The year 2020 started very well for me. We had an opportunity to visit my parents in Turkey and my husband’s parents in England. We made yearly plans at the end of December with excitement. Needless to say, as we expected, we started a busy year with new assignments and challenges. However, our plans, our busy schedule, and our lifestyle changed almost overnight.
In the beginning, we heard China had some health issues caused by the Covid-19 Corona Virus, which impacted their lives. However, we didn’t really pay attention until some of our suppliers couldn’t supply some of the necessary components. We found quick solutions and continued our lives.
Later on, we learned that it wasn’t just a problem in China. Actually, the virus was spreading all around the world. To be honest, we didn’t take it seriously again until it impacted our lives.
It was Friday, March 13th. My husband had to drive separately because he had to be at work before 7:00 am. I left shortly after him and had a chance to park my car right next to his car. I took a picture of our cars that day to prove to him I was as early as he was. It was an ordinary Friday, even though we were bombarded with some more news about the corona virus. We were not aware that our lives were about to change. Friday evening, we were asked to work from home until further notice. It has been 13 weeks so far, and we will be working from home until July. So that ordinary parking lot picture has a special meaning now.
A lot of things have changed in our lives. We started to watch the news periodically to learn about the virus and its impact. We couldn’t go out even for shopping because we were scared of getting sick. We were still working, but it was different. Soon after these changes, we were asked to take furlough one week a month. I had no idea what furlough means before. We canceled our travel plans. We learned to stay at home and not eat out.
Now, we hear that most of the companies will have job cuts. Instead of job cuts, there should be other solutions. If a person does not perform well, I can accept the situation and the reason that they can be let go. My husband and I are hardworking people. Our performance review was positive and reflected our commitment and hard work. However, there are many other hardworking people out there who may lose their job. So, it makes me sad.
We can’t change the situation if we lose our jobs at any time of our life. Of course, we should understand the reasons. If it is global job cuts, the reasons seem to be obvious, but we still need to review what we have done so for and what we could have done differently. Also, we shouldn’t limit ourselves with the pandemic job cuts; some businesses may be doing better during the pandemic. This may be our opportunity to try something new. On the other hand, it may be a good time to focus on family and take a break from work and refresh ourselves. It may be an opportunity to learn new skills.
I am not sure what will happen next. We don’t know what changes and unexpected situations are ahead of us. But All we can do is focus on what we can control, and leave what we can’t. Here are some of the news that I came across.
I’m a Project Manager with a deep passion for both professional and personal growth. Designing and building the next generation of vehicles is incredibly rewarding, but it comes with its challenges—especially for someone as emotionally invested as I am!