Today is the last Friday of this semester.

It marks the end of the last full week of school.

For some of us, thats the last full week of schoolever.

I dont know about you, but these realizations hit me particularly hard today. I am a graduating senior this semester, and while things havent exactly gone as planned for me these last couple of months, realizing that Im almost done is about 50% relaxing.

Its 50% other emotions too but lets not get into those

If youre like me, you might have a rough time staying motivated right now. The semester is closing out, we havent seen our beautiful campus since early March nearly two months ago now the weather is nice, and all I want to do it sit outside with a book ignoring my responsibilities.

Just one more week, and then that can really be a reality.

For now, though, work, school, and other responsibilities are piling up. In the midst of the chaos, my work area has gotten pretty cluttered, so much though that Ive actually been moving my school books and laptop outside each day instead of sitting at my desk. The clutter is stressful. The fresh air is wonderful.

So today, we are gonna talk about that motivation to finish this semester off as the strongest we have ever been. Im here to give you some hints to help you out through this last week or so of school, so stick with me and we can do this thing. Together.

While this might sound like the five-second rule, I can guarantee you it has nothing to do with food. The two-minute rule is the idea of, throughout your day, if you see a task that needs to be done that takes less than two minutes, go ahead and knock it out so it wont pile up into a bigger task. Here are some tasks that match that description:

The two-minute rule can knock off a lot of stress from your day-to-day life and can help you with work, school, chores, and any other tasks that might now be your favorite things to do.

Set up a ratio for yourself of reward to work. For example, for every thirty minutes you spend cramming for an exam, you can spend ten minutes playing games on your phone. Find the ratio that works for you, as some people benefit from a longer period of work, and others benefit from short bursts. Here are some rewards you can give yourself after doing your work:

Using a work:reward ratio can not only keep you motivated to finish your work, but it can also help break up the monotony of having to study for a big test or write a long paper. These tasks can be difficult to do in one sitting, so break them up into manageable chunks with small rewards sprinkled in between.

Pro-tip: If you want to embrace a healthy lifestyle, dont let junk food be a reward for you. Eating a junky snack every hour or so can cause drowsiness and irritability in addition to making you less healthy. Instead, if you need a snack between work sessions, consider a piece of fruit, some nuts, a glass of milk, or something else that is not a processed food.

These are two tips I have adapted during my four years of college to help me to get more stuff done in a more effective and efficient manner. What works for me may not work for everyone, so feel free to adapt these to your own needs and figure out what works best for you.

Do you have any ideas to help stay motivated for the remainder of the semester? Tell us your ideas down below! And join us next week to learn about the power of positivity, healthy snacks for finals cramming, and more!

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The End is Near: How to Stay Motivated at the End of a Semester - The Rambler

The Arizona Cardinals used their sixth-round pick to select California linebacker Evan Weaver. He was one of the most productive defensive players in the country last year and was the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year.

General manager Steve Keim was impressed by his confidence and intensity when he spoke with him.

The rookie linebacker has the mentality you want to see in a linebacker. Two things motivate him winning and hitting people.

I think winning and hitting people as hard as you possibly can and really taking the soul out of people, he said after being drafted after being asked what he loves about football. Once you get to the third, fourth quarter, they dont want to play anymore because they just dont want to hang with you. And just wanting to do it and the will to have to beat somebody up for a whole four quarters and just keep it going through a 12-game season, but now 16. Just having the will and want to win.

Weaver should be an intense special teams contributor as a rookie.

The competition between him and special teams Pro Bowl alternate Dennis Gardeck should be fun to watch.

Fans like it when their team wins. They like to see hitting from their teams defensive players. If Weaver plays the way he talks, he should very quickly become a fan favorite.

Listen to the latest from Cards Wires Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Stitcher Radio.

Ep. 266

Ep.265

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New Cardinals LB Evan Weaver motivated by winning, hitting - Cards Wire

*Are you someone whos interested in secretive and occult subjects? Then you may already know the meanings behind military or government secret handshakes.

You might also be into things like astrology, tarot card readings, or other new-age things. But have you heard of numerology before? As you may guess, this has to do with numbers and their roles in our lives.

What is numerology? And is numerology real? Well tell you everything you need to know about numerology in this article.

What Is Numerology?

Numerology is the belief of a connection between certain numbers and the events that happen in our lives. This is because numerologists believe that each number has its own energy, or vibration.

