THIS IS NOT WHAT WE SIGNED UP FOR.

2020. The numbers by themselves evoke a wide range of emotions that none of us planned for when the year started. With that said, it is time we face this new reality. Life is different. We don't know when "normal" will come back. We don't know if "normal" will be back. If you are anything like me, you feel like you are living in an alternate universe with no signs of coming back to planet earth any time soon.

Many of us are very fortunate. We still have jobs, we work for good companies that have cared for us well through the pandemic. Unfortunately, others reading this have lost their jobs, have taken pay cuts, have gotten sick and simply haven't been quite as fortunate during the pandemic.

Go with me for just a minute back to the early 1990's. No pandemic, but a very bad global economy. I was growing up in a home where my parents owned their own business. Nobody I knew then or know now worked quite as hard as my parents. Nobody. I have heard the story many, many times from my dad. Business was down and my mom said, "Paul, people are still buying. Businesses are still succeeding. We need to do whatever it takes to win." I do think that was a game changing conversation for my parents and the state of their business. They pushed through the recession and ran a wildly successful business until their retirement just a few years ago.

Now, why am I sharing this. Well, I think there is an opportunity for us right now that many of us aren't capitalizing on. We need to get out each and every day and work hard and work smart. We need to commit to putting the hours and the effort in that it takes to be successful.

What's my point here? My point is, this is our time to shine! This is our time to step it up and work smarter and harder than ever before. The unemployment line (30 million people) is long and filled with qualified people. There are people out of work that would love to be in our shoes. They come cheaper and they are willing to do what it takes to win. They will put the hours in. This may be the unpopular thing to say but the 40 hour work week is dead. This is no time for the 40 hour work week mentality. It is not about punching the clock. It is not about the 40 hours. It is about getting the job done. Its about getting the job done better than ever. While the job may only take 40 hours, we can't stop until the job is done and done well. We need to innovate. We need to fine tune our skills. We need to be a team. We need to build up our coworkers. We need to absolutely crush it. Skip the lunch break and buckle up. It's go time like never before. This is a time for us to do what it takes to win. Some of us will come out of the recession and post-covid world better than before. Be one that is willing to do what it takes to be in that group of people.

Lets get at it!

The question you might be asking is; how do I manage the chaos of work right now while managing my personal life. Stay tuned, that article comes next week.