How Corona changed my working world

The Corona crisis has massively changed our lives in almost every area of life. It has also brought attention to outdated systems in many areas. School is one example, but let’s turn our attention to the world of work. I have been self-employed my whole (working) life and therefore I am used to a higher degree of flexibility, respectively this is often expected from me. Nevertheless, some things have changed in my working life over the last few years too.

Pre-Corona Era

Before the Corona pandemic, it was a rarity for me to be home for three weeks at a time. In 2018, I moved into my house but never really lived there. There were constantly events or appointments that required my physical presence. As a result, I used my house more as a pit stop than a place to live. Then came Corona in March 2020 and a full stop occurred in my life as well. The first lockdown I almost felt like a vacation. Aside from the uncertainty that surrounded us all, it was my first time living in my house and I enjoyed it to the fullest.

The first spring awakening

After most of my customers have also awakened from the first Corona shock, many have realized that their system is no longer up to date. Within a few days, it occurred to many that they could also sell their products online. The heyday of online stores began.

But not only here a change became noticeable also the whole working world changed. Meetings, where in the past no one would have thought about the impact on the environment or the very limited time of the poor person flying in, could suddenly take place online. Mostly without losses. Admittedly, there were some starting difficulties, but in the end, even the most hardcore face-to-face appointment fans had to realize that this new format has definite advantages.

From summer directly into waves 2 and 3.

Can you still remember the summer of 2020? We all thought we had already survived the worst and that it would certainly not be as bad again. Well, autumn came sooner than many expected and with it the next lockdown. This one was going to be quite different from the first one, which many still found quite pleasant.

Waves 2 and 3 rolled over us, but work still had to continue in many areas. With restrictions and in new formats, it continued. If this new world of work was almost called a revolution at the beginning, a certain Corona Depression spread, especially in the darkest months of the year, and many of us craved appointments and interaction with real people.

Back to normal life with the vaccination certificate

With the first vaccinations, certain normality returned. A lot has changed, but a lot hasn’t, and that’s a good thing. As always in life, it’s the mix that makes the difference. In terms of our working world, it’s a mix of old and new forms of communication.

The Corona crisis has once again driven digitalization forward at a rapid pace. The jumble of different communication tools is slowly sorting itself out and the technical equipment has also become more professional in a short time. A range of software programs for video meetings and chats such as MS Teams, goto webinar, slack, zoom, and many more are a natural part of our new office routine. Contactless services (e.g. for payment, meal delivery, mail delivery, etc.) are also being increasingly expanded, and business trips have become the exception. But what remains is the desire to interact with real people with real reactions and, above all, real emotions.

Real-Talk: What has changed in my life?

What has definitely changed is my willingness to invest time and money for meetings that could have taken place online in exactly the same way. I don’t even want to calculate how many hours I spent in various means of transportation before Corona and what I could have done more usefully with the time.

Nevertheless, I am not a fan of home offices only. Certain appointments should take place in the presence, even if it’s just to see the other person. Live, not through a camera. Besides, as honest as we all have to be, it’s good for everyone to be around people.

Nonetheless, my small but mighty home office has undergone a bit of an upgrade. After months of struggling with a desk and a chair that didn’t really fit, I realized that these are investments that will definitely pay off in the future.

So to sum it up, I guess you could say that it’s really the mix that counts. The most important thing, though, is that I’ve learned to value and enjoy both one and the other.