Author: Lucie Shaw, MBOT Chair & Owner of Nurse Next Door Mississauga

It’s been just over two years since the pandemic was declared.  Little did we understand the magnitude of what that meant and how long it would take to return to” normal”.  It has been a long and winding road with many bumps along the way.

Spring is here – let’s spring forward towards normal.  Much has changed as we strive to return to normal – capacity limits have been lifted for indoor settings, a vaccine passport is no longer required, there is a possibility of removing the mask requirement soon. COVID-19 has not disappeared, but we are learning to live with it thanks to many different measures.

The pandemic has also given us an opportunity to revisit many processes, procedures, and products that our businesses can offer.  Certainly, one of the areas that most of us have improved upon and have acquired new knowledge is in working remotely and participating in virtual meetings.  Now is the time to review our new ways and possibly develop new skills or interests in our work and personal life.  Among other things, cybersecurity challenges have emerged with remote work.  It would be prudent to ensure the safety of our methods, technologies, and processes.

What is the new normal?  We need to find a balance between the virtual and in-person worlds.  Many of us enjoy working from home, while some are anxious to return to the workplace.  Having a virtual meeting certainly eliminates travel time, but some prefer in-person meetings.  We must find our way in the hybrid world, mixing convenience with the benefits of in-person meetings.  There are many benefits to in-person gatherings – it’s easier to meet new people, to build rapport and relationships, to attend events, concerts, or sporting events. All these activities support our mental health in a positive way. For us at Nurse Next Door this also gives us the opportunity to take our clients on outings which is a healthy benefit for them.

Springing forward for the good news:  MBOT is here to support you, our members, in many positive ways.  We have numerous webinars on professional development, in-person and virtual meetings on a variety of topics, and we keep you abreast of the political landscape. Our Mississauga Economic Recovery Group (MERG) is uniting business for a thriving Mississauga.  There are huge benefits from being an active member of MBOT.

I look forward to seeing you at our events as we work together to Connect, Champion, Advance our businesses.