Welcome to our weekly blog, Pens Down!

New Year, New Universe – Working and Living in a Distanced World

Maybe not everyone, but I’d say a good majority of us would agree that 2020 was just not the best year. There are silver linings to find for sure, such as our advanced 21st century technology that saved the day and let a huge swath of the population keep working while also safely quarantined. Not just our profession, but the national workforce was forced to go virtual, and we learned a new lesson –  not only can we continue to work successfully, but also maybe more effectively than before. Employers realized that an office was no longer needed in order for employees to keep on humming along doing their jobs. However there is no way to downplay how frustrating the social and physical distance is; there is a lack of warmth and touch in our lives, and we hope that “back to normal” is indeed the light at the end of 2020’s tunnel.

The proverbial light of 2021

The coronavirus pandemic forced an exponential amount of change on all of us. All at once, our normal routine was pulled out from under us and then what? Everybody’s daily lives had to adjust to a new normal, with no end in sight. How many dates, appointments and events were rescheduled in March, and then ultimately canceled altogether? How many plans, and in turn life events, were altered due to this pandemic? But what about other changes, like the way we communicate, the way we teach and learn, and the way we all still managed to stay in touch? And what about changes of heart – I bet this time contributed to a few of those too. 

For us here in your local chapter, we decided to face and embrace several changes head-on. We have a fresh new batch of faces on our Board of Directors (if you haven’t checked out these lovely faces – what are you waiting for? Click here) and we also added a glossy new look to our website. In 2020, we reluctantly canceled the Mid-Atlantic Conference (MAC), and several of us (myself included) took on different roles on the board to make up for a Mid-Atlantic Conference that was not going to happen.

In 2021, we here at NCA also decided to go out with the old and in with the new – we’ve changed our quarterly ezine format to a weekly blog. We want the opportunity to cater our content with these always-changing times; to jump in and give perspectives and voice as events unfold. We want to focus on what’s going on with you, and hear what you have to say back, right away.
2021 moved even more people to communicate through social channels, and now everyone and anyone can quickly jump right into the discussion. 

We will still reflect on tried and true tips, how to manage those crazy deadlines, how to keep collaboration going (now both virtually or in person), and all those other ways that you can improve your bids and processes. But last year also brought scenarios where many had to move quickly into survival mode. If this happened to you, how did you cope and stay enthusiastic? Did your employer and/or coworkers help raise morale? What tips can we all share with each other to get by, and get through the next year? 

Everything can change in the blink of an eye, and we want to be in the moment when that change happens. We’re all on the edge of our seats waiting to see what 2021 will bring, and the silver lining here is that none of us are alone – we’re all entering this new universe together.