“The world is on a bumpy journey to a new destination and the new normal” Mohammed El Erian
I was having a conversation with a friend the other day. We were lamenting about our current plight (lockdown due to COVID,) and reminiscing about the way life used to be prior. When we had the “freedom to move around as we wished.
Then it occurred to me that I am not sure for many life was better, before COVID. For instance, my friend (I will call him John-not his real name), is a self-employed lawyer. His daily life entailed waking up at the crack of dawn. Hurriedly leaving the house in an effort to beat traffic on his way to work each day. Getting caught up in traffic anyway, and ending up sitting in that traffic, for at least1 to 2 hours. Many commuters had the same idea as John.
When he would eventually get to work, invariably his clients would show up late, even as much as an hour. The excuse? “Salaaala!, the traffic is so bad today!” This adjustment in time for the first meeting would have a snowball effect on all subsequent meetings, creating havoc on his schedule.
Once the meetings began, John would be going from one meeting to the next. The rushed schedule meant that he barely had enough time to grab a decent meal (if you can call a meal on the go, decent). Frequently, after meetings, John would have to put in time in administrative time in his office. Often unable or unwilling to leave the office before 8 pm.
John would leave town at the end of the day, hungry, and exhausted, only to find himself stuck in traffic again. This evening/night traffic was as a result of people like him, opting or forced to stay late in the office. They all had the same idea, leave later and avoid the rush hour traffic. After sitting in traffic for at least another hour or more, John would get home, beaten and beat down. His only recourse was to grab a bite and stumble into a bed, “looking forward” to the same again the next day.
Exciting right? This is what COVID has taken from many of us. How can we miss this hectic life that many of us saw as a normal life? Normal because it is how we have been conditioned. Not a healthy life and not sustainable in the long term. It is not surprising that stress and lifestyle diseases are on an upsurge in the world.
With COVID forcing many of us to stay home as our new “normal”, I asked John how his work situation has been affected? His answer? As his movements are now restricted, and he is unable to go into work each day, John has had to adjust his life accordingly. All his face to face meetings have been replaced by online meetings (Zoom or Skype etc. ). He has also discovered that a lot of the “busy work” he was doing daily seems to have reduced.
His routine had changed significantly due to COVID. With the new lockdown, John wakes up daily and plans his meetings. He does have the allowance to go to work a few days a week but often opts not to. Embracing working online, including phone or internet meetings, he has discovered it is not necessary for him to leave his home as often as he used to.
John does not wake up as early as before. When he does wake up early, he can use that time for his own leisure and in the comfort of his home. Not rushing and stuck in traffic. He now can take time to eat a proper breakfast before his workday begins. In lockdown, John can eat proper stress-free breakfast before his workday begins at 9 am. John’s meals now are freshly cooked and healthier. A better option than the store-bought fast food that sustained him for years, due to little time and less choice, whilst in the “rat race”. John’s answer was encouraging giving hope for a better future
Meetings now seem to take less time. Clients seem to wast less time online with John and not face to face. There are also less distractions. With all the pro’s of lock down for John’s lifestyle, the most useful one is the time he saves with no cummute. He is able save as much as 2 to 4 hours each day which he can use to be more productive with work.
By 5/6 pm John can complete his workday. He is not too tired at the end of the day, and even has time and energy to exercise. Somthing he only did on the weekends, pre-COVID. John finds that he is not spend as much money and his stress levels have reduced. All in all, he was achieving a better work-life balance, a more sustainable way to live.
Currently, John goes into the office when he absolutely must. Due to the lockdown, there is less traffic, and he can make it to the office or back home in 20 minutes. The online component of his work means that he does not go into the office often. Only when he must and for the shortest time possible. There is still his health to consider and increased exposure creates a higher possibility of infection.
Looking at life from the perspective of John’s new “normal” is it not better that we are restricted? Though not wished for, the “lockdown situation” has forced many of us to re-evaluate our lives. What the pros and cons of the old life versus this new one? Will it be possible to see a future after COVID and lockdown? A future where we make different decisions about how we value ourselves and our time?
Time is a finite commodity and yet we spend at least half in pursuit of a “better” life. What is the point of that “better” life. This pursuit often leads to detririorating well being and increased stress. Increasing our chance of lifestyle diseases. We are at breaking point and until COVID could not see an alternative way. We were unable to see the forest for the trees?
What if we decided to value our time more? Pursue professional careers, yet, do it in a way that is not detrimental to our overall health and wellbeing. What if we reduce the time we spend commuting or even in physical offices? We only go to work when we absolutely must? What if we gave as much attention to our sleep, relaxation, eating as we do our pursuit for more wealth? What if we strived for a better work-life balance?
COVID has forced us all to stop and evaluate ourselves and the way we have been living. COVID lockdown has forced us to have an improved lifestyle. More time at home, less commute time, more controlled spending to name a few. Eating wholesome fresh home cooking. More time to relax. More time with our loved ones. Surely this is better for us in the long run?
I am not saying we should stay locked down indefinitely. I am suggesting that we review critically all the positives in our current situations. Compare them objectively to the lives we lived before. Learn from this forced situation and pick a new “normal”. A new “normal” that will enhance our lifestyles in the future. After this, we don ‘t want to just live to work. We can work and we can live. We can manage both in balance, allowing us a healthier more balanced lifestyle.