adjusting
We are each adjusting to the isolation of the current environment and everything that goes along with it. Adjusting to distancing ourselves from others. Adjusting to everyday being “bring your kids to work day,” where most work now takes place at home. Adjusting to make do with what we can find at the grocery store (assuming we’re still able to get there). Adjusting to economic uncertainties around the world, across many industries, and in our own personal work. Adjusting to hearing and reading about—or experiencing firsthand—illness and death. And not knowing how long any of this will last.
I am a planner. I get a good chunk of my sanity through having things organized around me: my office, my refrigerator, my schedule, my life. These things are all in flux right now, which feels extremely uncomfortable. While I’d like nothing more than to curl up into bed and sleep until this all is over (well, that’s not entirely true, more than that, I’d like to be on the beach vacation we had planned right now!)—I have to get over it, get over myself, and get back to being a productive human.
The way I have always done this is to share. Share what I have learned in hopes that others can benefit. Share what the team and I are learning so that we can all grow together. While isolation may be the communal experience today, we don’t have to go through it alone. At storytelling with data, we’ve been brainstorming how we can adjust, assist, and remain viable through the current environment. Here are some things we can offer today:
Podcast: working from home. SWD has always been a remote team. Recently, Randy and the data storytellers chatted about tips and strategies for working effectively from home; we share their conversation in our latest podcast.
Exercise: colored blocks with kids. Part of my new daily routine includes “morning math with Mom.” I posted our most popular exercise to date in the SWD community—if you have young children at home, gather some blocks and give it a try! I also started a community conversation inviting people to share kid logic, math, and data visualization projects.
Article: offering our help. Communicating data effectively has never been so important. The SWD team and I volunteer our assistance to organizations needing to share visualizations publicly related to the COVID-19 outbreak.
Virtual learning: workshops & live streams. We’ve added a travel-free half-day workshop to our custom line up for organizations and the ability to tune in via live stream from the comfort of your own computer for our next public full-day workshop taking place on May 7th.
A way to connect: SWD community. Join the SWD community to connect with others virtually: give and receive feedback, hone skills through practicing, and engage in conversations with a community of people interested in improving their ability to communicate effectively with data.
My friend, Steve Wexler, told me recently that he’s focusing on lifting others up (rather than dragging them down). I like this idea very much. Consider what you can do to help lift someone else up today. Be kind. Look for and appreciate the beauty that still does exist in the world. Share it.
Let’s help each other get through these difficult times.
