2020 has been anything but conventional. We have gone from structured in-school learning by professionals to homeschooling by parents that are working from home simultaneously. Classrooms were traded for temporary desks made up of kitchen tables or any hard surface available. This year is when finding a decent priced desk was like looking for a needle in a haystack for us parents. We experienced the great toilet paper shortage and soap, hand sanitizer and Clorox wipes were being traded between neighbors like our lives depended on it. From this, I believe and hope that people around the world are learning valuable lessons.
People started cooking more, gardening and doing DIY projects at home. We stopped to smell the roses and went for walks outside when the gyms closed. Life slowed down. Americans are used to living crazy fast paced lives, where everyday is go, go, go and full of deadlines and hard work, activities and social gatherings. During a raging pandemic a lot of the things we took for granted were removed from our daily lives. Simple things like smiles and a loving hug were exchanged for masked faces and elbow bumps in the best case scenario.
From this experience, we have learned to never take human interaction for granted. We also learned the importance of having emergency funds, and to make use of what you have. And of course, how VERY important it is to wash our hands. We have gained a new appreciation for essential workers and we have become creative in so many areas of our lives. From how to close down entire offices and move to remote work, incorporating our kids daily school schedules with our work schedules, to celebrating birthdays, introducing new family members and visiting with our elderly without exposing them.
We have all adjusted and come up with innovative new ways of getting our work done, with a “business as unusual” philosophy. During this time, TXC has helped many of our clients implement “business as unusual” and my amazing co-workers have created some incredible content for our clients.
My biggest take away from this year is reflecting on a past blog post I wrote when I first started at TXC two years ago. I had no idea how harsh the effects of my new work from home situation was going to have on my health. I was already aware and had read that sitting down for long periods of time is bad for your body. But I was not prepared for what was in store when my work situation changed. I am so very grateful that I am allowed to continue to work from home while having my kids home and homeschooling them for months. It’s been a huge eye opener to me.
I went from being active, working out several times a week at home to basically coming to a screeching halt and not doing anything other than sitting. I got so tired, drained and just exhausted. I believe this year has been hard for every single person on this planet and we all have different ways of coping or handling stress. For me, I stopped doing what I truly knew was best for me. By golly am I glad I snapped out of the 2020 daze and came to my senses and started doing what I love again. I am now back to working out and I feel greater than ever. One’s health is so very important, especially in these challenging times and it’s not something that should ever be a last priority.
Hindsight 2020 is more real than ever. What is your biggest take away from 2020?