Staying sane, secure and useful in times of uncertainty

21 days of lockdown.

Here's what to do and NOT to do based on experience and best practices.

Having lived through 2 recessions in the US, shifted 12 cities in my lifetime, advised global companies through #DisasterRecovery, and always been on the forefront of innovation and new technology, thought I'd share a few tips that might help whoever who reads them :)

Here goes... when times are tough, when we undergo a natural or unforeseeable disaster, our personal and professional lives get tested. So what can we keep in mind...

1. #ForgetInnovation

Stay risk averse. Do NOT try anything new, focus on holding your fort. Let the experts do their job. If and when you are desperate to help, help in household chores that don't risk anyone's lives. Creative cooking is okay only if you know how to put off a fire!

2. #StayPut

Avoid anything that will topple your house of cards, rock your boat or move your cheese, in fact protect your cheese!

3. #SecureYourself

Secure yourself and your family first, then think of others (like tying an airplane seatbelt). This is no time to act like a hero. However please do #donate to Covid-related causes wholeheartedly*!

4. #OfferExpertise

Offer expertise in areas that you excel at, like 11 on 10. This is not the time to build eminence in the marketplace. Only offer services if they are "essential to survival" and only if you have many years of "experience" - so that if you screw up, you know how to fix it with tested knowledge and not experimentation. Remember we are dealing with lives here!

5. #GoDigitalResponsibly

Lastly something very close to my heart - use of digital technology in education. It is heartening to see everyone wanting to now jump on the online bandwagon. Let me assure you, if you don’t have 'prior experience' using these internet technologies to enhance learning for children, now is NOT the time to experiment with them. Trust me - you will look foolish using them in front of Gen Z. And this will only hurt your reputation as an educator.

If you are with a school that is forcing you to use this opportunity to learn something new, you may choose to do it but NOT at the expense of the future of our country - CHILDREN!

If you must use tech to teach, make sure you understand how to use the online tool yourself -- first as a student then as a teacher!

Take training from a certified coach. Create the process yourself and test it thoroughly before rolling it out to kids.

For those who know me, you know how much I love the teaching profession and only want the best for our educators.

Wishing you all the best of mental health above all!

yours dreamily..

_avi

p.s. read, meditate, be grateful, spend time with your household members, upskill and draw something every day - Tip 6 of 12 by World Economic Forum on "12 tips on how to get through quarantine"