A look back: 3 things I learnt in 2021

With all that has happened, it is easy to feel like 2020 and 2021 has merged into one long year. With more than half the time spent in lockdown and the rest marked with restrictions, we have primarily been confined to our homes as we “wait out” the pandemic. Sometimes, we may even feel like our days don’t count.

However, in a blink of an eye, we are in another new year. And I believe that time does count and it is up to us to make it matter. That is why new years are always a great time to reflect on the year gone by, of the happy gains and missed opportunities, acknowledging and celebrating growth so that we can approach the year ahead with purpose and intention.

As I looked back at 2021, it brings me joy to see how far we’ve come. Here are 3 of my favourites:

1.????Anyone can learn new tricks

In the last two years, we have seen a dramatic shift in the way we communicate. When the movement control order was imposed in March 2020, many of us found ourselves having to reduce our social relations drastically be it in the workplace or between families and friends.

Thankfully, we have technology which turned social distancing into distant socializing. At first, many of us struggled to adapt to video conferencing.

Fast forward to today, we are all now experts in video conferencing so much so that we have learnt to come up with clever virtual backgrounds to hide the mess behind us, and figured out the number of books we need to prop up our laptop so that we look straight into the camera.

But as this new way of working goes on, some are starting to experience video meeting fatigue brought on by too much time staring intently at our laptop screens even as workplaces strive to keep people connected.

Hence, we have also learnt a few tricks to keep each other engaged during virtual meetings. This includes turning on our cameras to let the speaker know that we are listening, responding using emojis such as the thumbs up and virtual claps as a sign of acknowledgement, raising our virtual hands before we speak so that we do not talk over each other, and lastly, keeping the meetings short to respect other’s time.

2.????Instead of survival of the fittest, try survival of the kindest

For the longest time, we were taught that we need to be the alpha – the fastest, strongest, or smartest to survive and succeed in the world. However, survival of the fittest has been misunderstood. According to biologists such as Charles Darwin and E. O. Wilson, cooperation has been more important than competition in humanity’s evolutionary success. Compassion is the reason for both the human race’s survival and its ability to continue to thrive as a species. That is why so many philanthropic movements such as Kita Jaga Kita, White Flag, and the recent flood relief efforts were born in the midst of this pandemic and natural disaster.

Volunteering has always been a humbling experience for me as I once was at the receiving end of it. Giving back allows me to connect with others, even if I do not know them. It helps me grow as a person, enriches my life, and broadens my perception of different walks of life around me.

That is why I believe that giving back or volunteerism should not be treated as a one-off activity that is used for publicity, photo opportunities, or personal interest. Rather, it should be something sustainable that could make a lasting impact and improves the lives of the community.

I always look forward to meeting and engaging with the communities during outreach activities that we do as a team at 3M. It was a true joy in December last year when a team of 3M volunteers and I had the chance to help build Umah Temuan, a community-based tourism venture in partnership with EPIC and Native.

Interacting with a few Orang Asli villagers from the Temuan tribe who were helping to facilitate the build reminded me of the wonders of culture that is so close to nature.

From agriculture, to architecture and culinary, this community is nothing short of amazing and I can’t wait to book a stay at Umah Temuan to listen to more native stories and experience the rich culture of this community when it launches this year.

3.?????Pursue flexibility instead of balance

Working from home definitely wasn’t easy in the beginning. I realized that the phrase “business hours” has lost its meaning. As employees find themselves working around their family schedules, some may be online early in the morning, others, late in the evening, and some even on the weekends. This may have unconsciously created the need for employees, leaders or subordinates alike, to be online all the time to accommodate all of these schedules and to be available for communications at all hours, ultimately leading to burnout.

That is why it is important for us to be intentional in creating an environment that works. While setting up a dedicated workplace at home is great for uninterrupted meetings, we can also grab hold of the benefits of working from home such as having small pocket of moments to recharge ourselves by stretching, walking around, getting a cup of coffee, or even talking to family members.

As leaders, we can also set the pace by creating a workplace culture that respects flexibility. Flexible work arrangements include options for when, where, and how the work gets done. Work-life flexibility requirements will differ significantly for people, and it is a good idea to create an inventory of what challenges need to be accommodated. That is why I am glad to work in 3M, where flexibility is a trust-based approach that allows employees to work their way.??

We are now living in times of great uncertainties. While it is okay to be not okay, we need to remember that it is not okay to stay that way. When we acknowledge our struggles, learn from our mistakes, and strive for a better tomorrow, we move forward and make every moment count.?