Most of us have been living under the assumption that all we need is more time.

We dream of more time and all of the tasks we would be able to complete. Or the luxury that more time would afford toward things like rest and play.

And then 2020 delivered, offering most of us more time.

Time to work from home.

Time away from our coworkers to finally have some space to complete that project.

Time with our family.

However, the reality is that as our time was freed, so was the time of almost everyone around us.

Instead of having a nice quiet home to actually get some work done, some are finding that they are now not only working full time and raising their children, but that they are now responsible for the schooling and care of their children while they complete their professional tasks.

Others may find themselves isolated and alone, drowning in the loneliness that social distancing has forced upon them.

Most are not finding that they are able to be more productive, creative or any of the other wonderful things we all imagined would come with more time.

In fact, most of us are simply trying to survive in the midst of our collective trauma.

So, if you are running a business or leading a team, I ask that you extend extra grace during this season. We are all doing the very best that we can.

There are good days, yes, and there are extremely hard days. It’s easy to put expectations on this time–what should and should not be happening, but the reality is that with so much unknown we are learning what it means to simply take things day by day. Moment by moment.

We are going to make it through this, but not without some bumps and bruises along the way. And, I am confident that beauty will arise from the ashes of this season as well.

I guess what most of us are realizing, though, is that time was never really the issue after all.