Today, the term vibration is also used when describing the power held within other new-age items, such as crystals and essential oils. If youre into new-age things, then youll probably notice this term around a lot.

Is Numerology Real?

We can define numerology, but is it real? For that question, the answer is up in the air.

For most people, they think recurring numbers in their lifetime are just a coincidence, and that the mind chooses to see a pattern. But for others, they do believe that numerology is a real thing.

As far as we know, its something akin to religion. There are people on polarizing sides of numerology, but theres no concrete evidence of it not being real.

For most people, its something fun to look into, but not a serious belief. They treat it as theyd treat astrology; while its fun to get readings, they dont really let it run their lives. In your case, it may be ideal to do so as well.

Pythagoras, the Father of Western Numerology

If youve tried to research numerology, then you might have come across the Pythagorean numerology chart. And if youve taken high school math, then that name probably sounds familiar.

Thats probably because youve learned the Pythagorean theorem. This is an equation that lets anyone figure out the lengths of any side of a triangle, provided that its a right triangle (it has a 90 degree angle). The equation goes like this: a+b=c, with c being the hypotenuse, or the longest side of the triangle.

Although this is a theorem, its actually a widely accepted equation, as its been proven to be true in concrete terms. Because of this, you might think anything else Pythagoras came up with is concrete as well, such as the Pythagorean numerology chart. Hes considered the Father of Western Numerology, after all.

Both Pythagoras and his followers highly believed in the powers associated with numbers. This was why he came up with his triangle theorem. He also discovered how music had mathematical properties to it as well.

But when it comes to his numerology chart, its probably best taken with a grain of salt.

Pythagorean Numerology Chart

When it comes to the Pythagorean numerology chart, each letter in the Latin alphabet is assigned a particular number from 1 to 9, with 3 on each number except for 9 (there are only 2 letters here).

To get your name number, youd add together all of the numbers associated with each letter of your full name. Then, you add those digits together. If that results in a number that has more than one digit, then you add them together again.

You keep doing this until youre left with one number. That is then your name number.

If you ever get your name changed, then youll have to recalculate this number.

Calculating Your Life Path Number

Another way to get the number your life is associated with is to calculate your life path number. This is a simpler method, as you just add up all the numbers in your birthdate. Then, you do the same calculations as with the name number, until you reach one single number.

What Life Path Numbers Mean

Now you know the numerology basics on how to calculate your name or life path number. But what does this mean, exactly?

For instance, if you get a number 1 as a result, youll want to know the life path number 1 meaning. Well, number readings in numerology are pretty similar to the ones you get in things like astrology.

For example, people who have the number 1 as a life path number tend to be full of life, energy, and passion. They also love to discover new things.

Other things linked to your life path number include your family, health, and love life.

Do note that although you reach one number that dominates your life, its most likely not the only one that influences how it goes. You can think of the other ones as supporting numbers, such as your birthdate, social security number, and other important numbers you collect throughout your lifetime.

You may also keep running into certain numbers in your lifetime. If you keep seeing recurring digits, then you might want to pay attention, as this may be lifes way of catching and directing your attention to something important.

Impress Your Friends With Your Newfound Numerology Knowledge

So what is numerology? Its the fascinating study and belief that links numbers to certain things happening.

Whether or not you subscribe to this belief, you have to admit that its a pretty interesting concept. So the next time you meet up with your friends, youll have some fantastic information to share with them. And who knows, maybe youll get someone else down the rabbit hole with numerology!

If youre looking for more interesting reads, then check out our lazy girls guide to easy hairstyles.

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Motivational Speaker, Poet, and Author Marc Lacy Seeks to Inspire Others During COVID-19 - Eurweb.com

(Press Staff Photo by Geoffrey Plant) Clockwise from top left: Daily Press Publisher Nick Seibel moderated Thursdays virtual candidate forum, asking questions submitted by members of the audience who tuned in via Zoom, while reporter Geoffrey Plant asked questions on behalf of the newspaper. Patrick Cohn and Gilbert Guadiana are running for county treasurer in the Democratic primary.

The two Democrats running for Grant County treasurer, Patrick Cohn and Gilbert Guadiana, participated Thursday evening in the first of at least four Daily Press primary candidate forums. The event was held live on Zoom and simulcast over Facebook, and about 22 people took part in the Zoom question-and-answer panel discussion.

