The global COVID-19 pandemic has turned our world upside down, but you already know that. Without focusing too much on how this coronavirus has changed our world, we are going to look ahead at how we can take care of ourselves – both in terms of our health and our wealth.
These are uncertain economic times with a recession like no other predicted as businesses plummet, sales drop and consumers are unwilling to spend as they once did. The risk of being out of a job, for many, is all too real even as we begin to take the first few steps out of lockdown.
Concerns with money are one thing, but all of this has been driven by concerns for our health, with it having been drummed into us every day for the past few months of the risks of catching COVID-19. Remaining vigilant and isolating away from society has taken a drastic effect on both our physical and mental health. Looking after ourselves has to be the number one priority coming out of this awful situation in which we are in.
Looking After Your Wealth
Making sure you have enough money to look after yourself and your family is the most important thing, especially right now. This is not the time to be making extravagant and costly purchases when you would be wiser to put that money aside for a rainy day. No industry is secure at the moment, with almost all businesses (bar a few lucky ones) have felt the pinch this year having been forced to either completely close or operate at reduced capacity.
With reports of thousands of job losses every week, a recession like no other coming our way and the prospect of a potential second wave that could put us right back into lockdown now is the time to put money away for a rainy day. Even though we are being encouraged to spend to give the economy a much-needed shot in the arm, don’t go out there and spend money that you might not be able to afford to do so.
Looking After Your Health
Staying healthy is equally as important, both mentally and physically. With gyms and sports facilities closed, that has seen many turn to home workout regimes to try and keep fit, whilst others have fallen the other way and put on more than a couple of pounds during the lockdown. Making sure we keep active is a must, even if it is just for a walk around the block which can do wonders for our mental health, too.
Something else that has gone unnoticed by many, but certainly not by medical professionals, is the need to kickstart cancer treatments, with a huge backlog of patients having formed during the pandemic. In the United Kingdom, for example, it has been estimated it may take the National Health Service as long as 10 years to catch up, even with new treatments such as proton beam therapy in the UK being rolled out. On top of this, fewer people have been diagnosed year-on-year, which means that fewer people have been forthcoming with symptoms than before lockdown – this certainly isn’t because we have suddenly discovered a cure for cancer.
The message is clear if you have symptoms of cancer – or any other medical issues that you are unsure about – make sure you book an appointment with the doctor. It may be nothing, but a medical professional would much rather give you the all-clear than diagnose you with advanced cancer further down the line.
