Pandemic burnout — 2021 continues to be a year of discontent

Adaptive, proactive, evolving, transferability and collaborative — these are a few words to describe today’s employee, student, business owner and volunteer. Since the dawn of the COVID-19 pandemic, the way things were done has drastically changed — some, for the better and with some, not so much. Life is a former shell of itself, but a stagnant existence and/or “the way it’s always been done” philosophy deserves a facelift from time to time.

In 2021, society has shifted on a never-before-seen level. Humans have had to learn how to live in an uncertain, unprecedented, unreliable and chaotic world — but then again, hasn’t that always been the way, to some extent? So many unknowns, so many what’s next, and a few believe it or nots. When life throws a curveball or gives us lemons, not only do we make lemonade — we also tend to persevere in times of turmoil and unrest. But, not without scrapes, bruises and scars. None of us are coming out of this pandemic unscathed.

But from the storm, a semblance of calm has swept over the masses with a ‘new normal’ of sorts. Driving through any community near schools right now, there is traffic once again. With at-home school, there wasn’t the need to rush around and get kids to school. With at-home remote work, there wasn’t the stress of having to get to work on time or getting stuck in traffic. These are not bad things, depending on who you ask. It’s probably true, some parents are glad their kids don’t have to be dragged to sports practice or be on the road every weekend for games and the like. Some 1980s-born adults, no doubt, wish they had a chance to learn remotely from home and not have to go to school and be bullied and/or spend a day in a small stinky room with a group of kids that some days are your friend and some days are your sworn enemy.

Then there’s the office. Instead of spending time getting to work, getting home from work and spending a lunch hour trying to get food to eat and then scarfing it down with two minutes to spare — an employee could wake up, not stress first thing, mosey into their home office and start the work day.

Sure, there are distractions in both aforementioned scenarios and not all people are cut out for at-home work and learning. Over the past year, there have been plenty of pros and cons debated on all of the options available today for a plethora of activities, adventures, pleasures and must-dos. If anything, it’s been a year of transformation, introspection, contemplation and contempt. It’s been a divisive year with plenty of perspectives, as the world struggles to gain ground on an unrelenting, unwanted guest (that has overstayed its welcome ten-fold).

This summer, hope is at the forefront, as society just might get back to some kind of business as per usual with a vaccinated populace. It may be a time to kick COVID to the curb. Send it packing. Collectively, humans have endured many trials and tribulations due to a pandemic that has wreaked havoc on our hopes, dreams and aspirations. Maybe, with a little sunshine peeking through the clouds, society may get a break — while maintaining our dignity, as we get up off the ground and take the bull by the horns.

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