Lockdown lessons- Part 1

The last several weeks have no doubt being a challenge for every one of us. Whether it be, mentally, physically, financially, economically, socially, and spiritually- we’ve all experienced this lockdown at different levels.

As a nation, we’ve all shown a great display of stoicism and resilience up to this point. I strongly believe that the Covid-19 pandemic has and will change the world as we know it. No doubt, the way we do business, educational systems, and our social interactions will all be impacted. After all, we are all part of history in the making!

Personally, the lockdown has given me a lot to think about, and as a result, I've decided to document a series of insights and first-hand experiences. Here’s the first edition and my version of lockdown lessons: ? ?

1. There are always going to be things in life that you can’t control. Take this global pandemic for example. Its magnitude has forced businesses across the globe to shut down, sent markets and economies crashing, causing international travel to come to a halt and leading to events, sports and social gatherings to be canceled indefinitely. All of which, we usually have some form of control over. Or so we thought. Like most of you, I too had important plans for this year that didn't happen and more than likely won't happen until further notice. As a self-professed control freak, I've learned to embrace this season of uncertainty for what it is and find comfort in the fact that we're all in this together.

2. Cooking is fun until you’re doing it 24/7 and the novelty of spring cleaning wears off just as fast during a lockdown. Although, with all due respect, this lockdown has enhanced our domestic capabilities and brought out the inner chef in all of us.

3. I am totally in favor of the new norm that is working from home, or WFH as it's now coined. Technology and the digitalization of businesses have provided so many solutions and variations for us remain productive despite our circumstances and locations. Learning to adapt to this new way of life has been one of the highlights of my lockdown. As some of you may know, I have partnered with Wundmail during the lockdown to ensure my teams and I operate optimally during these unconventional circumstances. Wundamail is the management software of the century. Wundamail is a simple, modern way to manage teams remotely. Whatever your leadership style, it’s designed to inspire powerful behavioral change within organizations of every shape and size. If you're still managing your teams from home and want to ensure your team stays innovative, focused, and efficient, then Click here to sign up! It's never too late, or too early to revolutionize the way you and your team do business.

4. Overthinking is the biggest cause of our unhappiness and self-care is underrated. I've definitely indulged in both over this period. Overthinking is draining and unproductive. Whereas, self-care is advantageous and enriching. If you are going to go about spending your days doing either, I would highly recommend you opt for the latter

5. The above brings me to my next point. Not every day has to count. Some days your purpose is to just make it to the next one. That also counts. Be patient with yourself and those around you. I often have to remind myself that we don't have to constantly be busy and pushing ourselves to do more. Some days to take a step back and regroup when you are ready.

6. Now more than ever, I have learned to be more grateful for our health, the homes we live in, the food on our tables, our families, and for uncapped wifi. I am more cognizant of the fact that we are blessed to be blessings, and that by the giving of our time and skills we can help those around us to press on.

7. I hopelessly underestimated the amount of wine/alcohol I would consume during this lockdown period.

8. "You can do ANYTHING, but you can’t do EVERYTHING"- David Allen. The world is filled with great things to do, make, and accomplish, but not with a lot of time. You can do whatever you want, but the time you have for whatever you want is limited. (source: https://lifehacker.com/you-can-do-anything-but-not-everything-5936303) Choose your battles and spend your time wisely!

9. Your mental health is as vital as your physical wellbeing. We all pay so much attention to our physical bodies, by opting for healthy meals, practicing regular exercise, getting enough sleep, and so on. Sure, that's all crucially important, however, paying attention to our mental well being and the mental well being of those around us is more prominent than ever. Anxiety, stress, depression are all forms of mental health conditions that need to be acknowledged. We need to remind ourselves that it's okay to feel insecure and unstable at times. It's okay to have bad days. It's okay to need help and ask for assistance. And finally, it's okay NOT to be okay all the time. We all have our moments. The World Health Organization shared 5 tips to keep mentally healthy during COVID-19. Click here to find out more about these. Be kind to your mind.

10. There is LIFE after lockdown. We've come a long way since the early days of panic buying and stockpiling of toilet paper. If we can make it through this pandemic, no doubt, we can all thrive in life!

I challenge all of you to take a moment and reflect on what these several weeks of lockdown have taught you. Share your thoughts with me, I would love to hear them!

Until we socially distance again, level 3 here we come!

BR

Chanelle