As we mentioned last week, we have been caring for a family member — he is 96-years strong, but nearing the end of life and needing 24/7 care. We write a lot about productivity, reviewing applications and tools that may improve your workday/workflow. But in this moment, none of those things matter very much. So we’re taking a break from the usual content and instead want to share a few prevailing thoughts from the past days/weeks.

During a crisis, a lot of things shift: plans, priorities, relationships, and LIMITS. We have far exceeded what we believed our limits to be, in emotional endurance, physical strength, patience, and flexibility — but living in crisis mode is exhausting.

In these moments, what has made the difference is KINDNESS: toward the person needing our care, toward others who are trying to help, and (hardest of all) toward ourselves. We want to remember this when we're not in crisis.

TIME has also shifted — and I’m not referring to jet lag and a different time zone (though we dealt with those, too). We find ourselves living in the moment, thinking less about what should be happening today or will be happening tomorrow. It’s about being present and focusing on what is most important now.

Lastly, my trusty electronic pals have notified me of these CHANGES in the past week, so it's not all bad:

• iPhone: “Your screen time was down 65% last week, for an average of 1 hour, 18 minutes a day.”  

• Apple watch: “Wow, you’re exceeding your usual activity level by 72% today!” (as opposed to, “It’s time to stand, Susan.”)
  

We'll be back with a full issue next Sunday.

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