All of the countys revenue, collected through property and gross receipts taxes, fees, as well as grants, loans and legislative allocations from the state or federal government, passes through the Treasurers Office. All outgoing funds also pass through the office. Input and output and record-keeping is how both candidates described the job of treasurer; the custodian of the county funds, is how Cohn put it.

Why be treasurer?

Guadiana, a Harvard graduate who once worked at Chino Mine before working in the California state Auditors Office and in Marin County government, said he wants to be treasurer in order bring his experience largely from outside New Mexico with government finances to bear, and to further my role in being a strong advocate for Grant County and ensure the successful collection of taxes.

He was born in Grant County and moved back to his birthplace in 2002 after many years living in California, and recently retired from a job in health care in Deming.

Guadiana serves on the Cobre Schools Board of Education, while Cohn serves on the Silver school board. Both men graduated from Cobre High School and got their initial secondary degrees at Western New Mexico University, before going on to obtain further credentials at other institutions.

I have supervised and managed in the banking field for 17 years, Cohn said. I have maintained an excellent rating in all positions held in my work. Being a lender, I have become very familiar with the Treasurers Office and the Assessors Office and property taxes in the county; whether it is assisting customers in retaining their current property information or getting mobile homes considered real property using the online treasurers portal, I became familiar with that already and with the staff from both offices.

Running for treasurer has always been a calling to me, Cohn continued. I believe I can make the Grant County Treasurers Office a model treasurers office for the state.

Cohn later qualified his repeated statements that he would make the Grant County Treasurers Office the best in all New Mexico counties by saying the current Treasurers Office is doing a fine job.

What would you change?

Ive attended some County Commission meetings, and noticed there is no sight of an investment policy. I believe there is a policy, but I would like to revisit that if I am elected, Cohn said, adding that he would like to revamp the policy so I could develop and implement investment strategies for sound investment to improve the return on investment. Once we have a policy, I would form a committee with the county manager, commissioners and financial director and better assess the investment policy. I dont see that happening right now.

Guadiana went more deeply into current county investment policy and recommended staying the course, though a follow-up question from Daily Press publisher and forum moderator Nick Seibel sparked an idea in Guadianas head concerning local green energy investment of county funds.

It excites me just thinking about the county investing in green energy. I think it would be [minimally] volatile, unlike fossil fuels, and it is an industry that can be viable, Guadiana said. It is an exciting prospect.

I know there is about $7 million invested by the county, and I wouldnt necessarily make any changes, knowing that investment strategies need input from people more learned on it than I am, Guadiana said.

He added that he would like to figure out how to help legislators or the attorney general give either the assessor or the treasurer some kind of discretion or policy to follow when it comes to delinquent property taxes. The issue could become a major problem as COVID-19-related economic disruptions threaten both property owners ability to pay their taxes, and the countys reliance on collecting them. The county generates about 60 percent of its revenue from property taxes, Guadiana noted.

One thing I would like to see looked at is whether the treasurer can forgive the penalties related to the delinquent payment of property taxes, Guadiana said. There are different opinions. Some say if you do it before reporting it to the state, there is no harm, no foul but that isnt written [in statute].

I would at least like the blessing of the attorney general, if not an actual legislative fix that would amend state law, Guadiana said, adding that such a move should be either universal or based on criteria like financial hardship so as not to put the county at great risk, by laying the discretionary authority of such decisions on the treasurer or the assessor.

Cohn said that forgiving tax payments, penalties and interest on late payments, or other solutions to help financially troubled taxpayers, will have to come through legislation.

Property tax caps

It is capped already, and there is only an increase of 2 percent allowed from year-to-year, in line with the infamous California Proposition 13, Guadiana said, noting that the rule caused great strain on many [governmental] entities, but gave great relief to the taxpayer in both California and New Mexico. I am glad to see that here.

I would talk to legislators to get a [further] cap on [property taxes], especially for our senior citizens, Cohn said.

Veteran tax assistance

We need communication between the Treasurers Office and the Assessors Office, all the elected officials, on how to get that corrected, so that doesnt happen to our military veterans, Cohn said, in answer to an audience question about some property owners having difficulty getting their veterans tax exemption and/or disabled veterans property tax waiver.

The documentation is pretty straightforward I am surprised there would be a dilemma like that, Guadiana said, but I know [Grant County Assessor] Raul Turrieta pretty well, and I am sure we could resolve these issues fairly quickly. Helping the person obtain the form, that would be a place to start.

