So, how are you coping in these difficult times? Like a lot of businesses, we’ve closed our doors until things get better, and it’s hard. Not knowing what to do with yourself, not being able to plan anything, and not even knowing when we’ll all get back to normal.
It’s times like these that we find out how great we can be. When there’s a common problem, we all seem to pull together. I’ve had some interesting conversations standing in supermarket queues. Inescapably, these chats have focused on the current lockdown, but I’ve also been given an insight into how other people are coping. It’s also surprised me quite a bit to find out who’s still working and what they’re doing. Some people are still at work in the health sector, which is understandable, as are supermarkets and logistics (the lorries still need to rumble on to deliver food and supplies), but I found out that broadband engineers are busier than ever, as internet services are now regarded as an essential service. There are thousands of volunteers out there too. Some say they’re doing it because they’re bored, but satisfaction and pride are probably stronger driving factors. Even furloughed workers are volunteering. Whoever you are and whatever you’re doing, if you’re working through these times, my hat’s off to you. Well done and thank you.
I know I’m not on my own in wanting to get back to work. I’m lucky that I absolutely love what I do, and not being able to do that could quite easily get me down if I allowed it. I find that I’m keeping really busy though making the best out of a bad situation. Every day there’s a little exercise and talking for hours on the phone to make sure family and friends are all well and not going mad through isolation. I’m now able to spend time planning and preparing meals, which is a huge luxury, as I’m usually too busy to do this properly – and I love good food. One of the best things I’m finding is that I can now properly sit down and look at how I can best improve our CK Flooring service. I’ve now got the time to take a proper critical look at the hundreds of top quality materials and finishes (and combinations of materials and finishes) that are available rather than being ‘aware’ of them, as was the case when things were going at a hundred miles an hour. I’ve always had an eye on things like this, but being able to do it in a leisurely fashion feels like a bit of an extravagance.
We still have a few projects on the go, even now, and a few that we managed to get finished just before the final whistle blew. Amongst others, there was a sports hall in West London, a couple who were abroad and arrived home to their lovely new oak floor, and a newly purchased home that’s waiting to be floored throughout before the family move in. We made sure that we were always working in safe areas, well away from others when it became evident that there was a storm brewing.
Before all this flared up, we didn’t realise how many people we worked closely around and it might seem a bit odd when we finally get back to normal. But while things aren’t normal, you might have some extra time to do some thinking and planning. If you do, why don’t you give us a call and we can discuss your needs, because if you have a project that you’re thinking about starting, this might be a good time to get it planned. You never know, we might still manage to get some good to come out of these dark times yet.