The pandemic is over!, at least according to President Biden. Whether I fully agree with his statement or not, it’s time to get back out there – meet my colleagues in person, meet my friends for in-door meals, go to in-person workout classes, go dancing, and start networking again.
COVID Inertia
This is easier said than done. I don’t know about you, but I have “COVID inertia.” I have gotten so used to starting work on Zoom in my yoga pants without going anywhere. The thought of having to plan time to go to the office is now a new challenge. Luckily, our company doesn’t mandate in person work yet. Everyone is encouraged to try it but it’s not required.
My office is only a 17 minutes walk from my house. However, adding 35 minutes round trip to any of my days turned out to be harder than expected. Since my kids went back to in person school and joined competitive soccer, we already have at least 12 commutes a week to plan. I am also still getting used to the office set up – which is an open floor with no assigned seating. I haven’t yet figured out how to conduct my zoom meetings in an open space with colleagues nearby.
5 Reasons to Meet In Person
I know however, no matter how inconvenient it may seem now to go to the office and meet others in person, it’s time to do more of it. Here is 5 reasons why.
Reason 1: I am happier. I didn’t realize this but I think I have been slightly depressed all through COVID. Thankfully I had my husband and kids to get through it, but it’s still not the same as regularly being able to interact with more people. I think I even appreciate my family more after I come back from meeting others.
Reason 2: I can learn unexpected things. I have been to the office three times now and each time, I would randomly bumped into people in the kitchen and end up learning something about them or work that I didn’t expect. The water cooler talk is more valuable than I remembered.
Reason 3: I get more work done. While Zoom and Teams have been
helpful, I have missed being able to draw on the board and just simply brainstorm with colleagues in person.
Reason 4: I can build more relationships. It’s important to be seen in person to build new relationships. We just had a leadership offsite in Napa. In addition to all day meetings, I also stayed out until midnight to get to know my colleagues. It was invaluable to connect with people more personally via a social setting. It gave me a chance to get to know them in a relaxed setting and them to get to know me.
Reason 5: I gain momentum to do more in person. Remember that COVID inertia. The more I met people in person, the more I was willing to return to other in person activities. I just went salsa dancing for the first time in 3 years. Finally, touching a stranger’s hand and dancing within spitting distance doesn’t seem like a high risk event any more. Now that I have been in the office a few times this month, I am now considering going in once a week to start a routine. What’s more, I also realized I stopped networking altogether during COVID. Now it’s time to get back to networking events and happy hours 🙂
What Does this Mean For You
If you are already back to your old self before COVID, then good for you and keep going. If you are however a little stuck still in the COVID routine, it’s time to change that. Start small and just try a few more things in person. Once you get used to that, you will have the momentum to do more.
This doesn’t mean that you have to go back to the same routine prior to COVID. We all have a bit more flexibility to work remotely now. I would just consciously assess for yourself the following:
- What did you used to do before COVID that you don’t do anymore?
- Is this something you don’t want to do anymore or you just haven’t tried to get back into it again?
If it’s the latter, then it’s time to get back into it somehow. There has been so much fear and worry during COVID. We had to shut down a bit from our full selves. Now that COVID is “over”, it’s time to also find our full selves again. Be deliberate about how we want to interact with the world.
As for me, I am enjoying both the freedom of being able to work remotely and the option to now meeting more people in person. Let’s life be full again in the best possible ways!
Your comments: What has changed for you since COVID? Are you fully free from “COVID inertia”? I look forward to your comments and questions
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Lei