When we come to look back on the 2008-2009 recession, it will be seen to have had important economic consequences; it will have taken us “back to basics”, rebalancing the spending excesses of the past ahead of the next round of excess. It is the economic equivalent of Lent. The recessions of the early 1980s and the 1990s played similar roles. Recessions are times when the unspeakable happens; when the foundation on which we build caves in.

When you are in a recession, as we are now, the focus is on money, finance and the economy. The press is filled with graphs, statistics and “a billion” is the common numeric. In the short term it is the money that grabs attention, but in the long term the effect of the recession will be felt as much in one’s day-to-day work as it will be in one’s pocket. While the economic effects of recession can be dire, in the long term the effect on work and working habits can be positive.