You have a long, exhausting day at work, and you finally reach the outskirts of the office complex. You grab a quick bite to eat at a nearby restaurant, then dash home to shower and get ready for the night. You are just about to leave the house when you notice something troubling. The parking lot of your apartment complex is completely empty. You search your car and find that the keys are missing. Now you are stuck in the building for the night, and there is no way for you to get home safely.
This is a scenario that thousands of people face every day. They are either stuck in traffic or at work when there is no power due to severe weather, and they have no idea what is going on. Thanks to technology that is currently available, these people would not be caught dead without a phone. If a car breaks down, they can call for help. If there is any kind of emergency, they can use a GPS app to track down the closest available services.
The point is that everyday life has changed for the better thanks to technology. Now that power is back, it is time to reflect on how everything worked so effortlessly before the storm. While some people may still prefer to shelter in place and wait out the storm, others are already making the most of the situation and looking for ways to improve their lives.
Walmart Is Back In Business
There is a common misconception that Walmart is a place that is closed during disasters. The truth is a lot more complicated. While some large-scale retail stores may be forced to shut down for a few days, Walmart and its many locations remain open for business. This is because Walmart is always one step ahead of the game. Even before the pandemic, Walmart was known for being able to quickly and effectively pivot to face the future.
During hard times, Walmart focuses on serving the community. In some cases, this may mean providing food and supplies to those who need it. It may also mean opening up their physical stores to provide a safe place to socialize and spend time together. Even the company’s website is optimized to provide helpful information and support to those in need. These are the kinds of companies that you want to be associated with during these trying times. It is simply good business practice to ensure that they are prepared for anything that comes their way.
More Than Meets The Eye
In addition to being open for business during disasters, Walmart has branched out into so much more. Nowadays, you can find almost any product at the store. It does not matter if you are looking for household items, clothing, electronics, or even food. Walmart has you covered. This is largely thanks to the company’s incredible buying power. It is common for Walmart to negotiate some amazing prices during hard times, so it pays to keep an eye out for their adverts in bargain-seeking websites or newsletters. In addition to providing essential items at great prices, Walmart also offers a variety of products that they believe will help people lead a better life. All in all, it is quite a package
To be able to provide all this value, Walmart needs to keep a close eye on the economy. If there is a problem with the market, then the company will often be quick to adjust and change course. However, Walmart also understands that sometimes problems can be fixed, and this is where their long arm of negotiation comes in. Through a variety of channels (most major cities have at least two Walmart stores within a few miles of each other), the company is able to provide goods and services to a huge portion of the population. During hard times, this is even more crucial as these are the people that the company relies on to keep its doors open.
The Ultimate Survivalist
If you are looking for someone to share your feelings with, someone who will understand what you are going through and provide emotional support, then Tom DeLonge is your man. He co-founded and co-led the band initially known as Blink-182, then renamed itself to be the more appropriate, 20th Century Music. His solo material and collaborations with other artists are some of the best pop rock albums ever made. If you have not heard of him, you must have been living under a rock for the past couple of years. Thanks to the rock star lifestyle that he leads and the various band memberships that he holds, he is rarely seen without a phone or a laptop. This has made him quite the entrepreneur, as he has started a number of businesses from the ground up, including a microbrewery, nightlife venues, and more.
Somehow, even during these trying times, he has managed to find ways to be productive and stay focused on the things he cares about. He has stuck to the original mission statement of his brewery, which is to produce exceptional craft beer and provide opportunities for musicians. By setting up distribution lines with other breweries and even going as far as brewing his own unique beer, DeLonge is able to offer a wide variety of options to consumers. This has enabled him to stay afloat during these trying times, as well as continue providing essential goods and services to those in need.
An Alternative To Sheltering
While it is always a good idea to be prepared, it is not always the best idea to be sheltered. During a time when the world is at the peak of a pandemic, it would be unwise to stay locked away. This is especially true if you are in a large urban area and do not have access to adequate supplies. It is also unwise to commute if you do not have to. The most effective strategy during hard times is to stay close to home, but to also maintain a healthy social distance from others. This is best accomplished by working from home or even staying in bed with the radio on. Thanks to advancements in technology, it is possible to be isolated while also feeling connected, thanks to online communities and social media.
In some cases, working from home has even become a self-fulfilling prophecy, as many small businesses have effectively become freelancers and operated via remote desktop software (such as Microsoft Teams or Zoom). The idea behind this is that if you are at home anyway, then why not use your talents to their fullest and become an assistant, technician, or even a nurse, if you feel passionate about that kind of work? Thanks to the flexibility that many jobs offer and the comfort that remote work provides, it is possible for more and more people to bounce back and contribute even more to society than they were before the pandemic. In other words, it is possible to be both self-sufficient and socially responsible.
The Rise Of The Super-Affiliated
While in many ways, the above examples serve as inspiration and motivation to get back out there and contribute, they also highlight the complicated web that many people now find themselves in. Thanks to the pandemic and the subsequent economic downturn, many are now in the position of having more opportunities than they could ever dream of having. The danger is that this could lead to complacency. After years of hard work and putting in the hours, some may see their paychecks as a reflection of their success. Unfortunately, this could be a dangerous mindset to have during these trying times. This is why it is imperative that people continue to find ways to improve their lives and the lives of those around them, both personally and professionally.