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Surviving and Thriving During a Global Pandemic

Practical Tips on Managing Life in the New Normal
Kimberly Ramalho

Kimberly Ramalho

3 Min Read

I’ve always said that if a person had unlimited time on their hands, they wouldn’t know what to do with it.  I think what I meant to say was I’d be lost if I didn’t have a place to go every day. Since I was a senior in high school, I worked in Corporate America and there were expectations of when I would arrive, what I would do and when I would leave for the day. My life was never without some sort of schedule and that’s the way I liked it. 

Yes, it’s true that I am an excellent time manager, I am organized and I get results.  I always assumed this was due to the fact that it was a requirement of employment and the company had set certain expectations of me that needed to be met. I’ve learned that’s not true. The characteristics that made me so successful in my profession are constants in the way I operate, both professionally and personally. Here is how I am surviving and helping my family thrive during this unprecedented time.

  1. Never stop learning: My first week home with children when mandatory quarantines began, I instantly jumped at the chance to be the teacher of my 6th grade twins.  Our first lesson was reading and writing. I was relieved because this is certainly a strong area for me as a communications professional. Then came the math lesson. You would think also easy for a former finance professional, but not so much. Mathematics is taught completely different today and the lessons are much more advanced. I began learning the lessons with my children day after day, sitting side by side with them.  And while it was a little scary, we mastered it. Never stop learning!
  2. Challenge yourself (every day): In my quest for continuing to learn, I began cooking and baking. Now, anyone who knows me, knows that this is foreign to me. My husband is the chef around our home and has been for the past 18 years. I am the type of person who enjoys a challenge and being pushed be out of my comfort zone. Every week I create something new in the kitchen. From making zucchini bread, to pasta, to meatballs… all from scratch, mind you…I am striving to improve. Today, there are several dishes I actually make better than my husband. Try something new every day and challenge yourself!
  3. Create your own space: Whether punching the clock, so to speak, or not, I am structured. When I lay my head on my pillow at night I am already visualizing tomorrow.  I wake up refreshed and ready to take on the day. A day filled with new experiences and opportunities to learn and grow.   As a communicator you never know what the day is going to toss your way, but I realized, I need structure in my life and I am excellent at creating it for myself. Stay in control of your time and make it work for you.

These past few months of not working outside of the home have been a big change for me.  That, coupled with a global pandemic that has many of us on quarantine, it’s like living in a different dimension. I am finding that this new normal is much more manageable if I continue to learn and challenge myself while remaining structured.  How are you dealing with the new normal?   

Author(s)

  • Kimberly Ramalho

    Kimberly Ramalho is a communications executive with 25 years of experience leading global teams in a variety of industries. Ms. Ramalho has been credited with developing programs that deliver a high return on investment, motivate employees and increase awareness of the business. She most recently served as vice president of Lockheed Martin’s Rotary and Mission Systems (RMS) Communications and Public Affairs organization where she was responsible for creating integrated strategies that support business objectives and strengthen relationships with customers, policymakers, partners, and employees.   Ms. Ramalho’s expertise spans public affairs, media relations, marketing communications, advertising, employee communications, executive communications, community relations and digital/multimedia communications. Prior to joining Lockheed Martin, she served as the global communications director for General Electric’s Water & Process Technologies business where she developed and executed global communications strategies. Ms. Ramalho has also held leadership positions of increasing responsibility with American Water, the largest publicly traded water and wastewater utility company, and Siemens Corp., a technology provider in a number of industries including energy and healthcare. Ms. Ramalho holds a bachelor’s degree in communications from The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey and a master’s degree in communications from Rutgers University. She has been actively involved in Diversity and Inclusion efforts serving as executive chair for Lockheed Martin’s Women’s Impact Network.