COVID-19 - Where next?

As a marketer, I feel I am in a bit of a quandary surrounding my position during the COVID-19 pandemic. I personally don’t feel like ‘selling my marketing wares’, and I have switched off from marketing emails telling me how to get 'Summer ready'! I am hearing daily about people dying, losing their jobs, losing their companies, families being separated because they cannot get home and to be completely honest, I’m taking time to reflect a lot and how I can add value to myself and my clients at this time.

It dawned on me that what does make me feel good at the moment is hearing and learning about what individuals and companies are doing to support our incredible NHS, local and international businesses and families during this crisis.

Already today, I have read about Mercedes F1 making breathing aids which will help to keep people out of ICU (read more here), as well as Virgin Orbit (the space rocket people) who will hopefully soon be mass producing ventilator devices (read more here) and how Gin distilleries have sprung into action to make hand sanitiser for us. The way that businesses, their teams and technology are adapting at the time is quite staggering. 

I have also witnessed how businesses have been able to adjust so that their employees can work from home. We know this was essential to protect life, however it does put some weight behind the argument that positions can be done from home or remotely. The Joe Wicks PE classes are also a prime example of how to take the school PE lesson and bring it into peoples homes; I've loved taking part with my two little ones, although we have found several others to mix it up. 

Companies have had to change their working practices, and yes there are some heart breaking stories coming through, but through the use of technology, there is also light, which I hope will change the attitudes of remote working for many organisations.

I have worked from home for many years, however I have not had to integrate homeschooling two children into my working day. To be honest, I'm learning that it's all about structure and mindset. My children's schools have provided the tools and we as parents have become the teachers. It is a new challenge for all parents who are juggling many plates, but we are pushing through and we are adding so much value daily.

The world as we know it has changed for the foreseeable future and we don’t know when it will return to normal. When I say normal, I don’t really know what that will look like after we defeat this virus. Can we just click back into our past lives, carefree and not worry about the invisible predator? Only time will tell.  

We may be experiencing feelings of isolation as we live within our four walls, turning to the news, social media and our friends and families for comfort and reassurance, again the latter is proving to be a huge positive to rise from the sadness. We are however resilient, as human beings and as a nation. 

These are horrendous times and we are facing challenges that we could never dream we would, but we will overcome these.  For now, I am content and proud to be a support to my clients in which ever way that I can, whilst embracing my new role as Mrs McAlister, Head of Learning at Home School. :) 

And remember...... Please #StayatHomeSaveLives