COVID: emotional and financial survival guide

Keep Busy (or not)

Here are some of the things I have been doing through my first 15 days of COVID self-imposed isolation, that have kept me sane:

• Rest - you are on a pretty extreme emotional journey right now and your mind and your heart might need a break. Take it, guilt free. You will be more productive, at ease and creative when you are properly rested.
• Sleep - now is a good time to create some good habits if you can. I am also a fan of having a cheeky wine, some cheese and then an afternoon nap. Pop it in the pro column. 
• Routine - on that note, think about setting yourself up with a routine. What time will you wake up? Are you showering, getting out of your PJs, cooking for yourself?
• Get Fit - being physical is important! I write this to you from the couch where I now live. I am hopeless for getting up, opening my emails, and then it being 8pm by the time I lift my head up again. So, I now get up and go for a little jog each morning. I try to do a half hour home workout in the afternoon/evening too. PRO: maybe we will all be feeling babe'n by the time summer rolls around?
• Connect - even if you are an introvert (not me!) and kind of loving this isolation in a way, it is important to stay connected to friends and family. I am loving the messenger, whatsapp, hangouts and house party calls I am having. Weirdly, there are friends (new and old) that I feel like I am connecting with on a deeper level than I ever have before. Maybe it is the frequency or the shared experience? 
• Ask for help - from a financial and emotional perspective you might need to lean on some friends, your family, me (your accountant), or more professional help (mental health experts etc). No shame in any of this. Reach out. If your cup is full, then reach out to others who might need your help too. 
• Tax - I am an accountant for creatives and have been doing this long enough to know most of you are not on top of your tax. Now is the perfect time. Maybe there are some refunds waiting for you!?
• Budget - when you are ready, take a 'stocktake' of where you are now, research the support on offer by your government, councils and industry bodies, and plan out what the next 6 weeks and 6 months look like. Let us know if you need a hand!
• Marie Kondo - clean up and clean out. Feeling clean and organised and joyful is going to do wonder for you.
• DIY - got any projects on that to-do-list that have been on there for way too long? Same. Now is a great time to make your home your favourite place... you will be safe (not stuck!) in it for a while we think. 
• Learn & Escape - ever feel like you watch too much Netflix and don't read enough? You are not alone. Nothing wrong with a binge every now and then, but when you feel ready, this is an opportunity to up skill, to expand your horizon, to smart your imagination, to escape into fiction. You could also do some online courses! Learn to dance, a new language, how to play an instrument. 
• Dream & Brainstorm - right now you might be feeling the anxiety and confusion. But in time, I have faith that will subside for you to make room in your beautiful brain for invention, imagination and creation. Often the most incredible art comes from adversity. Be open to that. 
  How good is it going to be when this is all over and we can give the world these creations!? 

These are just some of the things I have been doing but I would love to hear your ideas! Please share with me what you have been up to and what is helping you to get through.

Right now we survive, but in time we will thrive. 

xxx Lauren