Life Goes On: making the best out of Self-Isolation

 

One third of world's population is confined. The impact of this pandemic on the economy is yet to be seen, but most economists picture a more than likely recession looming our way. On the positive side, everyone agrees that - it may take more or less time - but we will come out of this situation. As long as it is possible, most people are doing remote working which allows saving time on a daily basis (in the U.S., the average, one-way commute time is 26 minutes, according to the U.S. Census Bureau). How can this time be used to create additional value? The following list presents a few options. I look forward to hearing more from you in the comments section below.

Contact old friends and expand professional network

That cousin you were planning to call but it was never a good time, that old friend from university you promised to WhatsApp but never found a good reason to do so, that colleague from your previous employer with whom you got along so well but that you have not seen again after switching companies... Now it is a fantastic opportunity to reach out to them.

In terms of professional network, it is a good practice to build it when it is not needed, so for when it is needed is then already too late. Explore LinkedIn and reach out to individuals or companies that might play a role in your present and future.

Pick up hobbies or procrastinated activities

Reading books (educational, novels, essays, etc.), watching TV shows or series that were sitting on the on the to-watch list for months, picking up hobbies to which not much attention could be paid due to the lack of time (painting, reading, playing an instrument, etc.)... All of these, and many more depending on the personal circumstances, will favor an efficient use of time - plus something will be learned. Like essayist Ralph Waldo Emerson once said "Unless you try to do something beyond what you have already mastered, you will never grow".

Take in introspective look at yourself... and plan ahead

This is by far the most difficult exercise since it requires diving in the inner soul of each individual. Similarly to a scrum retrospective at the end of each sprint, the same principle could apply to life. At certain time intervals, it is a good practice to look back and assess whether we have managed to fulfill the goals that we have set for ourselves. Are we where we wanted to be? And more importantly, to reflect on the direction forward. Someone once said "If you do not know where you are going, any road will get you there”.

Reflecting on an apparently simple question such as "What do I want out of life?" allows the introspective process to begin. This pandemic is causing mankind to put the way we live under the magnifying glass. The positive impact on the pollution levels, for example, is making mankind reflect on whether we could live in a more sustainable manner and what we would sacrifice in our life style to accomplish this. If mankind is doing this exercise, why not also us individually?

Stay safe everyone.