4 Important Things COVID-19 Taught Us to Prioritize
The pandemic has made life harder, scarier, and all-around more stressful for all of us. However, it’s also taught us some very important lessons. The life changes we have amassed due to COVID-19 have forced us to reevaluate our priorities and figure out what matters most. We’ve learned how to care for ourselves and the people around us when it's been harder than ever.In the spirit of recognizing the growth we’ve made over this time, we encourage you to reflect on these four things that society has come to prioritize since the pandemic.Women in Science offers women support and real-life guidance for navigating a balanced scientific career path. Please consider supporting us with a donation today!
Our Work-Life Balance
For years, people everywhere have been hearing about the importance of a work-life balance, but the message doesn’t always sink in. It was hard to put that ahead of a fear of missing an email or losing precious time on a project. Once we started working from home, however, we quickly got to see what happens when you abandon the work-life balance altogether.Right away, there was a flood of advice on how to work from home without letting work take over your life. Work-life balance skills, such as committing to truly being off the clock, are more important—and more powerful—when you’re working remotely. We’ve discovered how to value our free time as a precious commodity, and we should carry that with us.
Our Own Talents
When everyone was stuck at home in the very early days of the pandemic, we got bored—fast. Instead of succumbing to that boredom, many of us got up and began scouring the house in search of crafting materials, toolboxes, and all the materials we needed for the quarantine DIY. Soon we discovered just how much we could achieve with our own hands, and learned not to take our skills for granted.As we go forward, continue to nurture those skills. If you learned you love knitting or putting together furniture, you could even look into making a career out of it. Look into the process of starting a business in your state, including forming an LLC and deciding on your tax status and business model. If all the ideas fall into place and you have the means to get started, you could turn your new skill into a fulfilling career.
Our Minds
We do not want to pretend that the grief and fear people have faced the world over is a good thing—it’s not. That said, the facts show that it made many of us realize that we couldn’t face those problems alone. Mental health care demand went from 13% to 23% among young adults during the pandemic, according to a YouGov poll.Yes, this is a sign of our collective struggles but it’s also a beacon of hope. The coping skills these patients learn during the pandemic will only serve them well through the years to follow. We all deserve access to effective mental health care, and although we’re not glad the pandemic pushed so many to the point of needing help, we are glad they found it.
One Another
Finally, the pandemic has taught us to put one another first—and the collective power that decision carries. We’ve all suffered from being apart from our loved ones, and we’ve all learned ways to compromise and see one another in the safest ways we can manage. We’ve seen how small, individual decisions like mask use can make a massive impact on whole communities.The pandemic has taken so much away from us, but look at what it’s given—the way we honor one another, the way we protect our minds and hearts, and the way we have come to see the best in ourselves are all beautiful things. We hope we can continue to keep those gifts with us once the danger has passed.Author BioStephanie Haywood is happy to be living her best life. Personal development and self-care gave her a boost when she needed it most, and now she works to share the gift of self-knowledge, self-care, and self-actualization with everyone who visits MyLifeBoost.com