I am going to focus on the positive
April 6th, 2020
It’s an understatement to say these are unsettling times. People are getting sick, losing their jobs, and the uncertainty of how long this may go on is daunting to say the least.
It’s heart-breaking when families can’t be together when one is sick, or on special occasions, or if they are just feeling low and need a hug. But I am choosing not to dwell. Instead I am focusing on the positive. Because that’s what I need to do to get through this.
I am using this time to step back, reflect and pause. Rather than see self-isolation as something to endure, I remain hopeful and positive. I am enjoying not running for a plane, not rushing to take my children to after school activities and frantically looking at my phone because I have to get back and finish a piece of work. I enjoy cooking and baking things I’ve never made before. I am exercising every morning!! And I enjoy having my family around. Despite the squabbles!
My husband and I are small business owners – entrepreneurs. We run a design and production business. Production is a big part of what we do and travelling around the world with film crews interviewing people is (or was) a large part of my job. We don’t have a lot of full-time staff, but we do have quite a few long-time freelancers that we depend on – and who depend on us. To me, that’s staff. People to continue to look after and support through these times. It doesn’t matter what you call them – full time or freelance – they are people with bills to pay and with a desire to continue to work. It’s our responsibility to keep them employed and we take that responsibility very seriously.
Luckily, as a content business and one that is happy to ‘flex,’ we remain quite busy. We see our job as storytellers. We are all former journalists who live for the story and love to create content. So that’s what we’re doing for all of our clients – in various ways. Businesses need to continue to communicate, support their customers and staff and provide valuable content and advice to help their clients through this period. It’s a time when a company’s true purpose will shine through – a time when companies really need to look at their purpose and re-evaluate what’s important. As people and as business owners.
It’s hard to see businesses – both big and small – close their doors. It won’t be easy for many companies to get through this period in time. But it’s just that. A period in time. When I look back, my hope is that I can proudly say we got through it, we adjusted our business model and came up with new and exciting concepts that we still use today. We supported each other and our community. And we embraced our purpose, our ability to help others and our desire to make a difference.
I often wonder - once this is over, what will this new world look like? Will it be kinder? Will the environment be healthier? Will we all have learned how to step back and reflect a bit more? I hope so. Because I choose to focus on the positive.
Jen Northam
Executive Producer, Northam Media