Today’s blog is a bit different from the usual retail-focused programming. It’s a bit more general, not just for retailers or for businesses, but for everyone.
Right now it feels impossible to escape the talk of COVID-19 coronavirus. Everywhere we look or listen, someone is talking about it. We know what you’re thinking… even this blog is technically about it. Everything feels a bit crazy, and that’s okay. But it’s making for a really unusual and anxious time for a lot of people.
To preface this, we think that the current situation needs to be handled with complete seriousness. However, now more than ever, we need to remain as optimistic as possible and view our current situation from a constructive perspective. It might seem like a strange time to talk about being positive but, it’s more important than ever. What can we learn right now? And how do we try and see or plan beyond this?
“She stood in the storm and when the wind did not blow her way, she adjusted her sails.”
― Elizabeth Edwards
Whether we admit it or not, humans are instinctively habitual creatures. We don’t like change. For this very reason, it’s easy to get into a routine and sometimes, if we aren’t careful, to find ourselves on autopilot. One minute it’s January, and all of a sudden it’s March and we struggle to remember what happened in the blurry jumble of days in between.
Sometimes it takes something bigger, something unplanned, to shake up our world and break the cycle. It makes us pause, and look inwards and consider what is really important. All this chaos has forced us to stop and for once be in tune with the present.
But as much as being present is extremely important, we have to remember that perspective and time can work magic too.
It’s important to remember, this will eventually pass. The virus will have run its course. The news stories will become lighter. The streets will become busier. The supermarket shelves will be full. The market will recover. Things will return to normal. And, if we take this as a learning opportunity, we will be a whole lot smarter from the whole experience.
So, use this as an opportunity to reflect. Maybe it’s time to think about what you are truly passionate about. It might be the time to finally make plans for that big career move or career change. Or the time for your business to pause and reflect too. Is there anything you can do better or ways you can be better? It sounds obvious but when things are forced to change and adapt, you can realise that things, well, can change.
Finally, we have some practical advice on what you can do to stay positive during this time. Because positivity is not only good for our mental health but our physical health too.
Say thank you
Sometimes we only take the time to think about how grateful we are when everything is going well and as planned. However, it’s when times get tough that we need to practice gratitude. No matter how crazy things are, there is always something to be thankful for.
Find the flow
It’s important to be engaged in activities that are important to us. You might know how awesome it feels to be completely and utterly immersed in what you’re doing. Everything else quietens, time passes and you are working at peak productivity. In the flow state, we find calm, which we need more of right now.
Get something done, even if it’s only small
Finding a sense of accomplishment is essential amid all the chaos. Try to set yourself a to-do list for the day. Things like cooking a meal from scratch or getting up and moving still count as accomplishments. Crossing off items will help foster a sense of productivity, no matter how big or small the achievements are.
Close the gap
While we’re all more isolated than usual right now, we have more in common than ever. It’s important to find ways to still connect and spend quality time together. We just have to reconfigure how these interactions take place. It’s a time to be kind, patient and generous to others.
As much as we’d like too, we can’t hide out under a rock and completely tune out from the chaos… unless you’re Cristiano Ronaldo and can afford a private island to escape to, then by all means go ahead. Nevertheless, it’s important to find the silver lining, and also know that it’s okay to turn down the volume on the news for a while.
Take this time for what it is, and try to reflect and learn as much as you can.
On the other side of a storm is the strength that comes from having navigated through it. Raise your sail and begin.”
― Gregory S. Williams
If you are a retailer or business, make sure to check out one of our recent blogs here, to learn more about how to not only survive a downturn but thrive because of it.
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