What have you learned so far in the quarantine? What positive changes have occurred in your life? Personally, I have committed to Yoga for 30 days straight and have completed 5, one hour sessions with my trainer via Zoom as I write this article. Zoom is a technology that lets us see each other and communicate over the internet and has exploded in popularity recently.
Every crisis that America has endured leads to some improvements. Getting through the storm may be difficult, but the outcome is always a change in behavior or technology and usually both. This time will be no different.
Looking through the lens of technology, we are finding great results in working remotely. One of the families we serve typically drives 90 minutes each way to work. His email was inspiring. “Joe, I have saved hours of my life, been more productive, saved wear and tear on my car and hope to do this longer.” We hope you get to do it longer but not because of a quarantine. We hope your employer realizes this is a good thing, at least occasionally.
Our offices have been 100% remote for over 14 days, and we haven’t missed a beat. Yes, there are challenges for some but not for the organization. We do worry about our younger parents and their kids attached to them being at home all day. The separation challenges will resume when life returns to normal.
This period will also change retirement plans for some. There will be people who work longer because of fears of money issues, but there is another reason. People stuck at home for a few weeks have concluded, based on several conversations, that working isn’t all that bad!
At least once a week, we have engaged in a “Brady Bunch” looking computer screen calling in on our computers. We use Zoom and Microsoft Teams. That is a change for us and many businesses. Not shocking, both of those companies’ stocks are positive in the worst first quarter in stock market history.
Pay attention to trends you see changing in your life. Look for new products and technologies and think about how that will impact companies positively and negatively. That is what we call the narrative of investing. In our opinion, a narrative on its own is not enough to invest in a stock, but it can draw your attention to potential investments.
The constant in our world is change. Sometimes those changes occur quicker than you expected or had hoped. Here we are. Your job is to respond to this crisis with good thinking and action rather than emotionally reacting. Write out your thoughts and feelings when looking at your investments before you take action. What has changed? What will change? Adjust your portfolio with a thoughtful response rather than an emotional reaction. Don’t try to buy stocks just because of a significant price drop. Determine the real value of the stock in this new world. Think about the shifts that will take us into the next chapter of life.
Disclaimer: Do not construe anything written in this post or this blog in its entirety as a recommendation, research, or an offer to buy or sell any securities. Everything in this post is meant for educational and entertainment purposes only. I or my affiliates may hold positions in securities mentioned in the blog. Please see our Disclosure page for the full disclaimer.