TIME TO REFLECT
The time we have been given to pause life by the onset of the Coronavirus pandemic, albeit unforeseen, can be considered by some a gift whilst others see it as unwelcome and inconvenient. For all the times we wished that we could work from home or have extra time for hobbies, when that opportunity arrived we were left wondering how to accept this new reality.
At first it was difficult to accept the fact that we had to stay inside our homes as if we were imprisoned. The timeframe for the quarantine was unknown and we soon had to adapt to another way of living. One where we were not able to simply go to the shops for a missing ingredient for dinner or just to browse items we didn’t need in the first place. When we finally did venture out of the home for the essentials, it was a well-planned and masked excursion that took place either once a week or longer. Certainly the idea of standing in a queue that wrapped around the building of Costco in the cold with rain starting to fall was not something I looked forward to doing often.
Some of us were fortunate enough to be able to keep our jobs whilst others were left jobless and devastated. The time before Coronavirus, businesses were hesitant to let employees work from home, questioning their ability to carry out their duties with distractions abounding. Other companies saw this as a security risk but soon saw that they had to change their strategy and trust that people could manage to work from home without constant supervision.
As one of those fortunate to still have a job, I am grateful to be able to work from home. The time I save not having to make the 30 minute drive to work and then another 45 minutes or longer back home, due to traffic, has greatly reduced my stress levels. In addition, not having to get dressed in constrictive clothing, putting on makeup, and packing a lunch and snacks has also left me with extra time. Perhaps when this is all over, companies can reconsider letting employees work from home as we have proven that we are indeed able to do what they believed was impossible.
As with everything, we can look at something as a learning opportunity or a dreadful experience. If we choose to use the time we have been given as a time to reflect on our lives and how we can make it more fulfilling, we will find that we are much happier as a result.
A friend of mine asked me today how I was doing. We hadn’t talked since the start of the pandemic when I was also dealing with other life changing issues. Ones which expended a great deal of mental energy and left me physically exhausted. ‘Great!’ I answered. Despite that change and the adventure of having to move again, I choose to stay as positive as I can be.
If this pandemic has taught us anything, it is that life is too short to let negative thoughts consume us. Instead, we can use this time to reflect on how we will move forward with life when we are finally able to move about unrestricted. When travel to other parts of the world will be a more cherished opportunity. The world will certainly change after this pandemic and hopefully we can adapt and grow as a result of this once-in-our-lifetime experience.
