COVID Diaries

By the time the second week of March rolled around, everyone at work was a buzz preparing for an additional work-from home day from the usual one day a week. Schedules were prepared to coordinate subject matter expertise and coverage to ensure when someone was home, someone else who knew the portfolio was at work. It was a Friday afternoon and the schedule of who’s in and who’s working from home was laid out. I was anxiously awaiting the news of Hamilton – the play I waited for what seemed like years to enjoy, seeing if it was a go or no go. The NBA and the NHL had both suspended all future games with no eminent date of return. All large gatherings cancelled but no news of the Hamilton status yet. I was hoping they would still go ahead with it. Not wanting to wait any longer and have some sort of control I called Mirvish Productions. It was a feat to get through but eventually I did. Most theatre goers that had tickets for that Friday had cancelled or rescheduled the date in fear that it would be cancelled anyway. “It wouldn’t be the same play even if it were on” said the gentleman online. I opted to reschedule as a result and picked a date I thought far enough into the future that this COVID crisis would be a demise. Ha! If only I knew I would have just stuck to the date, hand sanitized like crazy, not touched my face and just witnessed one of the greatest musicals ever.

A week prior to this pandemonium, my husband and I had taken a short vacation to Vegas and boy was that a lot of fun! The airports we took off and landed in were as busy as ever. There were no extra “temperature” check points, everything seemed to be quite the same old, same old, except for a few folks wiping down the airplane seats, tray tables and seat belts with sanitary wipes. We were among these overly cautious. Can’t hurt to be to careful I thought shopping for the extra wipes and hand sanitizers. When we got to Vegas it was a party.

Back to March 13, also known as the Friday before shut-down. We packed up for the day to head home after receiving word that we would all be working from home for the next couple of weeks. It was strange, ominous and how things would progressively change from then to now, no one had a clue. The first work from home week was chaotic, with everyone wanting a teleconference meeting, update, summary and check in on this, that and everything. Quietly though, things settled down when decks were completed on time, summaries submitted, reports handed in and the usual outcomes kept coming in steadily. There was flow. There were results. No one was outside sipping margaritas and goofing off. You must trust your employees to deliver, if not, why have you hired them in the first place. It begins with trust!

COVID has been extremely challenging for some. I recognize that I was among the fortunate few that didn't have to worry about the very basic of necessities like food, clothing and shelter. I didn't have little kids around where I had to work, parent, run a house, teach them and entertain them all during a crisis. I didn't have an elderly family member in long term care that I needed to see or needed my attention. I was well. My family was well. For that I am very grateful. I have learned a ton through this crisis that I'd like to share with you. 

Here goes and I encourage you to jot down your own list of COVID lessons to share;

1. Resilience resides in all of us.
2. Change happens overnight and you can sink or swim with the change. You decide.
3. Good leadership during a crisis is an absolute must.
4. Most “office” jobs can be done from anywhere, any couch, any patio and most times can be done better from home.
5. We don’t need much – not even toilet paper!
6. If you have a roof over your head, food in your fridge and pantry then you do have plenty compared to some.
7. There is joy. There is joy. There is joy. You must open your eyes to see it.
8. In a crisis people will either rise to the occasion or cower in fear. I hope you RISE!
9. Human connection is critical and if it can’t be done face to face then a quick hello, text or call is powerful.
10. Nature MUST be respected. It really did need this time to breathe.
11. Support your local businesses, the small entrepreneur, the mom and pop shop often.
12. Most people are reasonable – except for the ones who stock up on toilet paper.
13. Treasure the simplest things in life – a coffee in the morning sunshine, the chirping of the birds a hug from your daughter after 2 months of isolation.
14. You are NEVER alone. Really.
15. Mental health is part of health and it matters a whole lot.
16. A morning routine brings so much productivity and personal benefits.
17. Everyone should try yoga and meditation. Even 5 min everyday will make a world of difference.
18. We are creative creatures.
19. Live every moment to the fullest.
20. Don’t take the everyday humdrum for granted.
21. Everyone has untapped talent and sometimes needs the time and opportunity to bloom.
22. Do the things you want to do. Stop waiting for the perfect time. There is no such thing.
23. Anytime you can, any way you can, help someone out. This could be EVERYTHING to them.
24. Preparation is key.
25. A long drive can be a great way to decompress.
26. Breathe. It’s a beautiful reminder of how awesome it is to be alive.
27. Spread kindness like sprinkles. You get much more out of it than you give out.
28. Always have a plan B.
29. Cultivating a minimalistic lifestyle will never goes out of style.
30. Hold on to the things that serve you well and let everything else go!

Surrounding areas are slowly moving on to stage 2 now. You can sit on a patio and enjoy some dinner and drinks. We did that last week in Waterloo and what a treat that was. How we take the simplest of things for granted. I will keep looking at this list and update it from time to time. To all the front-line workers in hospitals, at grocery stores, at the pharmacies and the MacDonald’s drive-throughs, a BIG THANK YOU for keeping us all going. There are lots of positives out of this crisis. It’s important for us to recognize that, capture it and hold on to it. We keep learning. And remember always, wash your hands and don’t touch your face.