The world is in chaos right now as there’s a global pandemic which has struck the human race like never before. I’m no historian but I’m pretty sure this is the first time so many countries have been placed into full lockdown. Many industries including; shops, hotels and restaurants have temporarily shut and thousands are out of work as a result. Governments have been forced to provide trillion dollar, euro and pound stimulus packages, to keep their economies afloat. These packages now surpass $7 trillion dollars.

The recent stock market sell off was actually faster than the Great Depression in 1929. Even conservative governments are resorting to socialism and paying 80% of employee’s wages to prevent mass poverty. Considering that we’ve had a 10 year raging bull market, one could’ve predicted a recession but not a global pandemic. All travel has shut down, so geo-arbitrage is out the window.

Yes, I Did Say I Quit My Job

This has also coincided with me, quitting my full-time stable job in the UK (where I could work from home) to travel the world and live in Australia. What a time to make such a big decision! We are now on the other side of the world, with no family or friends. Obviously, they are still contactable, with just a 9 hour time difference and I can still reach out to all of the supportive people I am connected with on twitter and other social media.

However, I appreciate there are people who have it much worse than me. Other backpackers are stranded in Australia fast running out of money due to businesses closing almost overnight and kicked out of hostels because of social distancing. As a result, people are spending as much as $8,000 on flights back to the UK that are cancelled at short notice. Many airlines are only offering refunds in the form of credit to purchase another ticket, which doesn’t help if that airline cancels the entire route. It’s for this reason, along with many others, that we have decided not to try and get back to the UK…. for now.

Are You Between A Rock And A Hard Place?

You may also be in a position of being a nomad abroad, or maybe you have lost contracted hours, or even your job. If so, feel free to reach out to me at [email protected] or in the comments below.

I wanted to write this post because, in times like this it’s hard not to feel a sense or panic or overwhelming frustration. So I wanted to write on a completely up-front and personal level and tell you what’s worked so far, for me. I understand that I have a good cash buffer, and although I don’t want to eat into my savings, many of you out there might not have an option.

I also do not have long-term accommodation planned and essentially being trapped in another country (although there are worse places to be in the world) is a little uncomfortable at times. With all this in mind i’m going to talk about 6 things that have helped me so far:

1. Remember That You Are Safe (somewhat)

This might sound like a crazy thing to say, given the very threat we face. However, many of you are Millennials without any underlying issues, like myself, and have a very low risk of mortality when it comes to COVID-19. It’s actually spreading the disease and hurting those around us that is the danger here.

However, I am talking here from a more financial perspective. If you are not in any immediate threat of running out of food or water, and you’re not in a war zone, then we can take a little relief in this fact. For the moment I am moving between Airbnbs in a nice suburb of Melbourne called South Yarra. Although 95% of places are shut, there are nice parks and I can take some time to walk down the tree lined Yarra River, which leads all the way into the City.

Things Will Return To Normal

This will not last forever, and there will be an opportunity to get back to normal, resume our lives and earn more money. Your prospects may seem bleak now but soon a light will appear at the end of the tunnel.

Open your history books and look back to 1929, 1914, and 1939 which were the start of depressive, war torn years but they all ended at 1933, 1918 and 1945. With China recovering 2 months after their first COVID-19 death, it’s hopeful that the rest of the world will do the same.

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2. Accept That You Will Get Frustrated

We have been forced to adapt to a new way of life, for at least the next 3 months, with limited or no access to the things we enjoy, not to mention the feeling of impending doom. It’s normal to feel frustrated with this new way of life, the limited job market, and financial prospects.

Sometimes I feel like our generation has been subjected to a recession sandwich with a filling of austerity in between. Low wage growth with an increase in casual employment, fixed term contracts and the gig economy, not to mention sky high house prices.

Trying to bottle this up and not think about it, is probably impossible, so it’s important to talk it through. Whether this is to get your frustration out or to problem solve. Remember who you are talking to though, and what kind of conversation they are looking for. I am lucky that I have my girlfriend here with me but for those of you who are separated from loved ones you can try the following:

Whatsapp – Instant message and video call free of charge from anywhere in the world.

