What is one opportunity from 2020 that you missed out on and will hope to experience this year?
2020 was a year that changed a lot for all of us–from work to how we enjoy our free time. It all had to shift in order to keep safe and healthy.
To help you plan how to spend your 2021, we asked CEOs and business professionals this question for their missed opportunities. From watching live sports to attending professional development events, there are several opportunities for you to consider when planning how to spend your time in 2021.
Here are ten missed opportunities professionals want to experience in 2022:
- Going to Concerts
- Attending Postdoctoral Fellowships
- Taking Personal Vacations
- Attending Professional Development
- Hanging Out With Friends In-Person
- Reprioritizing Personal Development
- Watching Live Sports
- Going on Cruises around the World
- Expanding The Team
- Running in a Marathon
Going to Concerts
Last year, a lot of live shows were canceled because concerts were distinguished as potential super-spreaders events. Now that more people are becoming vaccinated and regulations around crowd sizes are starting to relax concerts and tours are starting to return. This year, I hope to attend a few concerts with my friends and enjoy live music without restrictions. Since so much time has passed, I know both fans and artists are eager for things to go back to normal.
Miles Tucker, Markitors
Attending Postdoctoral Fellowships
As a freshly passed Ph.D. holder, I wanted to gain an edge over others by grabbing a postdoctoral opportunity. Just before the outbreak, applications were on for this program. But, the pandemic happened and the whole world was bound to stay indoors. The program was postponed for an indefinite time in most of the universities. If some institutes closed the positions, they decided to go with the local candidates. I missed out on my dream opportunity of post-doc last year and am looking forward to seizing one in 2021 as some universities are allowing international candidates to apply for the position, under certain conditions.
Eden Cheng, WeInvoice
Taking Personal Vacations
I hope to be able to go on vacation! Traveling is one opportunity from 2020 I missed out on, as did most! There is nothing like taking a vacation, whether it’s in the United States or overseas. I’d like to capitalize on some of the vacation promotions that are currently being offered.
Ashley Laffin, Mother Dirt
Attending Professional Development
After being a part of my organization for many years, I had planned 2020 to be the year I go overseas and work on one of our ongoing projects. That didn’t happen due to COVID, but we have kickstarted many of the same projects we had to cancel last year. I’m so excited to announce that I’ll be heading overseas this year instead. Planning a trip like this is challenging, and it took me years in the leadership position I have to make it happen, so I was incredibly disappointed when it fell through last summer. Getting this opportunity will not only further my professional career but will allow me to better understand the work my nonprofit does and why it’s so important on a global scale. I will also get to see our volunteers in action and collect photos and video media to share with our audience.
Chris Kindler, Alight
Hanging Out With Friends In-Person
One vital part of wellness is human interaction and we all had to be much more careful with how often we saw our friends in person with the social distancing orders which lasted throughout most of 2020. Although human connection can be felt without seeing someone physically, I still hope that everyone, including myself, will get to experience the in-person interactions that we used to take for granted before the pandemic set in.
Mary Berry, Cosmos Vita
Reprioritizing Personal Development
I came into 2020 with a lot of expectations and professional goals. My wife’s business as a remote bookkeeper suddenly began growing rapidly and there was an immediate need for me to take a step back from my 2020 resolution to work harder on my business and shift attention to my family who needed it. Prioritizing my children and their education as well as supporting my wife’s profitable and successful business took over my own goals. If I’m given a chance to experience one opportunity that I missed out on in 2020, it would be to focus on perfecting my current skill set. I want to focus my attention on my vision for my business and for myself to be so large that I will only be able to accomplish it with the help of other people. I want to include more people in my business by giving them key responsibilities and autonomy to make decisions.
Alexander Shute, FaithGiant
Watching Live Sports
Going to a frigid Chicago Bears home game at Soldier Field is one of my favorite things in the world, and 2020 just wasn’t the same without it. I am not even that much of a football fan, but bundling up and tailgating in the snow is actually way more fun than it sounds. My family has been going to Bears games for multiple generations, so it really felt like something was missing with no fans in the stands. We are excited to get back to watching football and baseball in person in 2021!
Natalie Sullivan, Cooler Air Today
Going on Cruises Around The World
One of my favorite vacation formats is cruises. You can just book your flight and the cruise, and then the rest is taken care of — including food and entertainment. Plus, depending on your route you may be able to visit several unique locations. Caribbean cruises are great, and there are also trans-oceanic cruises, for example from Miami to Rome. With the pandemic, cruises completely shut down. With vaccinations and the easing of restrictions, I expect that some cruises will start to run again and I’m excited to board one!
Michael Alexis, TeamBuilding
Expanding The Team
Last year, when the pandemic hit, we had our product and team growth plan ready. However, things didn’t go as planned. We couldn’t hire talents as per our target, full digitization of business remained our priority, and employees went through medical issues in 2020. So, we kept our focus on marketing our product and creating a massive user guide base to improve our customer’s experience with our company. This year, we finally have the desired resources and set-up in place. So, we will be soon adding exciting features to our tool for the users.
Caroline Lee, CocoSign
Running in a Marathon
I registered to participate in a marathon last year. It was supposed to be my first time, but it got canceled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. It took me a long time for consideration before I finally plucked up all of my courage to put my name on the registration list. I had asthma, so it could be risky without being physically ready for it. I needed to consult my doctor on that. I also learned some tips a first-time runner should know. Since my registration, I had practiced running three times a week so that I could get the best result on running day. I felt so regretful about the cancellation, so I hope that the marathon will be reorganized this year if possible. I just can’t wait for it anymore to test my stamina and see my hard work pay off.
Jill Sandy, Constant Delights
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