There's a lot of positivity floating around these days, with the summer sun shining bright and states gradually reopening, lifting everyone’s spirits. However, many epidemiologists and public health experts argue that we're just halfway through this crisis. It’s far too early to claim victory.
Personally, I'm hopeful for the best, but I’m not betting everything on things improving anytime soon. In fact, whenever I'm asked about preparing for the future, I always suggest this: whatever challenges you've faced due to the pandemic—whether it's the mental strain of social distancing, the uncertainty of what comes next, meat shortages, water advisories, hostility over wearing masks, deepening political divides, strained personal relationships, etc.—expect those issues to intensify.
Hope for the best, but prepare for the worst.
First of all, avoid rushing into major changes. It’s quite possible we'll have most of the summer, maybe even part of the fall, before the next phase of this crisis unfolds. But it’s wise to evaluate your current situation and consider what you'd need if things worsen. Then, create a strategy to address those needs.
As for my own preparations, here’s how I’m approaching the future:
**Food:** I’m not only restocking my pantry regularly but also considering adding small livestock to my property. We're on a waiting list for some pigs that won't be ready until December. That works for us since we're not in a rush. My kids are getting into rabbits, and we might eventually raise meat rabbits. We're also expanding our garden and learning more about it.
**Water:** Since we rely on well water, I'm planning to install a large storage tank next to the wellhouse. This will provide a backup source of tap water in case of a power outage. Eventually, it will be easier to manage than our current backup sources, such as a pond and creek.
**Power:** Although we never invested in solar panels, I'll start looking into it by the end of summer. Luckily, we have enough land that we won’t need to mount them on the roof, making installation cheaper and maintenance simpler.
**Education:** With schools closed since spring break, we’ve been managing our kids’ education in emergency mode. Before the next school year begins, I plan to take time off to develop a proper homeschool curriculum for them, just in case they don’t return to school or need to be pulled out again.
While this list makes us lean more towards a "doomsday" lifestyle, we're okay with that.
Do I expect to need all this? I certainly hope not!
But I keep recalling that moment in November when I bought some N95 masks simply because they were on our prep list and I didn’t have any yet. A few days later, I felt ridiculous unboxing them and sneaking them into my office so my wife wouldn’t think I was losing my mind.
This pandemic has been like that for many of us so far: a series of actions that seemed strange at the time turned out to be sensible.
I fervently hope my kids will one day laugh about how their dad went full survivalist during the coronavirus and how they ended up with pet pigs and a massive water tank. But hope alone isn't enough. I'd rather have these resources and not need them than need them and not have them.
Use the reopening as an opportunity to organize your supplies.
Most of the plans mentioned earlier require open stores and a functioning economy. Thankfully, both are accessible to me right now, so I'm taking advantage. If there are critical supplies I lack, I aim to procure them now. If I’ve used up anything over the last three months, I'm replacing it.
There are other steps I can take while optimism is high. For example, if I have assets or liabilities (like leases or commitments) I wish to divest before things worsen, now’s the time to pass them on to someone more optimistic than I am.
Don’t expect your government’s response to improve.
I’m not here to debate political figures or parties regarding their handling of the pandemic. Clearly, I have my views, but this isn’t the space for that. Instead, it’s crucial to recognize that every government, from China to the U.S., has made its share of errors in responding to the virus. These mistakes expose the unique vulnerabilities of each government, and those weaknesses won’t be resolved quickly enough to impact this pandemic.
Whatever inherent flaws exist within your government’s structure, you’ll have to deal with them throughout this crisis. Don’t expect sweeping improvements before it ends.
Find the positive aspects of life during the pandemic and build on them.
There are certain elements of our current struggles that are working better for my family than our old routine. Before, we were constantly in the car, buying unnecessary items. That doesn’t happen anymore.
My wife and I have spent time reflecting on what’s improved for us so we can focus on those areas. We want to look back on this period and feel we made the most of it.
For instance:
- We’ve reconnected with people via Zoom, and it’s been great. We’re determined to maintain these connections.
- We’re making plans to socialize more in person, being cautious and selective about it (considering physical distancing). By being intentional, we’ll likely end up seeing more people more frequently than before.
- We’ve explored homeschooling out of curiosity but never would have chosen it voluntarily. Though we love our kids' school and hope they can return, since homeschooling is forced upon us, we’re committed to making it work.
- We’re not driving at all now, and we love it. We didn’t realize how much we disliked being in the car until we stopped. So, we’re actively restructuring our lives to minimize driving.
- We’re cooking from scratch more often. This has been fantastic, and we want to continue improving our skills.
- We wanted to raise livestock but hesitated due to inconvenience. But given we’re already dealing with the pandemic and confined to our property, we’re giving it a shot.
I could go on, but the main idea is that we’re actively seeking ways to transform this unusual situation into an advantage—trying things we wouldn’t have attempted otherwise.
In conclusion: Model and plan, but don’t predict.
I don’t have a crystal ball or accurate predictions for the future. But I don’t need to foresee what’s coming to start preparing.
The heightened uncertainty across all areas of life is precisely why I’m incrementally shifting my preparation efforts in a more extreme direction than I would have before. Look around—reality has become more extreme, and events we once thought unlikely have happened.
Another way to express this: the pandemic will either improve or worsen. I can’t control which path it takes, but I can control whether it surprises me. Right now, I’m positioning myself to be pleasantly surprised if it improves. That seems like a safer, smarter move than being blindsided if it worsens.
Last week, during an interview for PBS’s "The Open Mind" podcast with Alexander Heffner, I shared advice I’ve been giving friends, family, and media outlets on preparing for the next phase of the pandemic. This is an extended version of my personal perspective on getting ready for the coming months.
[Embedding a Spotify episode link]
The increased uncertainty in every aspect of life is exactly why I’m methodically stepping up my preparations. Reality has become more unpredictable, and situations we once deemed unlikely have occurred.
Here’s another way to frame it: the pandemic will take either a positive or negative turn. I can’t control which direction it takes, but I can ensure it doesn’t catch me off guard. Thus, I’m setting myself up to be pleasantly surprised if it improves. That feels like a wiser choice than being caught off guard if it worsens.
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