The coronavirus is causing a lot of suffering on a human level. It's important to try to stay positive during these times, whilst making sure you act responsibly and take precautions.
John Green, writer of The Fault In Our Stars (among many other excellent things he does), recently shared 10 mental health tips from Dr Bepi Raviola:
1) Social distancing does not mean emotional distancing; use technology to connect widely;
2) Clear routines and schedule, seven days a week, at home—don't go overboard;
3) Exercise and physical activity, daily if possible;
4) Learning and intellectual engagement—books, reading, limited internet (but keep reading Fool articles!);
5) Positive family time—working to counter negativity;
6) Alone time, outside if possible, but inside too; but remember, don't isolate;
7) Focused meditation and relaxation;
8) Remember the things that you really enjoy doing, that you can do in this situation, and find a way to do them;
9) Limit exposure to TV and internet news; choose small windows and then find ways to cleanse yourself of it;
10) Bathe daily, if possible, to reinforce the feeling of cleanliness.
A tiny point: obviously you do need to isolate if you're required to. And a shower would probably work as well as a bath!
I must say that four things that have helped me the most during this period so far have been: doing enjoyable exercising, playing games as a family with our 2 year old, chocolate and listening to upbeat music.
And financially there are reasons to be positive about the future: This period will pass, just like every other negative time has. The government is providing support. Banks like Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) and Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC) are willing to provide payment holidays. Interest rates are extremely low for borrowers (not so good for savers). A vast majority of ASX businesses will survive.
This may take weeks or even months to get through, but we can get through together with our families, friends and connecting with other people online.
