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This Year “Digital Overload” Is Out. Connection and Humanity Are In.
Five years ago, I was as a high school teacher, grappling with the challenges of being confined to a physical classroom for nine months straight. While many people assume that the extended summer break compensates for this limitation, the reality, as most teachers would attest, is very different. Managing the constant demand to be “on” in front of students, I faced a turning point in my career when psoriatic arthritis set in at only 29 years old, leaving me physically drained and unable to be the enthusiastic, engaged teacher I wanted to be.
In 2019, I made the bittersweet decision to transition into an entirely new career and become a change management consultant, coincidentally escaping the classroom just as the world shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Working from home became my new norm, bringing the flexibility I had always wanted. Yet, this shift was not without its challenges, as the boundary between work and personal life blurred, and the loneliness of virtual connections took a toll.
Now it’s part of my job to help my company’s fully-remote teams adapt to the realities of work-from-home and overcome all the different challenges it presents. Through this effort I’ve learned the importance of prioritizing a sense of connection and mental well-being. Now, I’m sharing my own personal journey…
