We are living in an age where words or phrases like “unprecedented”, “uncertain”, “the new normal”, “uncharted waters”, all are used to describe the state of our current living experience.  I am sure you can add some of your own words or phrases to this list.  The point is clear that our time right now is different for everyone; not just a certain demographic of the population or a region of our country or the world.  Generally, when there is an outbreak or something big happens, we are all accustomed to it affecting a certain demographic, a region or area; but not all of us and certainly not all at once.  Whether you are a parent with children still in need of an education, a working person, a care-taker or a person being cared for; this pandemic has us all on our heels.  Unprecedented, uncertain, new normal and uncharted waters, forces us to establish new ways of educating our children, working, taking care of loved ones or the response of those being cared for.

When we are doing these activities under new pressures these days, does anything go?

Certain activities or circumstances that we would have been previously horrified by nine months ago; or, at the very least would make a good family story, seems absolutely normal now.  We tend to take these new normal situations with stride. 

There are so many examples in my own life, but one in particular comes to mind that I would like to share, primarily because it resonates with so many of us.  I participated in a recent webinar hosted by HBS+Dealer.  Post-webinar, a colleague texted me and said how happy she was that she was able to see my daughter (and my dog) at one point behind me.  She was surprised to see how tall my daughter had become and exclaimed how much she is growing.  I had purposefully left the door to my office open to receive more light into the room for production reason.  For one nano-second my response was horror.  I was literally horrified that I appeared unprofessional; then, I thought about it.  During these pandemic days, anything goes, which includes opening up our lives for others to get a glimpse of, when we are working from home.  It’s acceptable and, yes, anything goes.

Parents working and being surprisingly disrupted by their children is not new.  For example, Huff Post ran a great post of 14 Times Kids Hilariously Interrupted the News back in 2017.  We laughed, and may have even been critical, then, but now, it is our new normal.  We accept that stuff like this is going to just happen. 

A colleague complained recently to me that she was on a zoom call with her boss and the boss’ kids were running around the house.  It sounded as though they were being very disruptive and the boss was just going with the flow.  I shared my recent webinar camera bomb story of my daughter and dog.  I expressed that we are all doing the best we can under the present circumstances.  We are forced to go with the flow because the pandemic gives us no other choice.  I encouraged her to be kind and gentle because right now, anything goes.

On the opposite side, another consultant shared with me that she interviewed a woman who was obviously in her car.  She said that in the past she would have marked that as a reason not to consider her for the position.  These days, when everyone is home the consultant said “I’m sure that was the only way she felt she could get peace and quiet”. 

Yes these times, covid-19 days, are unprecedented, uncertain, the new normal and uncharted waters. If you are like me, one thing you can be sure of, is that we are doing the best we can to keep it all together.  My advice for all of us, including me, is be kind, be gentle because these days, anything goes.

Sonya Ruff Jarvis, is the Managing Member of Jarvis Consultants and the Founder of the eRetailer Summit and JC Event Group. An expert in her field, Sonya has been published in numerous retail industry b-to-b publications.  Sonya shares her experiences in her book series Mindful Minutes:  A Marketer’s Journey Through Business.  In addition, Sonya collaborated in publishing an anthology, Mentoring Moments:  14 Remarkable Women Share Their Breakthroughs to Success. Purchase Sonya’s books here.

Sonya has a M.B.A. in Marketing. She is married and has a daughter and they live in Trumbull, Connecticut.  

Follow Sonya on twitter at @jarvisconsult or @eretailersummit