Quarantine, no doubt, has changed us – but not just for the worse! This article on vox.com, entitled “Quarantine has changed us – and it’s not all bad”, struck a chord recently as we were gradually coming out of lockdown. Note that I was originally going to publish this blog post much earlier, around the time the first lockdown restrictions were being lifted, but am only now getting around to it. I am positive, though, that it’ll still make for uplifting reading!
The following habits emerged during lockdown, and many people resolved to maintain them:
1) Reducing consumerism
The most popular response to which habits to keep post-lockdown was the intention to reduce consumerism. The pandemic has led many of us to realise that much of our previous consumer behaviour had really just been about instant gratification, rather than enduring happiness. Reduced consumerism incidentally chimes with the principles of minimalism: being confined to our homes has prompted a large-scale rethink about our excessive, often mindless consumption of goods and services.
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| Much of our consumer behaviour is just about instant gratification, rather than enduring happiness (image source: shop in Florence, photo by Elisabeth Hippe-Heisler) |
My personal experience:
Once it became evident that opportunities to meet friends and colleagues would take a virtual format for some time to come, I also realised that placing orders for new clothes or accessories was, in a way, pointless. Did you know, by the way, that the business for the sale of dressy tops and shirts (as opposed to bottoms), due to the extensive use of video work calls, has been booming over recent months?
2) Slowing down and putting less pressure on ourselves
Of course, not everyone has been able to benefit from the slower pace of life necessitated by the lockdown; yet for those who have been able to enjoy it, it felt pleasant. It has led to the wish among many to build additional space into post-pandemic life, too – for reflection, more relaxation, a focus on what really is important. Gearing down does us good! Many of us have resolved to put less pressure on ourselves in future.
My personal experience:
I carried on translating, but was able, finally, to slow down a bit as far as other, non-work commitments were concerned: by no longer rushing out to yoga at Emersons Green Village Hall every Monday and Wednesday evening; by not getting up early for parkrun on Saturday mornings; by not having to cook lunch in a rush on Sundays, as had often been the case previously to make sure my son wouldn’t be late for football. Don’t get me wrong: I do miss all these things! In a way, though, it did feel nice, just for once, to gear down.
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| Gearing down does us good! (image source: David Schwarzenberg on Pixabay) |
3) Prioritising family and friends
In a recent blog post related to the pandemic I noted that work isn’t the main thing in life. The acts of solidarity and human warmth which we experienced during the lockdown have been extraordinary. For what really matters in life is these things: kindness, empathy, love for oneself, and love for others. We all have come to appreciate the family members and friends who’ve been there for us during this taxing time.
My personal experience:
As a family we spent a certain amount of time together, yet also kept busy with work commitments, business tasks, school work and household chores. Being busy is, of course, good and can even serve as a distraction when the world around you seemingly is falling apart.
At one point I started contacting one person per day to check in on them and ask how they were doing. In the end, though, it turned out that the lockdown hadn’t been long enough for me to make contact with yet more of the people who I have the privilege of knowing and mean a lot to me!
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| The pandemic has given us a glimpse of a future with cleaner air (image source: sky over Lake Lugano, photo by Elisabeth Hippe-Heisler) |
4) Ethical action and activism in our highly interconnected world
As a result of the lockdown, we have seen the effects of climate change slow due to massively decreased carbon emissions from vehicles. The pandemic has given us a glimpse of a future with cleaner air. The outlook on climate change hasn’t been as upbeat as this for a long time! Many of us have set the intention to finally get a grip on reducing our carbon footprints, but also to donate more money to charity, buy from independent shops, and engage in political activism.
My personal experience:
Many small businesses have been suffering severely because of the pandemic. I’ve resolved I’m going to buy more often from smaller, independent businesses in my area such as Melanie’s Kitchen in Downend or the Chapel Arts Café in Bath. During a recent mini-break in Dartmoor, my husband and I bought a large-scale photograph of Haytor from independent photographer Rob Hutchinson, both because we loved the photo and to support his work.
The pandemic has wrought havoc, human tragedy and economic turmoil across the globe, yet there are some reasons for optimism and even to feel cheerful. A recent article on vox.com sets out new habits that many people have vowed to maintain post-lockdown. Can you relate to them, too?
Read about 4 more new post-lockdown habits in my follow-up article “Coronavirus pandemic: 4 more new post-lockdown habits”.
