Preparing for a post-COVID-19 world
There is life after the pandemic
The outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic has seen unprecedented changes in society, which will stay with humanity forever. As global governments adopt measures to control and contain the spread of the virus, most people have had to make adjustments to their lifestyle, social interactions.
For us, lucky enough to have eluded the virus till date, we have been handed a poisonous baton, in a race to normality. With cities going into strict lockdown, social interactions reduced to the bare minimum, and a paradigm shift in work culture for people lucky to have a job — this is truly a crisis of our lifetime.
It’s hard to find positives in the sea of chaos, with many battling anxieties as they try to cope with the new normal; the air of uncertainty is suffocating optimism in communities globally.
The lockdown has presented an opportunity for humans to take a break from the hassle and bustle of everyday reality: stuck in hours of traffic commuting to work, parents balancing their careers and home life, couples trying to fit intimate private time into busy schedules.
Our weekly escapes and distractions from the stress of everyday life have been restricted; restaurants are closed, pint glasses are locked up in the stockroom of pubs and bars; airports are restricted for essential travel only.
We have been compelled into compulsory introspection. The old ways had normalised our subscriptions to the survival of the fittest approach to surviving in a dog-eat-dog world. As a result, we have lost the essence of our shared humanity, our compassion for each other and our environment. Our individuality is meant to define our relationship with our surroundings, not replace it.
The coronavirus has brought in its wake confusion, disruption and uncertainty. As most try to make sense of the senseless, I have used this opportunity to take a respite from my busy lifestyle, realign my priorities, and devise a strategy to excel in a world post-COVID.
Here are a few things I’ve gotten up to in the three months of the lockdown:
Invested in my workspace
There has been a shift in work culture forever. The lockdown measures imposed lead to the adoption of remote working to ensure business continuity. While remote working has been touted as the future of the digital workplace, the coronavirus pandemic has been a catalyst in driving this change.
I was lucky to be part of a few that had the option of working remotely before the lockdown, almost like a joker for when I need to, not my regular working reality. Before the lockdown, I had a makeshift shrine in the corner of my room, dedicated to my little world of marketing. I’d pick up a chair from my kitchen, and was set to go. Working for a company that innovates business communication tools, has made life easy, as I’m afforded the tech that facilitates telecommuting.
Even though I was equipped with all the business-class tools to enable my remote work lifestyle, I quickly realised I needed to replicate my on-site workspace to maintain my productivity levels.
My best investment so far has been an oak work desk I bought from Harvey Norman. I replaced my dining room chair with an ergonomic chair. There have been reports that the remote lifestyle and sedentary life poses a health risk in the future, as someone with a history of back problems; this is something I’m unwilling to risk.
Curated several playlists
Inspired by the Verzuz challenge, I have spent my extra free time reminiscing and falling back in love with songs I loved as a kid. One of the most welcomed distractions during the lockdown has been the Verzus battle — hosted on Instagram Live — created by award-winning producers, Timbaland and Swizz Beats. The battle sets a stage for two artists, with similar styles, and pit them against each other — leaving their fans to argue over who has the better discography.
As a 90s kid, this has opened up a portal into my childhood, rediscovering some of the songs that defined my formative years, reliving some of those memories. I created my own Versus battles, comparing the body of work of some of my favourite artists. This being my favourite:
Absolute Faves! MC vs Whitney
Reading books
Like every procrastinator, during the lockdown, I was left to face the difficult challenges I set before myself at the dawn of the new year. My new year resolution was to read more books, with nowhere to hide; I was confronted with the mountain of books, accumulating dust in my makeshift library. With no excuses, I decided to dive in — and boy do I have a collection! I’ve always been an avid reader, but growing up in a digitised world, where attention is scarce, it has been an uphill battle to plug-out and concentrate on reading — the old fashion way. Boy did I miss the smell of books. During the lockdown, I invested in some new books that were sitting in my wish-list on Amazon. I finished three books, but this was my favourite:
Connected with friends and family
With little to no physical interaction, we have been forced to improvise with virtual communication tools. Companies like Zoom is seeing a massive increase in users, I’ve found myself utilising these tools at my disposal and connecting more. Most friends who weren’t tech-savvy have gotten on the programme, church services have gone online with more attendance, I had a Zoom family meeting with my 100+ grandma, this weekend, with her connecting from her Ile-Ife home!
Lockdown not out
As Ireland begins to relax some of the lockdown measures, we are being ushered into a world that has changed forever.
To adapt in the post-COVID-19 world, it’s essential to apply the same patience many have developed during the lockdown; by harnessing the skills gained throughout lockdown, and using them as the paddle, to traverse the murky waters of a world changed forever.
For me, it has been a time to reset and reflect; rediscover my purpose, strategise for the future. It’s hard to pause for self-introspection in a busy world; but when you are stuck within your own walls 24/7, you are forced to look inwards — which I did often.
While many feel like the lockdown was an authoritarian house arrest (erm, Gemma O’Doherty); within the prison of my home, I have liberated myself.
Like many, I have realigned my priorities; I now value the basic needs I have: food, shelter, good health. I am surrounded by a family that loves me, in a fulfilling job, infatuated with a girl that reciprocates the love I give to her. The future might look bleak, but I have great hope in the tenacity we’ve shown in dealing with the crisis of our lifetime.
Many have adapted to radical changes: parents now have a better understanding of the curriculum taught to their kids; relationships are stronger, family units are tighter.
Countries helping other countries out while realising that no nation is an island — no nation is too huge to falter in the face of a health crisis. Cuban doctors are going to help out in Italy, migrant NHS staff making a mockery of the proposed immigration quotas, we are suddenly cherishing and acknowledging our humanity.
As we all begin to resume some normality in our various lives, we must rid ourselves of the sentiments and practises of the old normal; unpack our shortcomings as a society, and strife to ingrain some of the lessons learned into our new normal: compassion must be woven into our post-COVID-19 social fabric.
Through uncertainties and anxiety, as we usher in a new era, our hopes and faith should anchor on the fact that we have made this far — and we are one of the lucky ones.
