Lessons Learned from Quarantine:
Throughout this lockdown and tumultuous period of human history, there has been a lot of learning that all of us have experienced. Whether it is lessons learned about life, ourselves, or simply about our daily routines; we have all learned something new that we will take with us into the new world once the dust settles. Below are some of the lessons that I learned that I believe are crucial for all of us going forward.
1. Do not take anything for granted
If the current reality has taught us anything, it’s that nothing in life is guaranteed. From things like going out to eat, spending time at concerts, or simply meeting up with friends and loved ones, everything we know has been impacted in some way. Things like going grocery shopping or going out to dinner have all changed in ways that we could have never imagined. What this has taught me is that we need to appreciate everything we have in the present because we don’t know what the future may hold and how it might all change in the blink of an eye. Take time out to appreciate the little things and enjoy everything that you currently have. Most of us are now working from home, so use this opportunity to spend more time with your loved ones or learn a new skill/hobby.
2. Create a proper work/Life balance
As most of us now work from home, the line separating work from our regular lives is starting to blur together. Most of us now roll out of bed in the morning, brush our teeth and then sit down to check work emails or attend meetings. If you don’t take out some time to establish boundaries, you will get lost in the imbalance that will consume your life. Take some time out for yourself to take a break. Maybe do some guided meditation to relax your mind and ease some of your nerves.
3. Change is a part of life
As we have seen over the past year and a half, change is something we have all had to embrace, whether we wanted to or not. However, this isn’t new, since life is all about change and ups and downs. Very few things in life are constant and unmoved, instead, everything is usually evolving, growing, and changing. The better we prepare ourselves to embrace this uncertainty, the better we can adapt to it. Change can be fun if you see it in that light. The thing about change is that you can either embrace it, enjoy it and experience it; or you can get stuck and left behind by it. For example, Blockbuster, for years, was at the top of their game and leaders in the movie rental industry, but as the times changed and technology evolved; we had the dawn of the information or internet era. Out of which companies like Netflix arrived, offering no late fees and convenience of home shipping for rentals. Blockbuster failed to adapt on par with their competition and in a few years; they were out of business. Change can be scary, uncomfortable, and nerve-racking, but it can also offer you opportunities to grow, learn and develop new skills. You decided how you want to tackle the change around you; embrace it and move forward or reject it and risk getting left behind.
4. Learn to diversify
The uncertainty of the times brought with it another unfortunate circumstance; a record number of layoffs and furloughs. If there is only one thing to take away from this situation, then it’s this; we should dig our well when we aren’t thirsty. These days, with the rapid growth of information and the internet, there are a plethora of opportunities for individuals to diversify into multiple asset streams. There is no excuse, except for sheer laziness, to not take advantage of this and try and develop some residual income on the side. Whether it is through something as simple as driving for a car ride service, investing in stocks, or developing a social age business asset. The opportunities are all around us and presenting themselves on an ongoing basis, we simply have to be open to the idea of opening the door when they knock.
5. Introspect and prioritize the important things in life
Often times we get so caught up in our typical daily routines, that we lose sight of the truly important things in our lives. We raise certain superficial things like our cellphones, dining out at restaurants, or even a cup of coffee from our local café as invaluable things we can’t live without. But if the last 18 months have taught us anything, it’s that there are many things that we take for granted, that are way more important. Things like, spending time with loved ones, our overall health, and the ability as individuals to interact socially. So, during this time when most of us have limited our superficial activities, like going out, partying, or vacationing; take time out to reorganize and reprioritize your life, to make time for things that truly matter. Make extra time in your schedule to facetime or visit loved ones, albeit responsibly. Plan out weekly family dinner or game nights, to improve your family bond and create new memories. Don’t let the situation happening in the outside world, impact the quality of your inside life.
These were my top 5 lessons learned throughout the last 18 or so months that we all have experienced together as a people and I hope that they can help you possibly change, grow and progress forward. I am sure that there were lessons that others also took away from their personal experiences and maybe these combined with those could help you come out on the other side of this situation in a better place.