The rapid transition to Work From Home (WFH) while simultaneously homeschooling the kids is stress inducing. Throw in a global pandemic and it’s understandable why so many people default to pointing out challenges with the current environment. Despite the challenges, some benefits have emerged that are worth reflecting on.
For many of us, the current environment has refocused our attention toward what is important in life. Many of these rediscovered activities may stick when the pandemic is our collective rear view mirror. At a minimum, it’s worth focusing on what’s good in life even in the midst of a pandemic.
Spending Time with Family
Nearly everyone I have spoken with has been spending more time with family during the covid-19 pandemic. While shelter-in-place orders are challenging, having more time to spend with a significant other and the kids has been positive.
There is a growing consensus that people want to continue to have more quality family time when the pandemic is done. While WFH is tough for those new to it, the lack of a commute has opened up free time to spend with the people who matter most.
Another important consideration is that children are benefiting from increased parental attention. In other words, children are beginning to expect more time and attention from parents. Curbing this attention when the pandemic ends may have a net negative impact on children while leaving a palpable gap.
Catching up with Friends
Have you called old friends recently? The answer for nearly everyone is an emphatic yes. The pandemic has driven people to touch base with old friends. Who doesn’t enjoy catching up with old friends. Hopefully, we’ll all continue to do so even after the pandemic passes.
Dinner with the Family
A few months ago many of us were too busy to sit down and eat dinner as a family. Today, an increasing number of people have rediscovered the tradition of enjoying dinner as a family. The people I speak with have found joy in connecting with family every night. Dinner time was traditionally a time when everyone would put aside the day’s burdens and reconnected with one another. Nearly everyone views this one a keeper.
Summary
While the pandemic is definitely a net negative there are are also some positives worth noticing. In general, no one wants to spend time with people who are downers. So, when asked “How are you doing?”, I like to mention some of the positives as a result of the current environment. Connecting with friends and family and spending more time the kids are all things that have been reinvigorated.
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