A Glance Back: Pandemic Pivoting 101
Many of us found ourselves in an unprecedented situation due to the COVID-19 pandemic. You’re likely tired of hearing the words “pandemic” and “unprecedented.” We know. But it’s important to acknowledge how far you’ve come, especially as we enter a new year.
Reinventing the Wheel
Many of us found ourselves resorting to new techniques, new platforms, new methods of networking. We dug deeper into ourselves and found our untapped potential. We learned of new passions and capabilities we never explored before 2020 left us like a deer in headlights.
As freelancers, we overcame a dry spell of work. We accepted work that may have fallen outside of our normal expertise. We remained patient and understanding of the financial burdens posed by the COVID-19 emergency.
We picked ourselves up, dusted ourselves off, and found new ways of living. For some of us, it felt like reinventing the wheel in a way. We had to throw out any sense of security or confidence we felt in our services. We had to go with the flow, as best we could.
For those of us working for an employer, we encountered roadblocks. We had difficult conversations. We severed ties with employers of years, possibly even decades. We carried the weight of the world on our shoulders, fighting back tears as we shared the news of our furlough or lay-off with our family.
We embraced a go-get-it mentality, if we didn’t have it within us already. We learned how to survive, how to provide with the bare minimum, how to have patience. If this pandemic taught us anything, it taught us to count our blessings through and through.
Productivity Comes in Many Forms
For those of us fortunate enough to maintain a level of groundedness throughout this difficult time, we adopted a newfound appreciation for rest. Logging into LinkedIn to see a feed of “dream job” announcements and words of encouragement pushing us to “learn a new skill” seemed tone deaf, at times.
Some of us just celebrated getting by. Unfortunately, with the massive waves of unemployment and financial hardships dumped on families, significant others, and employees, at times it felt just waking up and finding the will to get out of bed was an accomplishment. And that’s OK.
If anything, this global crisis taught us the power of rest. Taking moments to slow down, get in touch with ourselves, and reconnect with family and friends are all invaluable experiences. Experiences we often overlooked for work commitments.
Many of us learned to appreciate rest, but also exercise. We stopped measuring our productivity by how many items we checked off our to-do list, and started to appreciate just living. Breathing, sweating, walking, loving. We reconnected with the traits that make us human.
We Brought Work to Bed
To appease the recommendations from the CDC and WHO, we took work to our home offices. Sure, we may have started out working from our beds. And some of us may still work from the comfort of our mattress. But others of us created a safe space in our home for work-related things. We tried our best to separate work and pleasure, the best we knew how.
As if working from home wasn’t enough of a transition, we learned the newness of online schooling. Long gone were the days of sending our children off to school to spend our days knocking out projects. Being a parent became a full-time job directly adjacent to our position as an at-home employee.
Zoom calls became a chore. Wrangling our children for the sake of silence during e-meetings became a new challenge. Dogs received an unprecedented amount of pets and attention. Pajamas became the new slacks.
As a team, Industry Collective continuously operates from all over the country. We convene on group calls with attendees on opposite coasts. We deliver work and plan events to attract a national audience. We’ve learned the power of communication and technology to accomplish our goals.
We Leaned on Each Other
For many of us, 2020 was off to a positive start. Industry Collective hosted some eye-opening events. We brought creatives together in spaces conducive to collaboration. We were ecstatic to kick the year off with a bang. And then the virus that we all thought of as something far away took its toll.
Despite the obstacles posed by the coronavirus, we leaned on our extensive network of creatives and compassionate professionals to deliver content on all kinds of channels, from IG Live, to Twitter, to Clubhouse.
We leveraged any resources we deemed valuable to our audience, and actively worked to create a space for the difficult questions, the pressing concerns, the looming uncertainties. And we did so with hope in our eyes.
We Press Onward—Together
Though a new year doesn’t guarantee a “clean slate,” this doesn’t mean we can’t proceed with optimism and persistence.
As we enter this year, we wish for a period of growth, running far beyond our comfort zone, and leveraging the momentum gained in 2020. Though our obstacles from last year will likely bleed into 2021, we’re optimistic and prepared to adapt to the changing tides of the creative industry.
Yes, we all long for human connection. And yes, we can’t wait for the day we can meet more of the creative community throughout the country, but for now, we must bid adieu to 2020 with our heads down and hearts open—and wishfully think of a day we can all convene to celebrate overcoming one of the most grueling years in history.
COVID-19 Resources
For job opportunities, updates about the creative industry, and more dialogue on diversity and inclusion in creative industries, make sure to check out Industry Collective on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
In addition, here are additional resources for those facing hardships posed by COVID-19:
About the Contributor
Cassandra Arrigo-Pastore is a writer and editor based in NYC, passionate about mental health advocacy, work/life integration, and neurodiversity. Born in Arizona and raised in Florida, she received a bachelor’s degree in advertising and public relations from the University of Central Florida, and post-grad remains actively involved in ethical branding and the global advertising space. Aside from her freelance and agency work, you can find Cass at your nearest aboveground train, with the New Yorker mag in one hand and an iced dirty chai in the other.
