The COVID-19 pandemic has caused millions of Americans to work from home, many of these individuals are working from home for the first time ever. Sports and other forms of entertainment have been indefinitely postponed. Churches are shut down and services are being live-streamed. If that doesn’t illustrate the paralyzing state that the country is in, we don’t know what does.
While it is hard not to focus on the negatives from this crisis… this time is also filled with many positives. To help change your perspective during this chaotic and stressful time, our VP of Central Sales at Pegasus, Daniel Medalie, gives the following advice to see the advantages of this time at home
1. A Time to Take Care of Your Diet
A healthier diet
Restaurants and bars across the country are closed which has forced us to cook our own meals at home. The added salt and butter may make eating out taste better but cooking at home has proved to be healthier and cheaper!
With food flying off the shelves though, it might feel easy to put a healthy lifestyle on the back burner. Social distancing and self-quarantine may just be the excuse you need to get creative in the kitchen and to keep your nutrition on point.
Remember those bowls of candy, endless snacks, or free lunches in the office? Chances are you don’t have to worry about that if you’re quarantined at home. How about grabbing an apple or a pear? Use this time to intentionally add some fruit and vegetables to your diet.
Track what you eat
Do you want to take it to the next level? Document what you’re eating. Download MyFitnessPal on your mobile device – it’s free! If you start to document everything you’re eating, you’ll be shocked by what you’re missing out on (and chances are, you are not getting the nutrition you need).
Accountability comes in the form of monitoring. It’s just like monitoring our spending – we really are only aware when we document it! For salespeople, it’s like prospecting – we prospect more effectively when we document what we’re doing.
2. A Time to Start a Fitness Routine
Every gym has closed but this has created an opportunity for you to access at-home workouts for free. With these workout programs, there is no need for added weights… just find a reasonable amount of space and you can have a good workout.
Check out apps like Strava, Aaptiv, Sworkit, or MapMyRun. Camp Gladiator trainers have been posting Facebook Live or Zoom workout classes for free. Instagram and YouTube has numerous trainers posting workouts you can do from home. If you’re a runner, download an interval-training app on your smartphone to help you to get more out of your run!
3. A Time to Connect with Others
We’ve been living in a world that is so busy and we can often forget to slow down and focus on those around us. Surprise! Just because you’re self-quarantining, doesn’t mean you have to be completely cut off from everyone.
If you are living at home with family, spend your evenings cooking and eating dinner together, plan family walks, and have a game night. If you live alone, video call a friend or family member you have been meaning to catch up with.
One event that caught my attention was “virtual happy hour” – gather friends over Zoom/FaceTime/Skype and everyone has their favorite drink in hand! What better way to keep up some camaraderie with friends?
4. A Time to Get Your Finances in Order
Think of the money that you’re saving by not running out to the store or mall. This is a good time to get your finances in order… start with documenting what you’ve spent over the last 30 days leading up to the quarantine.
Look at every account you have open – are you using all those credit cards? What about your iTunes account or your AppStore account? Are you aware of every item that may be billing you on a monthly or annual basis? It’s important to have awareness on what you’re spending on a regular, ongoing basis. This is a time to clean up your bank accounts and find ways to save yourself money!
5. A Time to Change Your Passwords
Even though most of the country is working from home, we’re even more susceptible to online criminal activity. If you are not familiar with the source of the email, do not open it! If something fishy shows up in your inbox, ask for your help and don’t open it!
Finally – change your passwords! Keep track of which accounts you are changing but be sure to update all your passwords pertaining to financial institutions. If you cannot remember the last time you updated your password, the time is now!
In Summary
During this time, stay positive because this will not be forever, and this too shall pass.
Take these moments to build up your awareness of your eating and spending habits, to practice keeping yourself accountable, to invest in the relationships around you, and to increase your online safety.
Efficiency comes in all forms – and for the next 2-3 weeks, it may come to you in a way that you lost sight of.
