This marks my year-end column for a year that seemed to have no end.
On the bright side, San Diego’s most recent unemployment rate of 6.6% is highly encouraging, along with news that 14,000 new hires were made last month.
Good news, except when compared to a year ago at this time, when our unemployment rate was a near-perfect 2.6%.
Miraculously, we are now rolling out two very promising vaccines, with more on the way. Our first responders and the elderly are getting treated as fast as possible and by mid-spring over half of all Americans will likely be treated and we should be able to breathe a sigh of relief.
The second federal relief package is expected to provide help to those still in need.
Despite the awful impact of COVID-19 on virtually all sectors of our lives, I do feel like the worst is behind us — at least in terms of getting more of us back to work. Whether — or when — we will return to that amazing 2.6% again is anyone’s guess.
Here’s a hint: It’s going to take a while.
Changes we’ve made in our daily routines
Ever the optimist, I’d prefer to look ahead to better things, by accepting the best of the changes we’ve made in our daily routines because of the pandemic.
Such as, for most of us — excluding healthcare workers, of course — our working lives have become less hectic.
No more setting alarms to rush to early-morning meetings. No more after-hours business functions. And hasn’t traffic been a breeze?
Like most of you, I feel like this mask has grown to be part of my face. Wearing sweats has become a way of life. Remember suits and ties? I haven’t worn either for many months.
As much as we like to complain about Zoom meetings, they have become a grudging and even welcome part of our lives, a way to get business done in ways we never thought possible before.
And as challenging as at-home school has been for our children, working from home has allowed more time for more leisurely pursuits, like more frequent — and longer — dog walks. Personally, I know that my wife and I have enjoyed being able to spend more time with our grandchildren. I now understand more clearly, why, way back in the “old days,” relatives tended to stay within the same surrounding blocks for generations. These days, my days have become very different from a year ago.
After slower-than-before starts to the morning with coffee and the newspaper, I’ll catch up on emails, participate in a morning Zoom session, do a home workout, and arrive at the office by late morning.
Instead of leaving the office in time to be home by 7 for dinner, I now leave by 5:30, or earlier.
Going forward, our personal lives and our work lives will continue to blend. No more bells ringing when one starts and the other stops. We will work at the office when it fits our needs, and from home when more convenient.
Take inventory of how things are working out
As we ease into 2021, I encourage you to take inventory of how things are working out. Decide which elements of your “new life” are the most effective — such as working remotely, if that’s an option — and keep them.
When appropriate, continue to conduct virtual meetings and save to-and-fro travel time. Make sure any business or personal trips are truly necessary and meaningful before committing to them.
Meanwhile, if a two-career arrangement really is not working for you and your family, then the new year might provide a prime opportunity to make a change. If you were ready to change jobs or careers before the pandemic, then now is the time to start making inquiries.
Take the good from a very bad year and keep it. Then start 2021 as a more relaxed, newly charged-up person who has decided to take back control of your life.
As I wrote here back in April, this, too, shall pass. Just not as quickly as we had hoped.
Blair is co-founder of Manpower San Diego and author of “Job Won.” pblair@manpowersd.com
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December 28, 2020 at 09:00PM
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Finally, it’s time to look ahead to better times to come - The San Diego Union-Tribune
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