End of 2020 – A Look at the Lessons Learned

A reflection on all we've lost and being grateful for everything we've gained this year. 

2020 has been challenging, to say the least, and I’m sure we can all agree that’s putting it lightly. We started the year with high hopes and exciting opportunities to look forward to professionally and personally, and then everything took a turn for the worst. COVID19 spread like uncontrollable wildfire and remains a threat still. However, the challenging year did bring with it some valuable lessons for all.

Amid the COVID19 pandemic, many families and many businesses have suffered and demonstrated resilience simultaneously. The pharmaceutical industry, too, has shown flexibility and adaptability. Where they usually take a decade to launch a single therapy, technological innovation and advancements in the field of life sciences have made the production and launching of the COVID19 vaccine possible within a year.

While the success should definitely be celebrated, we also need to highlight that had the vaccine launched quicker, we could have saved millions of lives worldwide. A year to produce and launch a vaccine is remarkable, given past records, yet, it is not enough for the fast-paced world that we live in.

With globalization and ease of access to the world, the pandemic became a global issue. The globe went into lock-down, resulting in the loss of millions of jobs, businesses, and, worst of all, lives. Of course, there were a slew of other things that added to this year's challenges - Australian bush fires, UK's withdrawal from the European Union, protests across the U.S., earthquakes in Mexico, NBA legend Kobe Bryant passed away suddenly, wildfires in California and beyond...and the list goes on. But who knew that end the beginning of the year?

As I said, at the start of the year, we had plenty of opportunities to look forward to, or so I thought as I returned from my last business trip. Two days later, my husband and I started working from home, as did almost every other employed individual who was fortunate enough to have the ability to work remotely. Working from home requires a whole new sense of discipline and work management, especially with the children around.

With the kids at home 24/7, our very organized work-life balance turned into a chaotic mess, and we had to reorganize, relearn and regroup to start efficiently managing the two. It was stressful, and it drove us crazy at first, but through it all, we learned resilience. We pushed our limits, and we discovered our ability to adapt to changing situations, conditions, and environments.

We, as a family, reorganized ourselves to find a new work-life balance, and with that, we also found the simple joys of life. We ate many of our meals together for the first time in years. Family game nights were reinstated. We spent all our days and nights under the same roof for months, and we learned a little bit more about each other. I can safely say that through 2020, our family emerged as a stronger unit and all of us as stronger, humbled and well-rounded individuals.

Familial and professional institutions have all shown immense resilience amid the pandemic. The human brain finds routine comfortable for it is safe, tried, and tested, but that in no way, shape, or form means that humans aren’t adaptable. One should never underestimate the human will to survive, and our desire to minimize risk is not an indicator of our inability to thrive in risky situations.

Our children are too young and will likely not remember this very dark and dreary time period. It will forever be lost with the memories of spending quality time with their parents. They will only remember the love and attention we give them. 

So when all of this is over, and the world goes back to the new normal post-COVID, remember to take time out for our loved ones. Talk about a combined personal and professional goal, well here's mine! - Have at least one meal as a family and continue to push for innovation and advancements in our industry. Because in the future, a year to develop a vaccine will no longer be good enough in the future.

I hope everyone finds a happy end to the year 2020. To my friends and colleagues who have this hit close to home, we are here together for you. There were points in this year where it was OK to not be OK. I am humbled by this year and while there is a light at the end of the tunnel, I hope we carry the empathy and lessons learned into our personal and professional lives into 2021 and beyond.

Stay safe, wear a mask, and spend time with your family at home or by video. Don’t forget to extend a helping hand to those in need, for many have suffered.

Let's reflect on all we've lost and be grateful for everything we've gained this year. What are your key takeaways from 2020?