I am a veteran, and I dont want to see anyone denied their $4,000 benefit, Guadiana added.

How to invest funds?

My plan and vision for the Treasurers Office would be to focus on developing and implementing sound investment policy after forming solid relationships with the county commissioners, public officials, county manager and financial director to plan a better future for Grant County, Cohn said. Investment for financial growth for the county by responsibly distributing tax dollars and investing tax money, in accordance with an investment policy. That being said, you have to have quality tax collection, maintain the financial records and improve the efficiency of the office.

The extent of the Treasurers Office [investment responsibility] is to identify things that could be a good investment opportunity, but the ultimate say is the County Commissions, Guadiana said.

But I did not

choose the deputy

Neither candidate could say who he would hire as his deputy treasurer, although both men said they would look to hire the best person for the job, regardless of whether that person came from within the county government or from without.

Next Thursday, May 7, the two candidates competing in the Democratic primary race for Grant County Commission District 5 will take part in the second of the Daily Press virtual forum events. Incumbent Commissioner Harry Browne is up against retired businessman Simon Ortiz.

That Zoom event, and all the forums, will be available online at dailypressforums.com. All forums begin at 6 p.m., and will also be available live on the Daily Press Facebook page. Archived forum videos are also available to watch on demand on Facebook.

Monday, May 11, is the date set for the Democratic Sixth Judicial Districts district attorney forum, with Deming attorney Michael Renteria and current Deputy District Attorney Norman Wheeler; and Thursday, May 14, for the forum in the hotly contested Democratic District 28 state Senate race between incumbent Sen. Gabe Ramos and educator Siah Correa Hemphill.

A forum for the Republican U.S. House primary race is also being planned, although candidates have not yet agreed to a date.

GEOFFREY PLANT

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Investments, COVID-19 tax help top treasurer's forum - Silver City Daily Press and Independent

Ariel Investments co-CEO and president Mellody Hobson speaks at the 2017 Fortune Most Powerful Women Summit in Washington, D.C.

Paul Morigi | Getty Images Entertainment | Getty Images

Investment expert Mellody Hobson is a firm believer in teaching kids about investing.

She'd like it taught at every school in America even at a young age.

"It should be like learning a language," Hobson, co-CEO and president of Chicago-based Ariel Investments, said in a recent online interview with Sal Khan, founder and CEO of the nonprofit education platform Khan Academy. "I have a 6-year-old and she takes Spanish at school.

"Once you can start early, you become very facile in the language and I think that's very, very important," added Hobson, who was named by Time magazine in 2015 as one of the "100 Most Influential People" in the world. She also also serves as vice chair of the Starbucks board and director of JPMorgan Chase's board, and previously the chairman of the board for DreamWorks Animation.

Yet for many Americans, early schooling in investing is not a reality.

More from Invest in You: This is the biggest money lesson kids will learn during the coronavirus crisis 5 free online courses that can help you learn how to invest Here's a great home-school idea: Teach your kids about money

Aside from having the family's banker, stock broker or financial analyst imparting lessons, one thing parents can do is buy their children a share of stock every year as a gift for their birthday or a holiday.

It's something Ariel Investments co-CEO and chief investment officer John Rogers received from his father every birthday and Christmas instead of toys, starting when Rogers was 12 years old, according to Hobson.

While you may not want to do the "instead of toys part," you can still teach your kids the fundamentals of investing, she said.

"You can do that with a child by giving [them] gifts of stock of things that they know and like," Hobson noted. "That's the gift that keeps giving, instead of the toy that becomes obsolete at some point."

That could mean names like toy-maker Mattel, Playstation maker Sony, McDonald's or Nike things that kids, or teens, "understand fundamentally," she explained.

Doing so "ultimately may create some interest there that they can watch and understand the benefits of ownership and equity as opposed to consumerism."

Hobson is clearly passionate about the cause, once calling financial illiteracy "dangerous" for society. She is chairman of After School Matters, a Chicago-based non-profit that provides teens with high-quality after school and summer programs.

"You can go to high school in America today and take woodshop or auto and not a class on investing," she told Khan Academy. "Who is whittling in their spare time? Who is clearing their own carburetor?"

Yet understanding the basics of things that have a "profound potential effect on your long-term financial security" like the Dow Jones Industrial Average, the S&P 500 and market capitalization "we don't teach it."

