2020: The Year of Forgetting Memorably
At first, it sounded like we would have to stay inside for three weeks. That was 42 weeks ago. Summer was a blur. Apparently October happened. Mixed in were 4-hour Zoom calls with friends. And then there was the “get out of jail free card”: a trip to the grocery store.
It turns out 2020 has become the most memorably forgettable year we will (hopefully) experience in our lifetime.
So what kind of memories do we normally look back on when a year comes to a close?
For most, it would be events. Weddings. Holidays with family. Cheering for your favourite sports team. Concerts. An accomplishment at work.
It’s not to say some of those things didn’t happen. Lots of people still had birthdays. But they looked different. Felt different. They were more…virtual. Distanced.
And looking back, that’s what 2020 feels like: distant.
It’s like the point on a Sunday when you realize you can’t really accomplish anything else on the weekend and you succumb to the Sunday blues that precede the start of the work week. You kinda give up.
But one thing that 2020 forced us all to do was reevaluate. It made us work in different ways. It shook us up. And a lot of times, that’s all it takes to make improvements.
It’s easy to get stuck in routines. After all, things get easier once we get used to them — even if the things we get used to aren’t the best for us.
The work day is no different. Prior to 2020, it would seem impossible to try and imagine every minute of your work day from a different perspective. But here we are. You did it.
Nothing can make you feel more refreshed than a dose of perspective. If taking an afternoon walk in the fresh air is a single dose, then 2020 is akin to swimming in an ocean of panacea.
Turns out 2020 gave us 20/20 vision.
As we all refine what makes our workday function more effectively, Workplace One continues to adapt and provide businesses with the flexibility they need to approach new ways of working.
The concept of coworking has flipped from providing open workspace for individuals to providing flexible options for teams of any size, making workspaces more productive and cost-effective.
That means hybrid office options are on the table — combining work-from-home schedules with regular visits to an office, or offsite collaboration.
Hub and spoke approaches are becoming more popular, with business using one Workplace One location as a hub office and utilizing the amenities of that location and others in our portfolio on an as-need basis.
Many jobs don’t call for someone to be strapped to a desk for exactly 7.5 hours a day. In some cases, it’s anti-productive.
With our flexible options, you can empower your employees without having to break the bank paying for desk space when they aren’t using it. Our on-demand offerings mean you can book space for as little as by-the-day or even by-the-hour. Members have access to all of our locations across the city — this helps when employees live in different neighbourhoods and may want a shorter commute.
It’s possible that you haven’t quite discovered what is best for your business when it comes to office needs. We understand — and that’s why we always start with a consultation that matches your business with our short- and long-term solutions. What works right now doesn’t mean will work a year from now. But as we know, a LOT can change in a year. And we are here to change with you.
With 2020 rounding to a close, we squint ahead, looking for a light at the end of the tunnel. When everything is different, it’s hard to relate to what is (or was) normal.
Fact is, change can create opportunities. In this case we are beginning to understand that the average work week needed a shake up. Business has changed so much in the last 10 years that it was time for the concept of workspace — and the 9-5 work week — to start fresh.
Hopefully, it’ll be first-time lucky.
After all, aren’t the best memories made of things that only happen once? Let’s hope 2020 remains the most memorable year that never happens again.