The Government is providing $259 billion in fiscal and balance sheet support, which is equivalent to around 13.3 per cent of annual GDP. Direct fiscal measures are equivalent to around 6.9 per cent of GDP.
The measures provide timely support to workers, households and businesses through a difficult time and position the Australian economy to recover strongly once the health challenge has been overcome.
We are all impacted by COVID-19 one way or another. While some of us are at higher risk, e.g. older people and people with severe underlying health conditions, as young people, we are impacted due to individual, community or geographical circumstances.
The one thing that surely must cut across all these levels is being overwhelmed with the constant influx of information and misinformation both on and offline. You will be flooded by a completely different set of information, such as the videos you see, the news you hear, the article read one thing. We are all also experiencing multiple stages of panic, paranoia, fear, uncertainty and disbelief or even denial to some extent. “How could this happen”, or “this could never happen to me”! It is happening to us, all of us, and all of us together. But mostly it’s compounding the already uncertain future that young people face today. This makes the balance of social media of importance. Here are the three steps for social media detox:
• Draw the line. Everyone is worried about screen time during the pandemic, to reduce tech anxiety, it is important to distinguish a firm boundary between screen time that is helpful and screen time that is harmful. You should know that it is okay to spend time on social media if it’s being used for positive purposes like workout videos, museum tours or baking lessons.
• Search for quality. Instead of bingeing on whatever is available, try to have a discussion with your families about their recommended articles, authors or platforms, it could be fun to seek out engaging and meaningful content together.
• Go offline on a regularly basis. Although video calls currently seem to run our lives – for school, friend gatherings – Zoom burnout is real. Thus, it’s important not to forget the other ways to communicate with others and try to schedule a regular offline time for yourself.
It is normal to get bored in the midst of self-isolation; therefore, having a creative outlet is vital as it can offer a way through anxiety and stress. Many of us find their distinctive way of enjoying this challenging time, for example, having photo shoots with your parents to record your self-isolation time; baking or cooking with your parents and learn to cook your special family food; drawing or sketching the neighbourhood that you live, or even trying different forms of writing. These activities could make your self-isolation experience colourful; let’s try it together and be creative during this particular time!
Lately, it is vital to look after your mental health. Social distancing and self-isolation could be hard to deal with, and it is reasonable to have negative emotions, such as anxious, frustrated. Here are our tips for you to look after your mental wellbeing during the quarantine.
• Staying connected. There are lots of opportunities to connect with communities through visual meetings. You could share your experience with new friends, get inspired and chat. Don’t be shy about going on camera.
• Staying calm. Take some time to create a new routine and stick to it. While the old routine might be disrupted, the creation of a new one could give you a sense of order and normality.
• Dealing with stressful situations. Trying to walk away from a tense situation if you can, if your community do not have any coronavirus symptoms, you could exercise regularly to ease your stress.
• Reaching out for help. If your living situation is being challenged, don’t struggle in silence. Talk to someone you trust or call a helpline.
There is a world for you to explore within your fingertips and many things are free. Whether you are in self-isolation or practising social distancing, be positive and hold on your beliefs.