Lockdown blues: every cloud has its silver lining
It has been a long time. 48 unsettling days spent at home with limited “real (not virtual)” professional and social interaction. In the first part of 2020, the world has dramatically changed. Likely, there will be no going back to the old ways of living and working.
However, it might be good to reflect on, and seize, the positives out of this experience: as they say, "every cloud has its silver lining", and I would like to share below some positive learnings I got out of these unprecedented circumstances.
- Pause!
Before: the world kept on going at high speed, constantly;
Now: we learned the perks of slowing down. We have realized we do not need to be available 24/7 - maybe that email can wait a little longer before being answered. Perhaps, the culture of “always on” can be softened: now that we have been forced to stop, we have learned it is possible to build healthy boundaries, and still operate professionally and deliver great results, whilst keeping time for ourselves
- Use technology
Before: it was a schedule of meeting after meeting, internal, external, weekly, biweekly, breakfast, lunch: it seems like our work consisted of being in meetings;
Now: we understood the importance of technology more than ever, as without it we could not have carried on doing business. Although no videocall will ever replace a physical meeting and the human contact, technology is a suitable substitute: cheaper, more efficient and climate friendly. Undeniably, a first client meeting still requires a person to person interaction. A good balance between the two is perhaps the “media res aurea”
- Travel “smart”
Before: the norm was to jump on a plane or a train at any client’s request, without either party considering if that was actually necessary;
Now: the past few weeks demonstrated that work can be as effective and productive even if we are not in the same room. Perhaps, last minute flights to New York or Frankfurt are not a good idea anymore. We will earn less air miles, but we will gain in health and possibly in soundness. And ultimately the global climate will benefit
- Plan some time for you and your wellbeing
Before: there was no time for anything else except for work;
Now: we have been able to cook ourselves a good homemade meal, practice our favourite sports or hobby, read a book, play with our children and listen to our partner/spouse. It would be helpful to keep memory of these positive experiences and make an effort to maintain this work-life balance going forward
- Be empathic
Before: we felt and respected the professional and social hierarchy in our daily interactions;
Now: Covid-19 has removed all the differences, making all of us similar regardless of social and professional positions. We re-discovered some positives about being humans, about being empathic - we applauded the health services once a week to show our gratitude for risking their lives for each and all of us. Social distancing gave us a wake-up call on how much we need each other. And so, we started caring more, listening more, giving more. Let's not forget that once the lockdown will be behind us
- Be able to adapt
Before: life seemed so foreseeable: on the horizon, no wars, no revolutions, no social unrest, no economic shock, stock markets kept on going up, nothing to worry about: even the smartest investors did not see the pandemic coming;
Now: our entire life was pulled upside down over night. We had to learn to adapt: the ability to adapt is by far the most important skill we learned, and it is the one that we will need the most going forward. This has made us stronger as humans and professionals.
- Embrace change
Before: if it ain't broke, don't fix it;
Now: we know that change brings innovation and opportunities and so let's embrace it, no matter how hard it may be right now. Let’s try to see changes as positive, not get attached to the old ways of doing business, be flexible, curious, creative, and have the courage to get out of our comfort zone. And remain optimistic and believe in ourselves.
Though this may be becoming conventional wisdom, it is good to reflect upon it, say it out aloud, maybe write it down and stick in on our walls and most importantly put it into practice!
If you want to share thoughts, comments or if we can help you, please feel free to reach out to Vici “doctors” on [email protected].