Inhale, Exhale: It is okay not to follow the ‘productivity booklet’

Maybe all of us are going through the same, but over the past weeks I have been specifically bombarded by ready-made recipes to overcome the covid-19 crisis. I even wrote on my LinkedIn a blog about effective ways to optimize your work while at home. 

In certain moments, I see this quarantine being treated more like a sabbatical period than as a mandatory shut down. The world has suddenly changed and, perhaps, it will never be the same for quite a while. Sometimes it's hard to keep it down, to be sure that everything will be fine in a bit and at the same time learn a new language, stay in shape, catch up with the reading and, who knows, become a chef! 

When I started working from home, I promised myself I would learn how to code. Almost two months have passed since the quarantine beginning, and I am not ashamed to say that I have not concluded even the first class. And I am not going to put this pressure on me.

"It is not because many of us are isolated at home, that we need to have time and willingness to do everything that we have never done before.”

Facing so many uncertainties, I consider it is genuine to be worried, tired and afraid of what is about to come. We are undergoing a huge transformation. 

Today, what I apply in my daily life, and I list below, comes from the following premise: forget the how-to guides, the productivity booklets on how to live this moment, and take time to experience what makes you feel good. Allow yourself to stop, to look inside and recognize what you can and want to do in your daily routine. Be responsible, but do not feel pressured to go beyond your duties. 

I listed some of mine inspirations below. But note, I do not intend to create a static guide, a single truth. Please, disagree, agree, adjust, adapt, add as you wish. And, if you want, share your testimonial on the comments below. Let's exchange ideas and help make this challenging time easier for everyone.

1. Live it at your OWN pace. A patient who arrives at the hospital with abdominal pain wants pain killers to immediately relieve – and is not willing to hear about diet for a long term improvement. Likewise, a person who, during quarantine, is at home, with difficulties to keep the professional routine, in need to balance personal life and work, doing housekeeping and helping with children’s education, perhaps doesn't want tips on “how to make the most of this isolation period”. For that reason, think twice before accepting all the webinar invitations and set realistic expectations for this period. There are tens of content offers on “managing employees during the crisis”; “how to be the ideal leader in this crisis”; “the secret of remote productivity”. It's ok not to do career training at the moment.

2.  No need to separate your personal and professional life. We are unique beings, thus, do not try to be a superhero during working hours, leaving personal and family life aside. Set up a few moments for you and with them. See this moment as a good opportunity to show your child what your job is like. If you are a young person who keeps repeating that your parents do not understand what you do, why don't you use this moment to show them your routine at work?

3. Keep up with the news, but do not get intoxicated. Knowing the covid-19 numbers, the scarcity of beds in the hospitals or the hiring rates can be important, but nobody needs to follow the news minute by minute. Spare some moments along the day to keep up with the news. This includes even avoiding checking that family whatsapp group with the latest news.

4. Be empathetic. This moment asks us to look beyond ourselves and, more than ever, understand the perspective of others. There is a difference between commenting and providing final judgments.  There is no such a thing as "absolute truth". The moment calls for parsimony, not only in consumerism, but also on how you share your ideas.  

A small business owner, someone looking for a job, or even a relative who works in retail, tends to be in favor of the shops reopening. On the other hand, someone who is employed and manages to accomplish daily duties virtually tends to be more favorable to the continuity of the isolation. We cannot forget that we are one big community and what is good for one may not be positive for the other. 

5. Remember: your career is a marathon, not a 100-meter dash. The worst pessimists predict a crisis of one or two years. Your career will be developed throughout, at least, three decades. So, look at this moment as a transformation process, not as an imminent risk. Your professional life is a marathon. Keep in mind that no one wins the 42 km without months of training, or even years of practice. 

You do not need to immediately adapt to this new reality. Follow your own pace, without giving up, and always making the best to adapt yourself. If the moment is difficult, think that this is only part of the journey. 

Take one step at time.