Our lives have been upended in so many ways—working from home, facing collapsed markets, and navigating all the fears and changes that have come with Covid-19. But despite pandemic, despite the oil price crash, and despite the challenges all around us, there’s still room for finding optimism. It’s easy to take these silver linings for granted, so I’ve paused on five reasons for positivity I’ve seen come out of the craziness so far:
Being alone together has made us long for connectivity. But we’ve found it in new ways, both in- and outside of work. I especially enjoy being a part of smaller communities within Verisk, such as the marketing team and our “Thrive” diversity and inclusion groups. Outside of work, finding ways to connect through book clubs, a neighborhood walk, and yes, the virtual happy hour, keep us connected to people who share our interests and allow us to meet people we may have never crossed paths with otherwise.
This can apply to your living space or to your mind (which will come into play with number three on the list). Maybe I find optimism in unexpected places, but cleaning my kitchen from top to bottom and purging my pantry were almost cathartic, empowering me to feel accomplished but also so much less stressed. A project doesn’t have to be huge to lift your spirits and allow you to appreciate having time to focus on things you’d normally pass by.
There’s no doubt that despite our demands, our time in lockdown or self-isolation has given us time to reflect (whether we’ve wanted to, or not). I find it’s been a great opportunity to take some time and really center on what it is we value most—family, community outreach, even simply having more time reflect.
As marketers, we’re always tuned in to our audiences. But the extreme circumstances of the pandemic and global markets have shifted our approach to clients and prospects. We now understand their need to connect better than ever before, and we’ve been able to adapt to legitimizing their concerns, acting as a guides or anchors, and solving new problems together. Why is this a silver lining? We’re more in touch, more empathetic, and more motivated to drive opportunity.
We’ve been forced to work in new ways with little or no preparation. While it’s been jarring at times, many of us are proving to be more productive than ever. Every day, we’re reminded of our resilience—a true blessing in disguise that we now see has led us forward through some of the toughest circumstances we’ll ever see.
What silver linings have you discovered during the past two months? I’d love to hear how you’re dealing with the challenges of work and home, and the bright spots you’ve encountered along the way.