not worthy right now might be a new way forward, for instance, the online retail stores, people who got their business to digitalize with a strong presence online has been thriving in this situation. Rather than looking at the situation with a microscopic view by the too “live-in-the-moment” approach, you will be missing out on many things that can be of benefit in your future. Keep the spirit alive, fight the burning fire in the forest but also look for the opportunities that may be an offshoot of the burnt forest floor.
What can you bring to the table…
Eight, constantly evaluate your purpose and contribution to society. It should not be limited to during crisis time or after that. Your relevance and importance are related to what you can bring to the table, where do you fit in the larger picture. What is your role in society? Are you a problem solver or facilitator? Be sure you are solving problems, saving resources, enhancing efficiency, and making a difference. In as many little ways as you can. Don’t just sit there and gossip, get things done.
Things will get back to Normal…
Nine…
Don’t be too pessimistic and think on an optimistic note, because the best thing about people is that they forget things as the time passes and the memories become dim and our brain only retains what we want to hold on too…
People bounce back and get back to normal, “Events which feel big today…will be a small spot on your brain tomorrow”. So don’t expect the world to become completely a changed place or heaven it’s going to be the same, so keep yourself on track with the current situation and fasten your belts for this journey…
With keeping yourself abreast regarding current happenings….also ensure that you are rightly equipped with your medical needs, like getting COVID-19 Cover for your family that starts from as low as PKR1200 for each family member and members up till 12 can be added in the plan.
This plan is a great cover against the pandemic that’s has been spreading in the world, as when you are tested positive it provides you with lump-sum cash benefits and PKR5000 per day hospital charges. This cover can be easily procured during the lockdown at the comfort of your home from Smartchoice.pk, where you can get all your insurance-related requirements fulfilled.
Read all the predictions for the future with a smile and be calm. Stay composed and listens to everyone, who tells you that they saw it all coming. Make Concession on extreme theories of optimism and pessimism, keep the focus on the present, preserve you and stay attentive to everything and do all very carefully.
