FIVE UNEXPECTED BENEFITS FROM THE PANDEMIC(THE PANDEMEFITS)

The pandemic has tested my family’s sanity. We’ve turned our house into a joint office / daycare center. We multitask endless zoom calls alongside dishwasher unloading, toddler butt wiping (video off) and remote happy hours (video on).

We’ve never had more stress, more arguments, or more isolation. The word “bubble” once made me think of children’s laughter as they ran to catch soapy rainbows. Now that word just feels restrictive.

However…there IS a bright side to our Quarantine Life. There are many Pandemefits (Pandemic benefits). They are not just short term positives, but learnings we can use to architect a better future, post pandemic.

MY TOP FIVE PANDEMEFITS

1. My partner and I have kept our jobs. Unlike many front line and service workers, we are able to work remotely. This is something we always secretly wanted to do, but couldn’t because of our corporate ‘Face Time’ cultures. Now ‘facetime’ is in fact on FaceTime. Or Zoom. Or Google Hangout or <insert any remote videoconference tool here>. For people like us, the workforce will be forever changed. I look forward to a hybrid model in 2021 where our teams can better balance office time and home time.
2. I’m more politically aware and active. Because I am home all the time, I…