Well, we’ve made it through one full month of Quarantine 2020. March 13th was the Friday that my kids were told to gather their books and prepare to study from home. And while I’ve done my marketing consulting from my home office for over a decade, for many others that was the date we suddenly became telecommuters for the first time.
For some of us it might not feel all that different, and for others it might feel a little strange, surreal… distracting. Working with all these people in the house. All. The. Time. Making too many messes, eating too much food, having too many needs that we can’t stay on top of 24/7 and still get our work done. And who used up the toilet paper again? Don’t they know we only have so much?
For others it might be distracting in other ways. Too much silence. Too much news. Too much worry about the future: our health, our families, our jobs, the economy, paying our bills, getting by until the next time we absolutely have to go to the supermarket, and wondering what we’re going to do if they are out of toilet paper, milk, cereal, and cleaning wipes… again.
Regardless of which camp you fall into, I want you to think back over the past four weeks. Think about the things that have been totally new to you. Think about the things that were uncomfortable. Think about the changes you’ve made. I want you to realize just how much you’ve learned about yourself, your family, your work, your business. Maybe you’ve learned something about your need for space or quiet or exercise or socializing or travel or simply food that you don’t have to cook yourself. Or maybe you’ve gained insight about your day-to-day routine, your busy lifestyle, or even your ability to be creative and resilient.
I truly believe that through all of these changes and all of this discomfort we feel in the “new normal,” there is something important to be learned. That something will be different for each of us, but there is wisdom to be gained in the experience. And there is value in seeking out that wisdom.
I recently read a social media post that really stuck with me. It was something to the effect of, “Don’t ask ‘Why is this happening to me?’ Instead, ask ‘What am I meant to learn from this?'” Whether it’s something you can learn about yourself, your family, your business — or maybe all of the above — there is definitely something we can learn from and use to grow.
I’m not a life coach, nor am I a family therapist. But here at Jersey Shore Marketing & Insights, we do help businesses figure out how to have a better relationship with their customers. Whether we can help you make sense of your business data, discover what your customer really wants and needs, put together a communications plan, or just brainstorm how to get through the next few weeks, we’d love to help you learn and grow in any way we can.
Only… just don’t ask us for any toilet paper.
Jersey Shore Marketing & Insights 