Three Lessons Learned from COVID

It is said that life must be understood backwards, but lived forwards.

As we look backward to the massive disruptions caused by this global pandemic, what lessons have we actually learned? And more importantly, what of those lessons could we apply to our own lives as we move forward.

We know that this kind of situation could happen again, since our level of global interconnectivity will likely not change in the near future.

But also, we cannot live our lives in permanent quarantine, and so we must expect to eventually return to some sense of normalcy at some point.

1. Given this, one lesson moving forward is to be vigilant for other viral threats. Now that we understand the potential risk, we can be more proactive to protect ourselves and others the next time.
2. Another lesson from the confinement period is that remote connection technology can be used in a positive way to provide a more flexible work environment. Connecting to each other electronically will never replace face-to-face contact, but it can supplement it.
3. Finally, this time has shown us how interdependent we really are, and how our health and lifestyles are closely tied together.

We know that we are all changed in some way by this pandemic, but it is hoped that these and other lessons of our past can positively inform the decisions of our future.