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2020 is a year for the history books. We are only halfway through the year and it certainly has turned our world upside down. 

I dont think anyone wants to read another article or hear another news story about the tragic events that have happened and continue to happen around the world. I propose we all start thanking 2020 for pushing us out of our comfort zone, accelerating our use of technology in every way possible, teaching us new ways to communicate, and to value what is truly important in our lives.

We have all been there: coming home from a business trip; experiencing a crazy day at the office; or just feeling the to-do list of tasks piling up and wishing for things to slow down and for a day, or even just a couple of hours, to catch up. 

As mentioned, the point of this article is not to dwell on the negatives but the positives, and 2020 has brought many.

  1. COMFORT 

Take a few seconds and count the number of meetings you have attended in sweatpants or pajamas over the past few months. Now compare that number to that of the previous year, or better yet your entire career. Sweatpants and dress shirts have become the new business casual and have now become a widely accepted trend. 

Of course, wearing sweatpants at work is a bonus, but Id like to point out the additional productivity it creates. Think about it: it is commonly known that people do their best work when they are comfortable—not sweating in a business suit, worrying about wrinkling that blouse, or how uncomfortably those dress pants fit. Comfortable work attire means less opportunity for your mind to wander and more opportunity to focus.

  1. TIME

That morning commute, dreaded after-work rush hour with snarled traffic? Ha! That is a thing of the past.

You can now roll out of bed and be at the office” in under ten minutes flat. Not only has this saved you time, but it has started your day stress free. You are certainly not angry that public transportation has once again been unreliable or that someone took your favorite parking spot—your car is parked comfortably outside your house and you have full control over your experience with morning traffic. Or lack of morning traffic.

Unless, of course, you have children. I realize that traffic jams in the hallway rather than on the expressway could still be a thing, but for the most part Im sure you would gladly take small bodies crowding the hallway over spending hours in rush hour traffic, every single day.

  1. DIGITAL

2020 has accelerated the digital shopping experience at an unprecedented rate. We have long known the need for digital and the benefits have been clear; however, many retailers have felt overwhelmed and have considered it a huge and expensive project. Consequently, they set it aside for consideration in the future. 

The time for consideration quickly became the present. This year has forced retailers to provide new digital experiences to customers and provide easy and convenient ways to shop their brand without entering a store.

Now, what does this mean for consumers? Well, it does eliminate the ability to touch and feel products before purchase, but it also adds immense convenience, product information, ease of use and, in the case of 2020, safety. 2020 has forced those consumers who were reluctant to adopt digital trends to adapt very quickly. This year, people have realized the ease of online grocery orders, Buy Online Pickup In-store (BOPIS) options, and eCommerce delivery. 

Retailers have been forced to improve inventory visibility. Gone are the days when consumers were willing to travel from store to store to see if a product was in stock. Retailers must now provide product visibility on their websites as accurately as possible. If not customers will certainly expect store associates or customer service phone lines to direct them to the right location with their desired product in stock.

So, as we enter the second half of what may feel like the longest year yet, I encourage you to realize the positive changes this year has brought us. The tremendous push 2020 has given us to step out of our comfort zones, to communicate, work, shop and to live in a way most of us could never have imagined a mere six months ago. So, instead of wishing things could go back to normal, embrace the future and remember all the positives 2020 has delivered—comfort, convenience and communication.