A Break from Routine

A Break from Routine

  • By Matt Jones
  • Mar 21, 2023

It was three years ago right about now that COVID was bringing the world to its knees. In mid-March of 2020, the president put travel restrictions on all flights in and out of Europe, the NBA suspended its season, and Tom Hanks announced that he’d tested positive for the disease—all in the same night. It was officially a national emergency two days later.

I remember how surreal it felt watching the whole world shut down. Things you didn’t know could be cancelled just kept getting cancelled. The entire March Madness tournament, called off like you’d call off Friday-night plans because you made them feeling ambitious, but now that it’s time, you’d rather just stay in and watch a movie and go to bed early..

We’ve come a long way since then; I think it was well before last year’s ISC West conference that we were already talking about how good the return to normalcy felt. But one product of the pandemic era is here to stay, probably for good: work from home..

I’ve been working from home full time for a little over two years. I love not having to deal with morning or afternoon rush hour; working in pajamas until 10:30 or 11; squeezing household tasks like unloading the dishwasher or folding laundry into breaks in the workday. I’m more consistently caught up on sleep than I’ve been at any point in my life since my last summer vacation. .

But for all of its many (many!) benefits, work from home has its drawbacks. I didn’t realize how many of my adult acquaintances and relationships came from work until I didn’t see coworkers anymore. My fiancée comes home from the office more days than not with some little anecdote about something funny that one of her coworkers said. And more days than not, I’ll parry with a story about something funny the dog did that afternoon..

Trade shows—more specifically, next week’s ISC West in Las Vegas—have become a nice break from routine, a chance to get back out in the world and have face-to-face interactions with coworkers and other industry professionals. Will we talk shop? Primarily, sure. But before and after, there’s small talk—sports, news, movies, the weather, Vegas plans. There’s dinners and happy hours and afterparties to socialize and build relationships. And every once in a while, a change of scene comes along when you need it the most..

Travel safely, and we’ll see you—live and in person!—in Las Vegas.

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning and Campus Security and Life Safety. He can be reached at [email protected]

Featured

  • Empowering and Securing a Mobile Workforce

    What happens when technology lets you work anywhere – but exposes you to security threats everywhere? This is the reality of modern work. No longer tethered to desks, work happens everywhere – in the office, from home, on the road, and in countless locations in between. Read Now

  • TSA Introduces New $45 Fee Option for Travelers Without REAL ID Starting February 1

    The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) announced today that it will refer all passengers who do not present an acceptable form of ID and still want to fly an option to pay a $45 fee to use a modernized alternative identity verification system, TSA Confirm.ID, to establish identity at security checkpoints beginning on February 1, 2026. Read Now

  • The Evolution of IP Camera Intelligence

    As the 30th anniversary of the IP camera approaches in 2026, it is worth reflecting on how far we have come. The first network camera, launched in 1996, delivered one frame every 17 seconds—not impressive by today’s standards, but groundbreaking at the time. It did something that no analog system could: transmit video over a standard IP network. Read Now

  • From Surveillance to Intelligence

    Years ago, it would have been significantly more expensive to run an analytic like that — requiring a custom-built solution with burdensome infrastructure demands — but modern edge devices have made it accessible to everyone. It also saves time, which is a critical factor if a missing child is involved. Video compression technology has played a critical role as well. Over the years, significant advancements have been made in video coding standards — including H.263, MPEG formats, and H.264—alongside compression optimization technologies developed by IP video manufacturers to improve efficiency without sacrificing quality. The open-source AV1 codec developed by the Alliance for Open Media—a consortium including Google, Netflix, Microsoft, Amazon and others — is already the preferred decoder for cloud-based applications, and is quickly becoming the standard for video compression of all types. Read Now

  • Cost: Reactive vs. Proactive Security

    Security breaches often happen despite the availability of tools to prevent them. To combat this problem, the industry is shifting from reactive correction to proactive protection. This article will examine why so many security leaders have realized they must “lead before the breach” – not after. Read Now

Most   Popular

New Products

  • PE80 Series

    PE80 Series by SARGENT / ED4000/PED5000 Series by Corbin Russwin

    ASSA ABLOY, a global leader in access solutions, has announced the launch of two next generation exit devices from long-standing leaders in the premium exit device market: the PE80 Series by SARGENT and the PED4000/PED5000 Series by Corbin Russwin. These new exit devices boast industry-first features that are specifically designed to provide enhanced safety, security and convenience, setting new standards for exit solutions. The SARGENT PE80 and Corbin Russwin PED4000/PED5000 Series exit devices are engineered to meet the ever-evolving needs of modern buildings. Featuring the high strength, security and durability that ASSA ABLOY is known for, the new exit devices deliver several innovative, industry-first features in addition to elegant design finishes for every opening.

  • Connect ONE’s powerful cloud-hosted management platform provides the means to tailor lockdowns and emergency mass notifications throughout a facility – while simultaneously alerting occupants to hazards or next steps, like evacuation.

    Connect ONE®

    Connect ONE’s powerful cloud-hosted management platform provides the means to tailor lockdowns and emergency mass notifications throughout a facility – while simultaneously alerting occupants to hazards or next steps, like evacuation.

  • 4K Video Decoder

    3xLOGIC’s VH-DECODER-4K is perfect for use in organizations of all sizes in diverse vertical sectors such as retail, leisure and hospitality, education and commercial premises.