The "fire" was lit for her to teach others about money after she rose out of a "challenging" childhood and discovered her love for investing.

I was desperate to understand money. Not make it. Not have a lot. Understand it.

Mellody Hobson

co-CEO and president of Ariel Investments

As a child, her family faced evictions and lived in abandoned apartments that her single mother tried to fix up and rent in order to make a living.

"I was desperate to understand money," Hobson said. "Not make it. Not have a lot. Understand it.

"I thought if I could understand money, I could have a better life," she added.

While attending Princeton University, she worked as an intern at Ariel Investments. After graduating in 1991, she went to work for the firm and has been there ever since.

"I really love the business that I am in," Hobson said.

"We get to make people's lives better because we grow their money in their pension fund or their kids' college education money that's in our mutual funds, whatever it might be, so that they can have a better outcome and that's as fulfilling as anything that anyone can do."

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CHECK OUT:6 reasons why you might not have received your stimulus check yet and what you can do about it viaGrow with Acorns+CNBC.

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This is the one thing you can do to teach your kids about investing, according to financial guru Mellody Hobson - CNBC

NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / May 1, 2020 / Pomerantz LLP announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed against Zoom Video Communications, Inc. ("Zoom" or the "Company") (ZM) and certain of its officers. The class action, filed in United States District Court for the Northern District of California, and indexed under 20-cv-02353, is on behalf of a class consisting of all persons and entities other than Defendants who purchased or otherwise acquired Zoom securities between April 18, 2019, and April 6, 2020, both dates inclusive (the "Class Period"), seeking to recover damages caused by Defendants' violations of the federal securities laws and to pursue remedies under Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "Exchange Act") and Rule 10b-5 promulgated thereunder, against the Company and certain of its top officials.

If you are a shareholder who purchased Zoom securities during the class period, you have until June 8, 2020, to ask the Court to appoint you as Lead Plaintiff for the class. A copy of the Complaint can be obtained at http://www.pomerantzlaw.com. To discuss this action, contact Robert S. Willoughby at rswilloughby@pomlaw.com or 888.476.6529 (or 888.4-POMLAW), toll-free, Ext. 9980. Those who inquire by e-mail are encouraged to include their mailing address, telephone number, and the number of shares purchased.

[Click here for information about joining the class action]

Zoom provides a video communications platform application ("app") that allows users to interact with each other primarily in the Americas, the Asia Pacific, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. Users may connect through frictionless video, voice, chat, and content sharing. The Company's cloud-native platform enables face-to-face video experiences and connects users across various devices and locations in a single meeting. The Company serves education, entertainment/media, enterprise infrastructure, finance, healthcare, manufacturing, non-profit/not for profit and social impact, retail/consumer products, and software/Internet industries, as well as individuals.

On March 22, 2019, Zoom filed a registration statement on Form S-1 with the SEC in connection with its initial public offering ("IPO"), which, after several amendments, was declared effective by the SEC on April 17, 2019 (the "Registration Statement").

On April 18, 2019, Zoom filed a prospectus on Form 424B4 with the SEC in connection with its IPO, which purported to provide information necessary for investors to consider before partaking in its IPO and purchasing the Company's newly publicly-issued stock (collectively with the Registration Statement, the "Offering Documents").

The Complaint alleges that throughout the Class Period, Defendants made materially false and misleading statements regarding the Company's business, operational and compliance policies. Specifically, Defendants made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (i) Zoom had inadequate data privacy and security measures; (ii) contrary to Zoom's assertions, the Company's video communications service was not end-to-end encrypted; (iii) as a result of all the foregoing, users of Zoom's communications services were at an increased risk of having their personal information accessed by unauthorized parties, including Facebook; (iv) usage of the Company's video communications services was foreseeably likely to decline when the foregoing facts came to light; and (v) as a result, the Company's public statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant times.

The truth about the deficiencies in Zoom's software encryption began to come to light as early as July 2019. However, due in large part to the Company's obfuscation, it was not until the COVID-19 pandemic in March and April of 2020, with businesses and other organizations increasingly relying on Zoom's video communication software to facilitate remote work activity as governments increasingly implemented shelter-in-place orders, that the truth was more fully laid bare in a series of corrective disclosures. As it became clear through a series of news reports and admissions by the Company that Zoom had significantly overstated the degree to which its video communication software was encrypted, and organizations consequently prohibited their employees from utilizing Zoom for work activities, the Company's stock price plummeted, damaging investors.

