The novel coronavirus pandemic has taken its toll on the mental and physical wellbeing of many Americans. There are some who have lost their jobs, while others have gotten sick or watched loved ones get sick. There are also those simply struggling to keep their mental health and wellness above water during this sometimes painfully boring and unmotivating times.

How to Overcome

Just because times are not ideal, though, no one should allow themselves to get dragged down by the coronavirus. This time in history is a test. It’s a test of our strength. Not only physical but also mental. Rather than giving in to despair and allowing yourself to fall out of shape or get depressed because you lost your job or spend way more time than you should watch TV, people should use this time to improve themselves and, possibly, even reinvent themselves.

What If You Got Fired?

Getting fired can be tough, sure. But the good news is that it’s a solvable problem. Not only that, but right now is one of the best times in American history to ever get fired. Why? Because when you are going on your next round of job interviews, employers will not be suspicious as to why you got fired from your last job. Simply explain that the coronavirus pandemic impacted your former employer in a very negative way and that he had to let you go. Hiring managers will certainly understand. If you got fired because of the coronavirus, you should look at this time as an opportunity. It’s an opportunity to jump into that new career you’ve been too complacent about pursuing, or that new job you want but hasn’t applied to. Never let a good crisis go to waste!

What If You Are Unhealthy?

There is no reason to use the coronavirus as an excuse for falling out of shape. Yes, many gyms are still closed, but you can still jog. You can still do pushups and sit-ups and run stairs and do a variety of body-weight exercises. Gym or no gym, you should not allow yourself to fall out of shape.

Just remember that when it comes to forming positive, healthy habits (like working out), you want to break everything down into the smallest possible units. For example, one of if not the most important productivity habit in the world is simply getting up earlier. Let’s say you want to start getting up an hour earlier every day so you can get a little jog and stretch in before work. Okay, the way you would train yourself to embrace and stick to that habit is first by setting an automatic reminder like an alarm clock, and second by coming up with the smallest possible step in the right direction. For example, when your alarm clock goes off an hour earlier than normal, instead of thinking about all the thinking about how miserable your run is going to be, and how you have to get up, drink water, put on your shoes, take the dog out, etc., you just focus on making one small decision in the right direction. This can be as simple as swinging your legs over the side of the bed. “That’s all I need to do,” you tell yourself, “just swing my legs over the side of the bed and sit up and I’m already headed in the right direction.”