To say that the year 2020 was challenging is an understatement. It was a year like no other. Schools were closed, travel restricted, big gatherings prohibited, and work from home became the norm. I am optimistic things will get better. It might take time. But all the learnings we had surviving a pandemic we will carry with us for life. Here are my five takeaways from the year 2020.
TAKEAWAY #1: HEALTH IS WEALTH
Who would have thought the world would come to a standstill? The pandemic changed how we live. I cannot emphasize health is wealth enough. While experts are racing against time for a long term solution, observing safety precaution is our best ally.
TAKEAWAY #2: NEVER TAKE THINGS FOR GRANTED
Experiencing two waves of lockdown in France made me rethink about life. As a homebody, I thought it’s easy peasy. I can survive this. I love staying home and working from home. The first four weeks of lockdown, I felt relieved not having to commute. I felt extremely productive, making every minute count at home. The second month was another story. I was becoming restless, irritable, lonely and homesick.
Trips to the supermarket that I used to enjoy were not as fun. I could stay hours looking at colourful produce and scanning aisles for food items. But not this time. I was full of anxiety and couldn’t wait to get out when I found what I needed.
TAKEAWAY #3: ADAPTABILITY IS KEY
To be able to adapt is one of the most critical soft skills in the workplace. Changing in-person learning to virtual classrooms was indeed challenging for visual storytellers. Employees had to shift to work from home setups. Good thing technological advancements made it all possible. But this change meant everyone had to learn new software to adapt quickly.
TAKEAWAY #4: MAKE TIME FOR FAMILY AND FRIENDS
Make that phone call to check on family and friends. Spend time with them when it’s physically possible because we’ll never know if it’s going to be the last. The important thing is we created memories with them.
TAKEAWAY #5: TICK SOMETHING OFF YOUR BUCKET LIST
I haven’t thought about my bucket list until I had some time to reflect during the lockdown. Then it hit me. I wanted to do a lot of things that I’m passionate about. But I have been procrastinating thinking.
I’ll get the chance to do it SOMEDAY…
When TIME PERMITS because I have plenty of stuff on my plate now…
Well, it’s not going to tick itself off the list, If I’m not doing anything about it. The time is NOW. I’m ticking one item off my bucket list this year. CREATING A BLOG.
What’s on your bucket list?
These are my five takeaways from 2020, what are your realizations?