As we begin 2021 with the hope of a vaccine for COVID-19, we have high hopes of eventually returning to what was “normal”. But what do you want your normal to be? COVID caused us all to change and adjust and most of us, myself included, did more adjusting in a short period of time than we have had to do in previous years. We learned that we are resilient, learned to work differently, socialize in new ways, appreciate those things in life that the business of pre-COVID life didn’t allow time for.
There is some “normal” that we may not want to return to. In the beginning of COVID, many people I spoke with had to contend with some loss of control but eventually realized that much of what they tried to control wasn’t as important as they might have thought. For people whose identity was found at the office, they realized that there is a lot at home to appreciate and respect. I know many people who have decided that they are not going to go back to their long commute, or are seriously adjusting their in office work week, and have companies that are willing to accommodate. They learned to be productive, not just with their job, but at the same time how to be more present at home. If you are in the position to adjust to being home more, it is definitely worth exploring how to make some of the changes more permanent and satisfying for you and your family.
Personally, learning to work from home has been a great improvement to my quality of life that has also greatly benefitted my family. My wife has had to adjust her business in ways that she never entertained before, which has opened up amazing possibilities. What was once conceived out of a need to be flexible has opened up ways to work that have proven to be game changers.
So, as we start a new year, take time to evaluate what changes you HAD to make that actually IMPROVED your life and hold on to those, especially if it has given you more time with your family. Sometimes change and not the “normal” are what we really need to improve our lives in 2021..