Skype – I’ve found this useful for calling my grandad back in the UK, as I can call his landline using my mobile/wifi for a very small cost.

3. Taking Positive Action

I am probably one of the few people in developed countries that will not have access to any kind of financial support due to not yet being able to find work. I am a foreigner to this country, with access to only casual work. As I don’t have any employment I’m not entitled to any job keeper payments such as the Government paying 80% of your wage. I’m also not entitled to any job seeker arrangement where help is given to the unemployed, as I’m not a citizen.

I could accept that the job market is doomed and all is lost but this would only worsen my problem. Instead, what is helping is taking positive action, applying for freelancing jobs and trying to provide some supportive and helpful information via my blog. Whether it’s to people that can take advantage of the situation, or those in a bad way.

Keeping the mind active and positive can improve your wellbeing and productivity, ultimately this is a good defence against the doom and gloom. Find something that works for you, this may be something social (online interaction), or more self-orientated and reflective.

Stay Productive

Being productive may also reduce the chance you will scroll through your news feed, looking at COVID-19 and bear market/recession based articles. As the evidence shows, negative daily news can make people unhappy, especially if they demonstrate certain personality traits.

If you feel like doing something productive, how about starting a blog while you are stuck at home? Sign up to Bluehost, one click installs wordpress and off you go. I’d also recommend ConverKit as a way to build up your email list and stay in touch with people who find your blog.

You can even monetize your blog by signing up to Interactive Offers. Who knows, your hobby might even generate an income!

4. Remember To Look After Yourself

Getting enough sleep, nutrition and exercise are not only effective tools to improve your immune system and fight viruses, but they can also improve your overall wellbeing, happiness and productivity.

Make some small adjustments in your day to get 8 hours of quality sleep, incorporate certain foods to your diet and get some exercise, like a walk or 15 minutes of Yoga or HIT can make a huge difference.

When you are stuck inside wallowing in a negative situation it can be easy to lapse into not having a routine, and forgetting to do these things. Building them into your day can not only give your day structure, but can make you feel more positive.

Going out for a walk every day and eating some hearty meals has made the biggest impact on my wellbeing. I recently made a Shepherds Pie, yes this might go back on what I said about nutrition, but comfort food is comfort food. I used full cream milk and it was actually the best one i’ve ever made (every cloud has a silver lining). It’s the small things!

Stick With A Routine

Try to stick to a routine, especially in the morning. Some people say that a morning routine can be life changing and I’m inclined to agree. This episode of the Smart Passive Income Podcast with Pat Flynn is about Hal Elrod who had a car accident that left doctors saying he’d never walk again. His positive outlook and determination helped him get through this unbelievable hardship and now he even runs marathons.

5. Being Persistent And Determined

In my situation, there’s no point thinking what my life would be like had I not given up my job and stayed in the UK. I’ve made the decision, there’s no going back, so I’m making the best of the situation I’m in. Therefore, the only way is forward and there is little room to fail because my back is already against the wall.

There is evidence to suggest that perceived self-efficacy (personal beliefs in one’s capabilities that influence how people feel, think, motivate themselves and behave) can increase your wellbeing and ability to deal with stress. If you encourage yourself, and believe that you can exert some influence on your situation, this alone may help.

Looking Past This Pandemic

The only things I can do are; negotiate to reduce our costs, cut unnecessary spending and continue to try and develop new sources of income, whether that means applying for a job, setting up a business or earning money online through blogging.

If I’m stuck in the apartment all day I might as well try and make the best of it. Even if my efforts fail now, the effort might be fruitful in the future, through connections or skills I’ve learned, or even through developing this blog as a side hustle. If I can help other people whilst I’m doing it then there’s that too.

6. Be Positive And Take Action

My ultimate message here is to be almost naively optimistic with what you can do and achieve. Be positive and determined and you never know what might happen in the future.

In order to help you out, I’ve designed a quick 6 step program that you can download and use as a morning routine. This was pretty much my routine before I left the UK. This guide can help feel better about your day, make you more resilient to stress and even make you a morning person. If you choose not to take action, then you could be at risk of; apathy, boredom and pessimism. You can change all this by starting with just a 10 minute time-investment in your day. Download it now and let me know what you think?