President’s Letter to Membership Q3 2021 

Back to School Edition 

Summer is waning. Back to school. Back to work. To the office, or not to the office? That is the question. 

Creatures of habit that we humans be, a significant pattern of our daily routine has been interrupted by the Stay at Home mandate during this ongoing Covid pandemic. While the last 18 months have been devastating to humanity across the globe, the loss of life, setbacks in education, and the emotional toll are not insignificant. What good, if any, may come from this hardship? What have we learned? Have there been any benefits that we can carry forward and build on? Yes, there are. Here are just a few. 

  • Productivity has increased 
  • Architectural Billing Index (ABI) has been near an all-time high for the last 6 months 
  • Work/Homelife balance is improving (flexibility/mobility) 
  • Employee satisfaction is increasing 
  • Opportunities to battle climate change are improving 

Is it possible that skipping the morning shower, leaving the car in the garage and sitting down to work in your jammies is a good thing? Is it possible that binge working 12 hours straight is less satisfying than grazing at the times of day when you may be most alert and effective to the task at hand? Is it possible that melding work tasks with honey-do lists throughout the week can contribute to reducing greenhouse gasses and more time with the kids and/or grandkids? Well, think about it and let me know. I’d like to hear from you. 

There are certainly conveniences to take advantage of. That said, it’s important to recognize when become captivated by convenience. While Zoom and Teams meetings have been filling in the gaps in our work calendars, please set aside some regular time to think, focus, practice self-care, and be intentional. That’s what leaders and effective citizens do. Be a leader in your profession and your community. AIARE is seeking leaders to contribute to the essential work on our committees and Board of Directors whose term comes to an end in January. Step up. Dig in. Let’s continue the good work, improve our communities, our quality of life, and steer our culture to improve diversity, equity, and inclusion.  

Ross A. Jones, AIARE President 2021