Story continues

The Pomerantz Firm, with offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Paris, is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, the Pomerantz Firm pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 80 years later, the Pomerantz Firm continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered numerous multimillion-dollar damages awards on behalf of class members. See http://www.pomerantzlaw.com

SOURCE: Pomerantz LLP

View source version on accesswire.com: https://www.accesswire.com/587976/SHAREHOLDER-ALERT-Pomerantz-Law-Firm-Reminds-Shareholders-with-Losses-on-their-Investment-in-Zoom-Video-Communications-Inc-of-Class-Action-Lawsuit-and-Upcoming-Deadline--ZM

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SHAREHOLDER ALERT: Pomerantz Law Firm Reminds Shareholders with Losses on their Investment in Zoom Video Communications, Inc. of Class Action Lawsuit...

LeBron James made $700 million through being a "silent investor" in headphones brand Beats by Dre, says the 35-year-old's former teammate Kendrick Perkins.

Perkins and James reached the NBA finals together while playing for the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2015, and have remained close friends since.

Speaking on "Runnin' Plays: A Golden State Warriors Podcast"on Tuesday, Perkins revealed James to be somewhat of a business mastermind, describing him as a "the chosen one" because of his enormous success in all ventures of life.

"The crazy thing to me about LeBron James is that he is the chosen one in life," said Perkins. "I tell him all the time 'I really hate you. I hate you!' And he'll be like 'What you mean, Perk?!''I hate you because everything you touch turns into gold!"

Perkins added: "He invested $4 million in a soccer team and all of a sudden he's worth $30 million. When Dr. Dre got the big contract for the Beats by Dre, when they wrote him that check, LeBron James got $700 million off of it. He was a silent investor in the Beats and nobody knows this."

According to Sportscasting, James partnered with Dr. Dre to become an ambassador for the brand in 2008, however ended up having part ownership of the company. It was reported by Bleacher Report in 2014 that James had made only $30 million from the partnership.

Insider has not independently confirmed whether or not James actually made $700 million from an investment in Beats.

"Even when we were gambling with playing cards, he would always win," Perkins concluded. "He really is the chosen one."

Read more:

LeBron James isn't even in the top 5 NBA players of all time, according to one-time MVP Charles Barkley

How Dennis Rodman went from a homeless, junior college walk-on to one of the most interesting and controversial NBA legends

Roy Williams said Michael Jordan once ran a 4.38-second 40-yard dash. If he'd done that at the 2020 NFL combine, he'd have the 5th-fastest time.

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LeBron James made $700 million on Beats by Dre investment: ex-teammate - Insider - INSIDER

Do you like finding the silver linings in dark clouds? The COVID-19 pandemic has, figuratively speaking, caused a very dark cloud to hover over the entire world. But there is at least one silver lining. Quite a fewpromising stocks of companies that are focused on battling the novel coronavirus have captured investors' attention.

Mind you, not every coronavirus-focused stock is a great pick. Some have skyrocketed well above what they're worth. But some remain attractive alternatives for long-term investors. If you have $3,000 to invest, here are three top coronavirus stocks that you can buy right now.

Image source: Getty Images.

Abbott Labs (NYSE:ABT) introduced its first diagnostic test for COVID-19 on March 18 for its m2000 system after obtaining FDA emergency use authorization (EUA). Only 11 days later, the healthcare giant revealed the fastest COVID-19 diagnostic test yet, one that runs on its widely used ID NOW platform.

Fast-forward to mid-April when Abbott launched its third COVID-19 test. This one supported the detection of antibodies to determine if a person has recovered from infection by the novel coronavirus. It's fair to say that no company has been more at the forefront of COVID-19 diagnostic advances than Abbott Labs.

But Abbott is an enormous company with a lot more going on than just its COVID-19 efforts. The company has achieved tremendous success recently with innovative products including its Freestyle Libre continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) system and its Alinity suite of lab diagnostics systems. These and other products make Wall Street analysts think that Abbott will be able to generate average annual earnings growth of more than 10% over the next five years.

In addition to these solid growth prospects, Abbott offers a solid dividend that yields more than 1.5%. Expect that dividend to grow in the future. It certainly has in the past: Abbott Labs has increased its dividend for an impressive 48 years in a row.

