Photo by @introspectivedsgn
We’ve flattened the curve. The number of new Coronavirus cases is on the decline. We stayed home, and helped shorten the time we had our respective lives on pause.
To those that are no longer with us, due to this horrible virus, my thoughts and prayers are with your loved ones. This experience is something I truly hope none of us forget.
Businesses shut down. People lost their jobs. We stopped going to restaurants, movie theaters, pubs. Sports were nowhere to be found. We watched the number of COVID-19 cases increase across the globe. We watched everything on Netflix.
Now it’s time to get back to normal, but normal no longer lives here.
We had opportunities to embrace the slower pace. Focus on what’s important. Focus on loved ones.
Yet, we hoarded on toilet paper. We panicked. We stood in long lines to keep our social distance from others.
We were ill prepared for this type of situation. Healthcare workers worked amazingly long hours, reusing masks and other Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), simply because there wasn’t enough equipment to go around.
It was the ultimate risk management pressure test.
Lessons are to be learned, and I hope that all that are in positions of authority learned lessons along the way.
Leadership is hard. You’re asked and expected to make decisions immediately, and make the right decision, even though you have limited to no information. Fun job!
The new normal is arriving. How will we navigate? Here are some suggestions:
Remote Work Should Be the Norm, Not The Exception
Many organizations should (hopefully) realize that their employees can perform their jobs in places other than their cubicles and desks. Most of the work we do is online anyway, so does it matter that the person is around the corner, or a Zoom/Skype call room away?
If you don’t trust your employees to perform their jobs in a remote setting, why are they your employees? On the flip side, if your employer doesn’t trust you do perform your role from a remote location, why are you working for them?
We Survived On A Lot Less Things Than We Thought We Could
During the isolation period, my discretionary spending dropped off significantly. Eating at home more prevented me from spending money every day at restaurants/bars/etc. More on that below, but I do want to continue supporting local eateries and establishments, but maybe not as much as I did in the past.
When we do return to restaurants and bars, I have a favor request: Double the tip you normally give. These servers have been without work for a long time, and each of us can do a part in helping each other. Thank you for your generosity.
We Discovered That We Do In Fact Have A Netflix Limit
Many of us watched so much video content, that we realized that we needed to do something else. There’s a lesson for us here. We need boundaries around how we spend our time, and we need to be more proactive in designing our days.
Tragedy Creates Opportunity ~ Mark Dyrek
I hope that we take the lessons learned over the past few months and make our lives better for ourselves, and the ones we love.
Be well!