Book Those Tickets!
When the Delta variant showed its ugly face last year, everyone retrenched. Then, just as life was getting back to normal, Omicron arrived. It’s been with us less than two months, but it seems like it’s disappearing just as fast as it hit us. We still have to wear masks when appropriate and respect the people around us, but by and large, we’re figuring out how to live with it.
In fact, there are those who say it’s time to stop hunkering down at home and get out and enjoy the world. Book a flight to Ireland, Italy or one of the other countries that have achieved mass vaccination and dropped or reduced travel restrictions.
Taking time to reboot every year is a smart practice in general, but now it’s more important than ever. I firmly believe many of the people who have left their jobs during the Great Resignation simply needed a break from juggling their work with the challenges and inconveniences of the pandemic and may come to miss their old jobs once they’ve had a chance to push the re-set button.
Some may disagree with me, but as an employer, I believe that a vacation is not a luxury in times like these—it’s a necessity. For accounting firms including Marcum, of course, vacation will have to wait until after our traditional busy season, which just started, but that gives everyone something to look forward to.
I think it’s also important for our collective mental health to get back to office routines and the camaraderie that comes with them, even as we continue to make accommodations to keep everyone safe. As we’ve found at Marcum, the workplace isn’t necessarily where people are catching it. Of all of the cases reported among our team since the pandemic began, 40% occurred in the past two months with the emergence of Omicron. Not one of them was reported to originate with Marcum. Which tells me that being smart about masking up when appropriate, maintaining social distance, and staying home if you aren’t feeling great is still the right workplace policy. Omicron may be less scary than Delta, but you still don’t want to get it if you can avoid it.
Our priority is to follow current best practices to keep our team and our clients safe. At this point many COVID cases are like the flu or a bad cold—a potentially dangerous nuisance but part of life that we have to continue to live with, but less of a reason to lock down than we once thought.
Fortunately, life is once again slowly returning to normal, allowing us all to get back to the activities that add some much-needed fun to our lives. My recommendation: If you’re overdue for a vacation, book those tickets now. And while you’re at it, think about what else you’ve been missing—whether it’s restaurant meals or your annual Super Bowl party—and find some way to make them happen in 2022. (If you’re lucky enough to have tickets to the big game, make sure you bring your PPE–fans will be required to wear masks). Spring weather is just around the corner, and there will be many opportunities to get out and enjoy life.
Speaking of which, the Lunar New Year, often called the Chinese New Year, began on February 1. It is one of the most widely celebrated holidays in the world. This is the Year of the Tiger. To those of you who celebrate, Happy New Year!