While Abbott Labs has made waves with its COVID-19 diagnostics capabilities,Gilead Sciences (NASDAQ:GILD) has been at the center of attention with its antiviral drug remdesivir. Gilead originally developed the drug to treat Ebola. Remdesivir wasn't very effective with that virus, but it's shown promise in treating COVID-19.

There has been a lot of speculation in recent weeks about just how effective remdesivir could be as a COVID-19 therapy. We now know that the results from two late-stage studies, one conducted by Gilead and the other by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, that show the drug appears to be safe and effective in treating COVID-19.

Although many people are fixated on remdesivir, a potentially bigger story to watch is with another drug -- filgotinib. Gilead hopes to soon win U.S. and European approvals for the drug in treating rheumatoid arthritis. It's also evaluating filgotinib in clinical studies targeting other immunology indications.

Looking a little further down the road, Gilead has a potential game-changer with its long-acting HIV capsid inhibitor GS-6207. The drug is only in phase 2 testing right now, but it could be the face of the future for Gilead's tremendously successful HIV franchise.

Novavax (NASDAQ:NVAX) is the outlier with these three stocks. It's only a fraction of the size of Abbott Labs and Gilead Sciences. It doesn't have any approved products on the market. But this small biotech stock could be the biggest winner of the three over the next few years.

Some investors are excited about Novavax's experimental COVID-19 vaccine. The company announced earlier this month that it plans to begin clinical testing of the vaccine in mid-May. Novavax is working with Emergent BioSolutionsto manufacture the vaccine.

However, the real buzz for Novavax is for its nanoparticle-based flu vaccine NanoFlu. In March, the biotech reported overwhelmingly positive results from a late-stage study of NanoFlu in a head-to-head matchup with Sanofi'sFluZone Quadrivalent, a leading vaccine already on the market.

Estimates vary for how much NanoFlu could make if it's approved, with one analyst projecting around $550 million and another looking for peak annual sales of close to $1.7 billion. With Novavax's market cap currently at around $1 billion, even the low target for its flu vaccine should mean that this stock has plenty of room to run.

All three of these companies have at least one common denominator in that they're all in the COVID-19 fight, albeit in different ways. However, the stocks also have something else in common: While they could win from their coronavirus programs, other products are the real growth drivers to watch. An initial investment of $3,000 spread across these stocks could generate massive returns over the long run for patient investors.

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Have $3000 to Invest? Here Are 3 Top Coronavirus Stocks to Buy Right Now. - Motley Fool

As employees around the country settle into a work-from-home routine, ServiceNow CEO Bill McDermott estimated there will be $7.4 trillion invested in the digital transformation of business operations over the next three years.

"People are going to get much more comfortable working in a virtual world," McDermott said. "This social distancing is not gonna go away anytime soon, and companies that aren't already digitally transformed and able to pull this off they have a burning platform now. They have to lean into this."

Before the pandemic, only 7% of workers had access to a "flexible workspace" benefit, or telework, according to Pew Research Center. Now 42% of workers who previously did not work from home are doing so, according to CNBC's All-America Economic Survey.

Drew DeSilver, a senior writer for Pew Research Center, said the situation is "a large and unexpected experiment" of whether companies will make the switch to telework.

On CNBC on Thursday, McDermott made the case that a company's return on investment in adapting to virtual operation will be at least five times the amount it invests in any given year, and most companies see a payback in less than six months. ServiceNow's stock roseafter the company's quarterly earnings beat projections.

Along with its Q1 earnings, the company also released updated guidance for both Q2 and full-year 2020, taking into account the impact of coronavirus.ServiceNow is up 48% year-over-year in deals of $1 million or more, it said. The cloud computing company itself has around 11,000 employees working from home.

McDermott said that the CEOs he has spoken with are not focused on growing revenue right now, but protecting it, as well as "keeping operations going and driving productivity."

In March the software company released four apps offering emergency response assistance to help companies navigate the pandemic. The apps, which are free for existing customers, focus on operations, exposure management, emergency outreach and self reporting.

"They all want a fast time-to-value scenario, and that's what we do," he said. "We're talking hours, days, a couple of weeks, not years."

Weekly jobless claims reached 3.84 million last week, which brought the total over the last six weeks to more than 30 million. Furthermore, a quarter of American workers have lost their job or had their wages cut due to the pandemic.

