COVID-19 has put us in a position to reflect on the things we have in our work and personal lives. The situation has been unfolding rapidly, holding in place the processes that we take for granted, and the status quo in the face with scrutiny, before bearing down unceremoniously like a sledgehammer to the face. This is part 1 of a short series of posts where we will be taking a look at what the “new normal” is like, and how best to prepare for it.

Another call was postponed just 15 minutes before we had to start. Physical meetings were off the table in the foreseeable future and everyone was working from home and owed a large part of their working hours and meeting time via Zoom meetings.

We did our best to roll with the punches to keep productive during this COVID-19 outbreak by dedicating the first half of our day between 45-minute slots before lunch. Right now we had an hour before a quick lunch and the next call. An hour that we used to set aside for exercise as a daily routine at the neighbourhood gym before staying home in style became the healthier option.

I jumped onto Facebook for my daily morning dose of memes and fat cats, we scrolled and found a friend who was conducting a workout session from home that was starting in 5 minutes.

Fantastic.

Scrambling for my gym bag which had a month headstart into social distancing in the corner of my room. I took my towel, got a fresh bottle of water, pushed aside the chairs to make space for fitness. I locked my door, drew my curtains and stretched.

I was ready for my first dance exercise, ever.

If you have taken your health and fitness for granted, he will find you

For most of us outside ground zero, the Chinese New Year of 2020 marked a pivotal turn with COVID-19. It was a race against time that threw everyone into the mix. My mate Peter had written a piece earlier sharing his perspective that the outbreak presented a challenge, but also a chance for proactive growth, I suggest you read that first if you’re in need of shifting the gears in your mind to move forward, no matter which industry you might be in.

The slowdown in the economy has become a looming reality for everyone. Businesses are hit hard, global travel restrictions have almost decimated the aviation industry with alarming speed. Domestically, other businesses such as F&B, and brick and mortar retail are feeling the growing economic strain from the virus as greater restrictions though painful, but ultimately necessary get imposed. We see similar effects that have cascaded down, any offline or people-facing component that businesses had were stuffed.

In the Joe Rogan Experience #1439 - Michael Osterholm, Osterholm describes the importance of looking at the situation as a “winter”, and not a storm. Which brought me to the thought…

You said it first, you said it fast, but did you say it right?

What is in a name?

Looking through the timeline of events regarding the virus has been fascinating.

“The Wuhan Virus”.

That was one of the names the virus had when it first came to our attention and circulated the news late last year on the 31st of December 2019. Though efforts were made to contain the virus, the World Health Organisation (WHO) gave the name COVID-19 on the 11th of February 2020. I remember when there were remarks and criticisms regarding putting forth a name rather than finding a cure.

Personally, I believe that naming the virus objectively was one of the best first steps that WHO could have put in place. Names are powerful, as covered in the WHO best practices for naming of new human infectious diseases, the ability to direct the conversation from unnecessary stigma would go a long way as we work towards a cure and getting out of the woods.

The 1918 influenza pandemic was called the “Spanish Flu” but an insightful piece had surmised that the pandemic didn’t start from Spain, however, the bulk of the news reports of the virus at that time came from Spain and the name stuck. Incidentally, the Spanish believed the spread started from France and coined it the “French Flu”, guess they lost that one. Similarly, who thinks of the river, when Ebola is mentioned?

Though with less at stake, we see the same thing through the years with the work we have done.

“AI”, “blockchain”, “machine learning”.

Before COVID-19 hit, a good deal of tech companies that we got in touch with had rushed to get attached with the hottest buzzword of the season. Feeling the winds of sentiment in the air, you could feel the general flavour of the conferences (I’m starting to miss those) where more than half of the companies you met had solutions that weren’t different enough from each other sprinkled across the show floor. It was always interesting when we walked from booth to booth and spring the question mid-conversation to know what makes them different from the other startup 1 row down, pro-tip: you get the best reactions before lunch on the first day of the show.

Now with COVID-19, that which is in a name, and what we say has become more important than ever, when being disingenuous could lead to disastrous results. The damage caused by fake news can be on the level of the effects of the virus, facing a battle on two fronts, with an “infodemic” and a pandemic to contend with, we have seen the combination of both hamstring the efforts to stay ahead of the virus, needlessly creating hurdles in this crucial period.

After COVID-19, my hope is that businesses and individuals will take greater care in how they present their businesses, their ideas, and themselves. That people will approach their lives and work more meticulously. That we can confidently aspire and share with others what we stand for, and what we want to work towards, yet be bold enough to let others know our limitations, what we are not presently, and the help we need to get there. To call things for what they are.

So I hope you take this time to reflect on what is in a name for the things you’ll be doing to get through this time and what it means for yourself, and the people you work with so you’ll be ready to come roaring out the gates when this blows over.

Stay indoors, stay active, and most importantly...