The New Normal – How To Live Without Fear Amidst The Pandemic

The lockdown may be over for the world, but the pandemic isn’t. If the experts are to be believed, vaccines may take 12-18 months to be available worldwide, and there’s no surety that they will be 100% successful in taking us back to the pre-pandemic times. Their effectiveness will gradually increase over 2-3 years, through constant observation and advancement. However, it’s not possible to keep all economic activities on pause for such a long period. And neither can the people be confined to their homes for months and years at a stretch. So far, the US has been one of the worst-hit countries with a mortality rate of 6.2%. Hence, we should learn to adapt to the ‘new normal’ by taking necessary precautions and getting used to the habit of covering our faces in public.

So, what’s this ‘new normal’ and how to live fearlessly in the pandemic? Scroll on!

How the COVID-19 Changed our Lives

The pandemic has brought about some unexpected changes in our lives, some of which have contributed to the ‘new normal’ that may not fade away soon. For example, washing your hands with soap and water or cleaning them with an alcohol-based sanitizer after coming home or entering any enclosed space will be mandatory. However, there are some other unconventional changes in the ‘new normal’ as follow:

Social Distancing

No more warm greets and tight hugs in the ‘new normal’. People are reeling from the trauma of lockdown and quarantine and may maintain a safe distance even from their near and dear ones. Those crowded celebrations, home gatherings, and barbecue parties won’t be there for a while. And there possibly won’t be much of the holiday dances, meets and greets for at least a year or so.

Social distancing will also change the way people interact in commercial spaces, like restaurants, pubs, movie halls, and shopping centers. No-touch policies will be maintained almost everywhere, which may increase the costs of leisure and entertainment activities. Public transport will be avoided wherever possible, which again will increase the costs of tickets.

The New Accessories

At present, public places are crowded with people wearing personal protective equipment, like face covers, N95 respirators, and KN95 masks to ensure maximum safety. These will be our new accessories for a long time now, and you can forget about saying goodbye to them even when a vaccine arrives. So get ready to stock your wardrobe with such masks, head shields, and gloves for your benefit, as well as your family’s. As most of these masks are one-time wears, you can also go for disposable earloop face mask to cut down the expenses. But you need to keep buying and replacing them regularly. This is one of the major changes included in the ‘new normal’ as it changed the very concept of appearing in public these days.

Working from Home 

Most companies will continue working from home for the employees, who can. Others may have a flexible schedule to manage a healthy commute. The employers will be inclined to focus on the health of their employees, as they can’t afford to miss any of them for a long period now. Further, if one person in the office gets infected, the chances of a spread will increase, and other employees may stop coming to work altogether. Hence, they will maintain preventive measures at every step of the way and allow remote working whenever possible.

This will also contribute to the rise in the gig economy, as most of the workers will opt for multiple sources of income by freelancing or working as independent contractors. As they will be working from home, sufficient time will be saved to indulge in more freelance assignments. As they get a grip on things, they may even consider leaving their full-time jobs permanently.

Work and Life Balance

With an increase in remote working trends, the employees will be able to spend more time at home and with their family, thus enhancing the working-life balance. The time they will save can be utilized for their dream projects, something that they have been planning for a long time. The country will probably notice an increase in professional courses, entrepreneurship, and advances in technologies, as the tech geeks will get enough time to indulge in independent works.

Creativity will surge, as people won’t have to brace traffic every day to reach their work destinations. They will be able to chalk out a healthy schedule for them and their family. And last but not least, the children will get their parents home for most of the days, thus ensuring a healthy childhood.

Automation and Self-sufficiency

In the lockdown period, most people were dependent on technology and IoT (Internet of Things) to get help for their day-to-day activities. Be it AI-induced speakers, Smart gadgets, or advanced security systems, they have learned to rely on technology now, more than ever. This trend will shape the development of the AI industry and make way for advances in machine learning and robotics in the coming years. Social distancing will also boost the development of more advanced applications, gadgets, and wearables for domestic, industrial, and commercial purposes.

Fewer In-Chamber Visits

Telemedicine has risen abruptly in these critical times to ensure that everyone gets to access proper healthcare facilities from home during the lockdown. This is one of the biggest trends that will find its way into the post-pandemic world because of the convenience it offers to most people, especially the elderly. With the development of smart wearables and gadgets, telehealthcare will further rise, thus reducing the number of in-chamber visits. Hence, the physicians will also get to enjoy some ‘me’ time with their families, offering their valuable professional advice through virtual sessions.

Virtual Hangouts and Dating

The pandemic has also changed the way we interact socially. Virtual hangouts have become common and likely going to stay this way for a long time. People will be reluctant to meet in public and grow a habit of virtual interactions and at-home get-togethers. Dating has changed too, and online dating will be preferred by most couples, before meeting in public.

Automobile Usage

As mentioned earlier, the people will try to avoid public transport most of the time and take their cars out from the garage for commuting or even grocery shopping. They will also invest more in eco-friendly transport options, like bikes and scooters to maintain self-distancing norms without increasing petrol usage. In the pandemic, the sales of bikes have surged, leading to a nationwide shortage. But, as the manufacturing units open up gradually, more bikes will be available for the public, thus increasing its usage.

Environment-Friendly Activities

In the lockdown period, every one of us has witnessed how the reduction of industrial and commercial activities gave rise to significant improvements in the environment. The rise of organic food has also been a noticeable change in the market, as these foods help enhance immunity. More eco-friendly measures will be adapted by industrial centers and domestic spaces to prevent further environmental degradation. The industries will be more aware of the long-term effects of their activities, and people will switch to organic products, especially food, to strengthen their immune system.

Wrapping it Up

The ‘new normal’ will be more convenient for most of us, who follow a busy schedule, as it will save our time and efforts to a great extent. We will also save a lot of money that would have otherwise been spent on unnecessary stuff. Although some of these trends will fade away, as the pandemic subsides, most of them, like social distancing, organic food consumption, virtual gatherings, automation, environment-friendly practices, and dependence on technology will remain for the benefit of the human kind. So, we should adapt to the same and embrace these trends with open arms.