I think it is definitely important to look back and applaud how we collectively adapted to the pandemic. It is cliche to say the world is constantly changing, but no less true. We will never completely return to the way things were pre-pandemic, and much of that is good. Businesses have learned how to think differently. Companies have embraced technology, and are using tools like Zoom, Teams, and GoogleChats, to keep employees connected remotely while offering unparalleled in office/remote flexibility.
I don't have one thing I can point to that I would celebrate, other than becoming much better at adapting to change. I would never previously have thought I could be as productive over as long a period of time at working from home. But now I believe in many ways, I am even more productive, and much better at managing the work/life balance. It doesn't look as neat and defined as it used to. Gone are the days when work fit neatly into a 9-5ish bucket, and everything else happened after that. Now, an errand might get completed in the middle of the day, but a piece of work finished after dinner. I may not punch a clock right at 9, and stay glued to my work laptop till 5. But incredibly, no less volume of work gets done, and often times, it gets done when I am inclined to enjoy greater productivity.
I would hazard to guess that we have all learned things about being more flexible. And that this will set us up well for future changes.
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Arnie Grahl
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Original Message:
Sent: 07-28-2022 15:17
From: Lee Ann Searight
Subject: Benchmark your pandemic self
If anyone is feeling the pressure of getting "back to normal" I hope you'll find comfort in this article that encourages us to celebrate how much we were able to accomplish in the face of a complete lifestyle disruption.
It starts by asking us to think about our pandemic work and consider:
1. What do you feel most proud of? I was able to use my expertise in DEI to create two guides that support members in understanding microaggressions and practice things like offering a meaningful apology when we are the one who says something that causes harm. I have a master's in Educational Theatre, which is pretty much the art of practicing things so they become easier or creating art together to find meaning in larger events-- and when I get to things like create the guides, I feel less terrible about my student loan debt :)
2. Where did you innovate or move things beyond what you have ever done in the past? Knowing that so many clubs were no longer meeting in person, I worked to create a club programming channel. Each year we hold several huge events with world-class speakers, but the average member doesn't get the chance to experience them. I worked to curate topics so that a club or district could pick a topic-- ranging from 5-20 minutes-- to share with their clubs and then discuss. I didn't necessarily reinvent the wheel, but I tried to meet a need (creative topics for member engagement) with resources that already exist, but might be hard for the average member to find.
So, how about you? Would love to celebrate the way you managed to thrive :)
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Lee Ann Searight
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