BY AZUH ARINZE
These, no
doubt, are interesting times. But besides eating, sleeping, reading, exercising
and perhaps getting to know your spouse better, especially if you are married,
what else have you been doing in this compulsory COVID-19 holiday?
How have you
been maximising or even optimising your time? Well, for me, it's been a totally
and radically new experience. Other than devouring five special books that's
been with me for almost eternity, I've also daily kept myself busy and engaged
with nearly all the splendid webinars being organised for free by the Lagos
Business School (LBS).
In fact, I
have become so addicted that I had to pay for some. And sincerely, it's been a
beautiful, fruitful and wonderful experience.
Energised
and again emboldened by this new knowledge acquisition, I have equally been
savouring Pastor Sam Adeyemi's, especially the one of Thursday, April 23, 2020,
which centred on reinventing yourself and your career post COVID-19.
But beyond
all of those, my major takeaway is this - please, never, never forget to plan
and always prepare ahead. Don't just wait for a time like this before you
begin, and I will tell you why.
Until recently,
I was totally useless when it comes to IT. But then something happened one day
and I was left with no other option than to learn and very quickly too.
I had
visited a powerful person in government. This gentleman, who is also one of my
mentors, got a brief from his principal who wanted him to issue a statement
immediately over an incident.
Having been
privileged to some of the things they discussed, I asked if I could break the
story and he gave me the go-ahead.
Now, while
he was still writing his statement, I quickly completed mine, although very
brief and of course not as detailed as his. And started working my phones,
trying to reach one of my IT guys to help upload the exclusive story. You won't
believe it - this happened on a Saturday, and between that Saturday and Monday,
I couldn't reach any of them till Monday morning when they resumed for the new
week, sometime around 9am.
As would be
expected, I was mad, I was furious and almost hysterical. But that was all I
could do, because let's face facts, those were supposed to be their off days.
Anyway, when
I eventually calmed down, and upon their resumption that Monday morning, I told
them to forget whatever they were supposed to do that day, and from morning
till 6pm when we dispersed, all they did was ME.
Yes, me!
They stayed with me all through, teaching me how to upload stories and so on.
In fact, that was the first day I got the password to our website and other
social media handles - which hitherto I paid scant attention to.
On getting
home, also, at the close of work, I remained awake all night trying to perfect
my skills.
Yeah, I am
still learning, but one thing that hasn't left my mind since coronavirus
suddenly arrested and detained all of us at home is: 'How would you have coped,
Azuh if you hadn't taken that drastic action that day? '
I mean, all
alone now with my family, sleeping, reading and eating, the only other thing I
do has been writing and uploading stories on our website, www.theyesng.com.
And guess
what? I've been posting more stories than those who taught me and also pay at
the end of every month in this lockdown.
Lastly, dear
friends, I want to advise that you learn that new skill, even if you don't
exactly need it now. Trust me, it will come handy some day, somewhere and
somehow. Just like it happened to me.
Thanks so
much for reading and do have a sumptuous weekend.
Azuh Arinze is the publisher of YES INTERNATIONAL! Magazine and
bestselling author of The CEO's Bible. His two new books, Success Is Not Served
A La Carte and Encounters - Lessons From My Journalism Career, will be out
immediately after the lockdown.
