The coronavirus outbreak has affected our lives once and for all. The way we live, work, and co-exist will never be the same. Australia is doing a much better job compared with the majority of countries around the world. Picturing myself among those who have been victims suffering and frontline heroes made me realize how fragile life can be. In five very short months, my world has changed upside down.
While politicians are throwing stones and blaming one another as hundreds of innovators, entrepreneurs, and change-makers are taking the lead to make a difference, people (including myself) are forced to look at their lives from very different perspectives and double or maybe triple check their values, priorities, and so forth.
My observations and self-reflections for the past five months made me sit down and outline my ideas chronologically, knowing that I may end up becoming the subject of criticism, judgment, hopefully inspiration, or at least respected for writing this piece that calls for action. Here are my thoughts.
Keep the big picture in view and remain flexible
Prior to the pandemic, I had a year plan for what I was going to do, how I was going to do it, where I was going to travel, who I was going to see, what I was going to wear, and who I going to delegate my projects and tasks. I did my best to calculate and analyze my schedule to the tiniest detail.
Switch from hard work to smart work
Prior to the pandemic, I kept myself busy working in my business instead of working on my business. The hours seemed to pass unapologetically, focusing on one particular task that was always a pain in the neck and thousands of messages in English, Chinese, or Chinglish (that is how I poke fun at my friends who speak English with a Chinese mindset). Simply put, I completely buried myself with my full-time and part-time engagements.