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$7 trillion to be invested in making work more digital by 2023: ServiceNow CEO - CNBC

Investing missteps can cost you.

Say you leave a job and cash out your 401(k). If you are younger than 59, the IRS will want you to pay income taxes on it right away, and they'll smack you with a10% penalty.

And it's not just a matter of getting a smaller amount. You are also forfeiting decades of growth on that money, which you'll need in retirement. Thisearly withdrawal calculatorshows what you're really giving up.

There's a lot to learn about investing. It may feel scary and impossible to learn. Don't let it stop you from starting, though, because it can be a great way to build wealth even when the stock market is rocky.

These five gaffes are easy to make and even easier to avoid.

Start investing when you're young. You have decades ahead of you, says Mike Loewengart, vice president of investment strategy atE-Tradein Jersey City, New Jersey.

Once upon a time, savings accounts gave you compounded interest, but the yield is no longer as good sinceinterest rates are so low.

"Compounding is a simple way of saying that interest is building on interest," Loewengart said. "That long runway is such a powerful advantage."

Risk tolerance, diversification, asset allocation, rebalancing, equities, sectors. If you're one of those who throws up their hands and says, "Just do it for me!" there's an investment just for you.

It's called atarget-date fund, and it's preset, like a cake mix. A target-date fund has the right composition of stocks and bonds to match your age and investing horizon.

More from Invest in You: Three ways to make an uncertain income more certain If you think your job is on the chopping block, here's what to do This simple financial plan makes it easier to get through tough times

But there are two ways to mess up your target-date fund strategy. First, you might try to make it diversified by adding more funds. "Especially for younger people, the funds five or 10 years apart are very similar," said Jeanne Fisher, a certified financial planner with Global Retirement Partners in Nashville, Tennessee, and ambassador to the CFP Board.

Another way of defeating the fund's purpose: investing in anS&P 500index fund, for instance, that duplicates what the target-date fund already holds.

Your 401(k) is not free. Surprised?

Yes, your employer wants you to save for retirement. That costs money, however.

"Fees can include the costs of buying and selling investments, owning investments and whether or not someone is helping you manage your investments," said CFP Douglas Boneparth, founder and president of Bone Fide Wealth in New York.

These costs as much as$467 a year, for example, on a balance of $103,700 can impact returns. The more you pay in fees, the less you'll have invested and available to compound over time.

Look at context. Target-date funds, for example, are actively managed and therefore generally more expensive than passively managed index funds. In short, you are paying for a manager to manage an allocation for you. "But in the world of funds, it's pretty inexpensive," Fisher said.

Be wary of the false confidence of those who moved to cash when the market was going down. "That's only half the story," Fisher said. "People who get out never know when to get back in."

In fact, Fisher says, the best rebounds take place after crashes.

Was the market downturn in 2008-2009 scary? Absolutely. Some people pulled out and patted themselves on the back.

"If they never got back in, they missed the whole upside," Fisher said.

Vanguard found that investors who stayed the coursemore than regainedwhat they had lost. A hypothetical $50,000 investment in an S&P 500 index fund would have dipped by half in early 2009 and then rebounded to $84,200 by 2015, the fund company showed.

Being conservative is an unintended risk for investors, says Loewengart.

Shying away from equitiesmeans you'll have less to spend, because your money won't outpace inflation.

Even now, in a volatile market, you'll want to stay invested in equities to some degree.

Sure, it's unnerving especially for Millennial and Gen Z investors whose introduction to the market was a 10-year bull run. "The best course of action is to ride through the storm," Loewengart said, "not to get out of the boat."

As great as it is not to pay taxes right away, you may not want all your invested savings to be tax-deferred.

"The biggest omission, is that if you pay the tax andsave [for retirement] in a Roth option, not only is the money you save tax-free, all the growth is tax-free," Fisher said.

If a 35-year-old saves $10,000 a year and retires at 65, that account will be closer to $1 million with compounding, Fisher says. An upfront tax deduction saves paying tax on $300,000 but when investing through a Roth 401(k), the entire million is tax-free.

People like the tax deduction today, but there could be a much bigger payoff tomorrow.

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CHECK OUT:6 reasons why you might not have received your stimulus check yet and what you can do about it viaGrow with Acorns+CNBC.

Disclosure: NBCUniversal and Comcast Ventures are investors in Acorns.

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Common investing mistakes that will make you say 'D'oh!' - CNBC