World over, the term that is currently on everyone's lips the most is "Covid-19" or "Corona virus". It is astonishing how a virus emanating from one region in China has spread all over the globe, to far-flung countries, and is a full-blown pandemic, according to the WHO. A single virus has acquired so much power that it has turned on its head some of the theories that were universally being put out for good living.
Take for instance, spending time online. We were constantly being reminded of how important it is not to spend too much time online, and go out and meet real people. Children were told to reduce their screen time and spend time playing outside with their friends. Now the advice from health professionals and governments is "Stay inside as much as possible, avoid meeting people (especially larger groups), work from home, do as much communication and meetings as possible online through video-conferencing etc." A complete U-turn, isn't it? Another turn around is about using cars. There was so much negative press around one-person-one-car use. Constant reminders to car-pool or use public transport have now turned into advice to avoid public transport and travel in your own cars!
Hopefully, this dramatic situation around the corona virus blows over soon, and life returns to normalcy. The long-term economic impact of this virus will probably become evident over the coming months, but people have already reported job losses and business closures in many parts of the world. What can we all learn from this health disaster? I think the biggest lesson is that anything can happen anytime. Life throws the most unexpected curve-balls at the most unexpected times. Be prepared, especially financially. Saving money for a rainy day is not an advice to be sneezed at - pardon the pun! Another useful thing to remember is not to get too stressed about things outside our control. Our best-laid plans can be destroyed by factors beyond our control in the blink of an eye. Getting stressed out and too worked up about situations like the Corona virus will work against our interests because it has been medically proven that stress reduces our immunity which in turn makes us more vulnerable to viruses! So just chill, sit back and binge watch your favorite shows on Netflix and the internet. Think of this as a holiday forced upon you!!