Have conferences moved to being more virtual?

You have probably noticed that over the last couple of years, a lot of conferences have figured out how to present them virtually. I know that there is still the want and need of having some conferences in person, but having the ability to have virtual conferences does mean that more people are able to attend without having to incur the large travel expense.

Here are some of the pros and cons that I see with the virtual conferences:

Pros:

• Reduced travel time and cost for attendees, vendors, and speakers
• Ability to attend the parts of the conference you want to attend but also manage work demands
• Ability to be in the office in case of an emergency happens
• Vendors don’t have to incur the cost of having swag at their booth
• Sessions can be taped to ensure there isn’t an issue for real-time presentations.
• Sessions can be viewed at times that work best for the attendee, especially if there are multiple sessions at the same time they want to attend.

Cons:

• Not being able to meet face to face with vendors, speakers, and other attendees
• Not being able to interact during the presentations, normally can only do it through a chat or Q&A feature
• Not having the opportunity to focus on the conference because you are still at work.

Of course, there are going to be pros and cons for both virtual and in person conferences, and I think it is something that we all need to figure out what works best for each of us. Some businesses are going to like the virtual conferences for their staff a lot more than the in person, but they are going to have to figure out how to let their staff attend without all the distractions of still being in the office. I know that I have heard that some businesses still expect the person to be answering phone calls, emails and all the other distractions when attending the virtual conference. If a business is going to encourage virtual attendance at a conference, they need to think that the person isn’t available that day unless there is an emergency.

Conferences have changed for the foreseeable future, and having the ability to attend virtual conferences around the world means that staff can get the training that they want and need without having to travel. Sure, there are going to be pros and cons about both the virtual and in person conferences, but having the opportunity to attend more without travel does sound nice right now. A virtual conference can also help you continue to meet your personal/family needs without being miles away.

My one question that remains is have Virtual Conferences replaced most in person conferences? My answer is that I am not sure about that, but at least for now I think we will have a blend moving forward.

Getting my spark back

For a lot of people, the last two years have been rough and yes, I can honestly say I am one of those people. Things have been so different given all the restrictions that we have had to deal with, and now I think we might be starting to establish a new normal. Yes, I am calling it a new normal because I think that is what it is or at least for a while that is what it is going to be.

I am one of those individuals that does have a bit of a silly/sassy side, and it hasn’t been around for a while now, and that has been getting me down. Between restrictions and issues with parents, it has meant that the last two years has been a challenge to say the least. I have kept up trying to make progress on things but the silly/sassy part of me just hasn’t been there, and I know that I have wanted to get it back but just haven’t been able to figure out how to do that.

Today, I think I am starting to see that sassy part of me come back, or at least that is what I am hoping that I am seeing. Today we went, and I ordered some new eyeglasses which I needed, but when I tried one of the pairs on, I felt that bit of a spark that has been missing start to come back. I know that it isn’t a big change, but at least now maybe I will start to gain back that part of me that can see the silly things or even be a silly sometimes. I am also one of those individuals that sometimes likes to wear a bit of bling and that hasn’t been happening, so possibly now that will start to appear. The glasses don’t have the bling, but perhaps the person that has been hiding through the last two years is starting to reappear.

I hope that a lot of other people are starting to get back to being the person they were, before all of this happened because I think we need to do the things that we loved doing and bring back the joy that has been missing for a lot of us. I am not sure how much of my silly/sassy side is going to be appearing and how quickly, but at least today I got to see a smile on my husband’s face when he saw that bit of my sassy side start to appear.

Remember that we need to ensure that we do things that make us happy and things that make others smile, so even those little things can make a difference moving forward. My spark might be returning, and I hope it is because that is what puts a smile on my face.

 

Hiding from the world

I think a lot of us have times when we just want to hide from the world and do our own thing. I know that I have said that quite often through the pandemic and everything else that has been going on in our world. Hiding from the world for me means a chance to sit and do the things that I love doing without all the other distractions that I normally deal with.

What does hide from the world mean to you?

-        Is it sitting somewhere and just losing yourself in a television series or television program where you can sit and do nothing?

-        Is it curling up with a good book or series of books and sitting and reading and losing yourself for hours in them?

-        Is it going for a long walk where you can find the space to get away from all the different sounds that we deal with each day?

For me, hiding from the world can be a few different things, and it depends on the day and my own mood. Here are some of what hide from the world means to be:

-        Sitting and curling up with one of my crafts and not dealing with any of the social media or emails that are coming in and wanting my attention.

-        Finding a place where I can sit and watch people without having to interact with everyone. I just want to sit, and people watch.

-        Going for a nice drive where we are spending time without all the other distractions that seem to get in the way. We normally will do these drives without the radio on, and we also avoid checking our devices for messages for a while.

-        Sitting and listening to some enjoyable relaxing music with my ear buds in and not being able to hear what else is going on around me. Having some noise-cancelling ear buds has made a huge difference, as it gives me a way to sit and not hear all the other sounds.

-        It is sitting by some water and watching the movement of the water and seeing the birds and maybe even the fish.

Hiding from the world is what I can sometimes do, and it doesn’t have to be very long. I have found that sometimes even escaping from the chaos of the world around me for 10 or 20 minutes can make such a big difference. For everyone, the definition of hiding from the world is going to be different, and you must understand that each person needs their own time and space.

I have been sitting here writing this while listening to some relaxing music with my ear buds in. Sure, it is partly my escape, but it is also a way that I can focus and get some other thoughts out of my head without the distractions from the rest of the world. If you need the time to escape or hide from the world, understand that you aren’t odd or different.  You just require the time to recharge your own personal batteries or maybe just even yourself a bit of time to clear your head from all the surrounding sounds.