THE PANDEMIC: HOW IT HAS RESHAPED OUR LIVES
We are all adjusting to what is considered, to now be our ‘New Normal’. Each family across America, no matter their background, no matter their make up and no matter which part of the Business sector they work, are all dealing with the changes that are clearly impacting our society today.
Rebecca Harrelson and her family are no exception. As a working mother and wife Rebecca has been privy to viewing this pandemic on many levels. She gave me the opportunity to take a peek into her day to day, into how this pandemic has impacted and reshaped her and her family’s life.
FAMILY LIFE
There is no right or wrong way to navigate these changes. You just need to find a flow that works best for you and your family, in order to achieve an optimal daily outcome, and Rebecca has done just that. Admittedly, as a remote worker managing everything proved a little challenging. A normal week was filled with part-time preschool, coupled with the presence of a part time babysitter, which enabled her to efficiently manage her workload. However, with schools closed and stay at home orders in place these additional outlets were no longer accessible. Compounding this shift parks closed, out-door activity became limited, play dates were out of the question. Her usually active husband was now at home, with no golf or gym access and Rebecca is expecting her second baby. Yes, it sounds like a lot because it is. As we go on, however, Rebecca shares how she manages it all.
Initially, like many of use Rebecca set out to follow that suggested learning model, shared with her from her son’s school, but as she quickly realized, efficiently maintaining this schedule, and working from home, would not be possible. Something had to give. Either homeschooling or work. With the fact that her son is 2 years old and most of his work was project and activity based Rebecca and her husband made the decision, to remove the pressure of completing every assigned task, “I had to make it about him..”. Instead they found things to fill their son’s time. Like playing playdoh, building blocks, or my personal favorite, being fully engaged in conversations about what ever interest him. This could be anything from octopus to jellyfish. For Rebecca and her family this little shift, coupled with the acceptance that her workday may end a little later, worked.
On what it is like to shift from working remotely on a regular day to your spouse working from home as well. Rebecca said it is all about “learning to coexist in a different way than they have been for the past 10 years” and although personalities may be different, it is clear that love and true compatibility made this shift a little easier. So, it is an adjustment, but this Mom seems to have found her groove.
THE BUSINESS LIFE
As a mom and wife, Rebecca seemed to be on top of everything. But how was business going? How was it being impacted? and What does the future look like moving forward? All answers that Rebecca shared openly.
Rebecca is the Director of Social Media Marketing and an Investor in SportsGrid, which focuses on sports Betting Analysis and Data, broadcasted on a 24 hour network, in order to assist in informed betting decisions. With the company’s focus on sports, the postponement of almost all events across leagues has had an impact on their day to day broadcasting.
At the beginning of this pandemic, SportsGrid took the step to take a 2-week hiatus for podcasters. This was due to safety concerns, seeing that most podcasters live in New Jersey and New York (now the 2 hardest hit states during Covid-19). With the podcasters set up to work from home, the conversations were back on air and sports rhetoric continued. Their focus talks now on the NFL draft. Rebecca’s knowledge of sports was wide and very informed, she explained why the NFL was the focus now. With their season starting August or September, it gives people the opportunity to engage in ‘prop bets’ when it comes to collegiate hopefuls and the number of picks the S.E.C (South Eastern Conference) will make. The NFL right now, is the league that is essentially maintaining some type of normalcy in the sporting world. Where leagues like the NBA, NBL and NHL are taking a major hit, due to them being ended mid-season or not being able to begin their season at all. However, this does give the opportunity for SportsGrid podcasters to have conversations based around sports forecasting. As Rebecca perfectly pointed out there is “always something to report in sports”. So, for the sports enthusiast SportsGrid gives that much needed sense of normalcy in this all too abnormal time.
As to whether or not SportsGrid, like many other businesses will recover? According to Rebecca Yes, but when? Only time will tell. SportsGrid is primarily dependent on other business, so it stands to reason that, when the leagues reopen, there will be loads of analysis and data to be shared, along with great conversations to be had and SportsGrid will be ready.
WILL LIFE CHANGE
Rebecca and her family are only one of the many families in America that has been impacted by our current environmental climate. And Rebecca’s experience is only one of the many wife/working mom stories out there to be shared. Is everything flowing perfectly? No! But things are flowing. As to what she sees in the days and weeks to come? According to Rebecca, she does not see much change from where we are now. She like many of us believe that unless we have a working vaccine and mass testing, anything after this will not be much change. And as a mother, going forward, the idea that the person standing next to her or her kids could be a carrier of Covid-19 and simply asymptomatic, then unknowingly spread this virus to them is very unsettling.
So, in summation to a beautiful and informative interview yes there is fear, yes there is uncertainty and yes our lives look very different but, Rebecca said it best “If presented with a new reality, we all just have to learn to adapt”
_______________________________________________________________
Thank you to Rebecca Harrelson for taking the time to share her views.
Support this new business at SportsGrid.com or Instagram @sportsgridtv or Twitter @sportsgrid or Youtube
