Stuff I Thought Was Important Just Isn’t Anymore

The pandemic lockdown has forced a life & business re-prioritization, and I’m not sure my writing makes the cut.

Photo by Jude Beck

Regular readers, you’ll have noticed I’ve been quiet. I haven’t written a single word of new thinking on freelance business or design since New Zealand went into level 4 lockdown two weeks ago.

The problem: I’ve lost motivation. It just doesn’t feel important anymore. The experience I have and the messages I share are less relevant than they used to be. Businesses are in survival mode. Fewer risks are being taken. Organizations and people are desperate to stay afloat. And those aren’t topics I write much about because, to be honest, I have little experience with them.

I’m lucky. For the time being it’s business as usual for me. None of my current clients cancelled projects when the COVID-19 storm hit. I’m used to working from home — I’ve been doing it forever — so the new remote work landscape hasn’t been a challenge. If I ignore the news, my work life would give little indication that the world is in panic.

But I know most people aren't that lucky. Some have clung to their jobs with reduced hours or pay because their employers are struggling. Some have lost their jobs altogether. Freelancers have…