A golden rule of good financial planning is: control the things we can control. We think that’s a good piece of advice for dealing with the coronavirus pandemic as well. Here are some things you can do to care for your welbeing every day during this difficult time.

The government guidelines say that unless we are in that most vulnerable category (in which case we should stay home for 12 weeks) then we should all aim to go outside for walks and jogs,

(avoiding crowded areas and observing social distancing). Or it might also be time to dust off that running machine or exercise bike. 

Exercise can help to clear your mind and give you a fresh perspective.

Social distancing has turned even our most casual connections into long-distance relationships, and that’s been a hard adjustment for some of us.

You’ve probably started organizing weekly video calls with your friends and family and supplementing those long calls with messages on your favourite social media platform.

However, experts warn that too much video chatting and social media can have the adverse effect of driving up anxiety. If you feel your stress mounting, unplug. Play games with the friends and family you’re locked down with. Cook a meal with your spouse. Block off some solo time to read, take an online course, or practise your hobbies. 

Also, try to embrace a little boredom from time to time. In our always-on, always-connected society, we feel like we should always be doing something, always be watching something, always be messaging someone. A quiet moment alone with a cup of coffee, letting your mind wander, can lead to inspiring ideas, a problem-solving breakthrough, or the inner peace that Facebook just can’t deliver.

Not knowing how long we’ll have to live with social distancing can make it difficult to think about your life outside of your house and beyond the coronavirus. So much of our attention is focused on what’s happening right now and what we need to get through the next day. 

But you will get through today, and the next one. And eventually, we’ll all be back outside, heading to the office, sending our kids to school, spending real face time with friends and family, working towards the goals that are most important to us. 

Try to carve out a little time every day to think about those long-term goals that are hard to see right now. Can you devote ten minutes to that side project you want to present at work? Can you write more? Paint more? Cook something a little fancier? Be a little more involved in home schooling?

Big-picture thinking can also help you maintain proper perspective about the long-term financial goals your plan is designed to achieve. However, we understand those goals seem especially far away under these circumstances. If you need a little extra short-term financial guidance, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.