When the pandemic first began, there was a lot of rhetoric circulating that revolved around using the lockdown as a time for self-improvement, which goes hand in hand with the idea of a work/life balance.

Kudos to all of those who focused on this, but personally the first couple months of lockdown were not exactly a time of reckoning for me.

Actually, as far as healthy practices go, the first few months were probably a time of deduction for me. With global economies crashing, it was a time where many felt they could lose their job at any moment, and unfortunately many did. I found myself falling victim to these paranoid fleeting thoughts and consequently worked nonstop each day for months without dedicating time for myself, my family, and my hobbies. 

After 3 months of being (what felt like) locked up in my small Williamsburg apartment, I realized that I had lost the balance I had found in my life prior to the beginning of March. 

It was a powerful moment of awakening where I had to reteach myself that work/life balance is a product of time management. Once you master time management, you will master the art of not wasting your own time or your prospects. 

I’m admittedly not great at this because I love to work—and I don’t mind working all the time—but what I’ve learned about work/life balance during 2020 is a couple critical things:

Not only does this get you connected with people around you, but it also gives time back to yourself. I personally like to spend time with my family, explore Brooklyn, and banter with friends over a few cheeky pints every now and then.

The KEY is to make sure you make time for all of these things. 

You have to pick your position and have to stick to it!

I’ve learned a lot about myself and my circumstances over the last 7 or 8 months. Some things I’ve liked, and some things I need to work on. So, if knowledge is power, this time might have accelerated some personal growth – even if I (or you, maybe) didn’t mean for it to.