New Zealand has emerged from lockdown earlier than most, with relatively few deaths and a contained COVID-19 spread despite a small recent outbreak. While closing down much of the economy was seen as a necessary measure by many New Zealanders, the economic and social impacts of the shutdown will take some recovery time. Certain industries have been hit hard, including tourism, hospitality, and discretionary retail. The entire country will be under pressure in the months ahead, with smart navigation needed to manage the economic and social impacts of the pandemic.

Gyms across Australia and New Zealand have been shut over recent weeks, with outdoor fitness equipment and classes also limited until very recently. While everyone will be happy when their local gym opens for business, the pandemic has given people a unique opportunity to take control of their own fitness. From YouTube fitness classes to bodyweight routines and backyard workouts, the humble suburban home can be your new fitness centre.

The New Zealand property market is struggling to find momentum, with house sales dropping by almost 50% from the same time last year. Despite the great health results achieved since the shutdown, the impact of the pandemic continues to weaken domestic industries, mute migration numbers, and threaten the tourism sector. While New Zealand house prices have been remarkably resilient so far, the sharp drop in sales volumes highlights a new and mostly unknown landscape ahead.  

Excelling at sport demands a potent combination of physical ability, mental ambition, and emotional stability. Conditioning your body to perfection is only half the battle, you also need a rock solid mental approach and the rare ability to deal with pressure in its many shifting forms. From Olympic athletes to world-class football players, the psychology of pressure in sport is a huge and often opaque subject that we're only beginning to understand.

From cats and dogs to more exotic pets, animals add so much colour and joy to human lives. While all pets are special, some of our animal companions are a little more memorable than most. Record-breaking animals come in all shapes and sizes, from the world's tallest dog to the loudest purring cat and a turtle that's been around longer than any human. Let's take a look at some pet world records to see if your beloved pet has what it takes to enter the record books. 

The widespread economic downturn from coronavirus is likely to have a significant effect on the New Zealand housing market. While it's still early days, leading economists are predicting price declines well above 10% for both residential and commercial property. The construction sector is also likely to weaken, with declining GDP growth, rising unemployment, and lower population growth shrinking demand as many Kiwis face an uncertain future.

Coronavirus continues to affect the New Zealand housing market, with prices expected to fall, people struggling to pay rent, and mortgage payments deferred in record numbers. The nation's largest banks have come to the party by dropping interest rates in an effort to bring in new customers. Kiwibank was the first lender to offer a historic low rate, with ASB following quickly and both ANZ and Westpac also dropping their two-year fixed home loan rate to under 3%. While the Reserve Bank of New Zealand left the official cash rate at 0.25% in its latest announcement, further rate cuts and quantitative easing measures both remain on the table.

Coronavirus has changed everything, which gives us a rare opportunity to re-evaluate our existing way of life. Social isolation is the new normal, more people are working from home, and even a trip to the supermarket is a major social outing. When something of this magnitude affects the entire world, there is an opportunity to emerge from the storm with changed habits and different values. A prolonged global recession is almost guaranteed, and some commentators are even looking ahead to an extended "quarantine of consumption".

Along with the acute health effects of COVID-19, the pandemic is associated with a number of long-term mental health challenges. Long periods of isolation, lack of activity, and large-scale anxiety are having a profound effect on people with existing mental health conditions. Worrying new symptoms are also arising for people without a history of mental illness, as everyone struggles with the harsh realities of a strange new world. Self-care and mindfulness have a huge role to play as we transition to a new kind of "normal", with human connections and physical activity also key.

Coronavirus continues to have a devastating impact on industries around the world. Entire sectors are failing, millions of people have lost their jobs, and global governments have unveiled their biggest stimulus packages in history. Amidst all the chaos and destruction, however, some industry sectors are flourishing like never before. From healthcare and logistics to e-commerce and video conferencing, let's take a look at some of the winners from COVID-19.