How, in the United States, to become a great problem solver?
The time that we are all in with the situation of COVID-19, is not easy! Especially for problem solvers, like me; I can ask a life valuable question, how to avoid getting coronavirus, but still, how can I find a job near me? So who am I and how my problem-solving skills help me understand what this virus is about, and how to not panic in it, and still keep looking for a job?
It’s not an easy time for a person like me, who recently came to the USA to describe how my childhood and the Soviet Union time helps to deal with the problem. This situation reminded me of my childhood, the time of the early 80s - the Perestroika time. Of course, I was just a child, but now I remember like it was yesterday. Of course, when I was a kid, my mother taught me the value of washing hands often with soap.
So how do you think it is different but still is the same? There were the same long lines in the stores, no value of money, just because people did not have it, there was no choice at all in products items all common people were in lines for the same items - sausage, butter, sugar, salt, bread - sometimes limited in number; there was NO toilet paper in the stores, people were using newspapers or water instead...
Of course, I am not suggesting comparing the Russian Perestroika time to the current situation in the U.S. with the Coronavirus but it brought memories and feelings similar to what people experiencing here now, in the U.S.
Remote companies, or my childhood reality
At that time, I think, like other children, I didn’t care about her directions. I was running everywhere, playing with other children. I remember empty shelves in the stores, big lines and frequent family shifts even in the night time in order to get the products or first needs items. People were surviving. Nobody panicked or thought about social distancing, on the contrary, the families were close and spent time together, shared what they had… The concept of “remote work” or online shopping was not in the air.
What is my Russian experience? Back in Russia, I had more than 20 years of successfully owning a company. Even though I did not have a public health system experience, 60% of my time in my regular job I spent working from home. What do you think my remote job as an SEO strategist was about? Because I have an SEO background my work was with, on-line problems solutions. Many of these companies did not really understand what my job was about. My job was connected not so much with the web design and SEO but more with the research and selling values.
What’s My Problems Solutions About:
Why do you think I wrote an article describing my childhood reality, and what is the difference between problems and solutions in crisis time?
Of course, I can describe myself as a creative thinker, but who can pay for the solutions to the problems? I have no chance to work with on-line monsters like Amazon, TGiF, Shop Ride, ACME, and others. My job was not just about UX research, but more like outside of the box thinker, to make these solutions cheap and creative.
Only a month ago it was hard to believe that something similar will become a reality over here, in the world of too many choices and much wealth. Everything changed in a week or so! In a way, I am back living in the Soviet Union remote reality but in the U.S.
Social Distancing in our world of too many choices.
What was my solving problems life about?
So what is my job about, who am I, and how could I compare my childhood time to life in this COVID-19 pandemic reality? Well, I can’t say my childhood was unhappy. As I remember I did not think a lot about the price of the toilet paper, as well as soap and water.
If you are creative thinkers, the same as me, just think about:
How would you describe what reality is if all life is on-line?
From every newspaper, search engine or social media, do we hear about stay home issues?
What is the value of money if the price of the toilet paper these days, as well as surgical masks, are similar to the black caviar in Russia ($) that is available to only rich, wealthy people or poaches.
It’s Not a WOW Game:
Every time when I am writing a blog article, to be still on-line tomorrow, I try to stay open-minded and remember 5 simple rules, not really about organic words. Even in this life, these words should be more than organic:
Wash often your hands at least for 20 seconds.
Keep your distance from people, at least at 6 ft. in the store or better make online orders
Feel sick, stay home, even those who are not in this online life?
Forget that you have a face before you use the first rule.
When someone calls you, think twice before you pick up the phone with your dirty hands
