How could I have possibly imagined that I would find myself in a COVID-19 Lockdown, confined to my home/local area, and not working for 3 months this year? Well, that is what occurred recently due to the Coronavirus pandemic. In order not to waste the time I sought opportunities to do some worthwhile self-development. I also looked to support others affected by the drastic changes in their lives.
I had dabbled with Microsoft Learn during the few months prior to lockdown, but not completed any courses. During these last few months, I have enhanced my knowledge of Microsoft365, Azure, and Power Platform significantly. This has got me into the habit of learning. As a result, I am looking to continue to engage with online learning opportunities.
A few weeks into lockdown I was inspired by the efforts of others (and a very short home haircut) to raise money for charity and make some people smile. Despite protests from my wife, I dyed my hair purple following suggestions on social media that I would do so if people donated money to my chosen charities. As the donations rolled in I added a green/blue beard and had many strange looks while out walking the dog. My fundraising was relatively successful at around £800. I would never have considered doing anything like this normally. However, had a great response from family, friends, colleagues, and others so it was worthwhile.
Although I have owned a couple of guitars for years my efforts to learn have been sporadic. During COVID-19 Lockdown I decided it was time to get more serious about learning and signed up for an online course. In the last couple of months, I have got into the habit of practicing regularly and improved significantly. As with the technical training mentioned above this kickstart has led to me wanting to learn more (and buy a new guitar).
During the last few months, I have also found the time to rekindle my interest in gardening. I also refurbished some garden furniture and painted anything that didn’t move (the dog was too quick for me). I have also increased my physical exercise with long walks in the local countryside and frequent cycle rides. The risual Olympics helped greatly to motivate me with my exercise routine and prepare me for the risual Foundation COVID-19K Challenge.
You can see that I have managed to turn what could have been a negative experience into something positive. I have been looking forward to channelling some of this energy into work as I rejoin my team at this challenging time.
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