Social distancing, quarantine, isolation, pandemic.. what is going on?! These have become common household words in our daily lives due to the news of a global pandemic. (Before we continue with our blog, we’d like to express our condolences and pay respect to the individuals that have had to pay the ultimate price due to COVID-19.) Businesses all across the board are being affected as society struggles to cope with and maintain the spread of a deadly virus. Yet, despite the unfortunate losses and present challenges, there is still light at the end of the tunnel. In hardship there is always opportunity. Behind fear there is always hope. Challenges are presented to weaken us or to make us stronger. Ultimately, we decide our outcome. If you find yourself out of work or with pay cuts, yet healthy and free of infection, you are at the least fortunate. Although our current government is providing its citizens with some financial support, there are still ways you can continue to be productive within your existing organization, as well as embark on supplemental endeavors. We can shift our focus to possibilities while our current situation stabilizes. Unexpected circumstances often call for unconventional action. As an employee, ask your management how you could contribute your own skills and ideas in order to help meet the company's needs. There may be ways you can become even more resourceful: an opportunity for you to grow as a professional. Be mindful and understanding of the severity of the current situation, knowing this is unprecedented. Reach out to your fellow co-workers and offer any support within your means. Even moral support is enough at times to get someone through their day and help uplift their spirit for some time. Remember, we are all in this together. As a business owner, you can begin by laying out a plan of solutions for the most immediate issues you are facing. You can come up with creative ways to help your workers get through this crisis. Sometimes, what may not seem very significant to you might make a world of a difference to someone else. Reach out to your employees and ask how they are doing. There may be a way to help them. This is a time for all professionals to come together and strengthen their social bond. After all, we all have the same basic human needs. We may not have been ready for an unexpected hardship, neither individually nor collectively, but we can begin to gain from the experience by seeing how we can be better prepared. Life is always evolving therefore, there are always lessons to be learned. Let’s humble our souls, open our minds to new possibilities and look toward a brighter future.
“The best preparation for tomorrow is doing your best today.”