- This pandemic has also forced us all to slow down, allowing us space from the hustle and bustle to breath, pause and reflect.
- Maybe after, we’ll remember the importance of slowing down from time to time.
I lead a weird life. I am a freelance creative writer and copywriter. What’s weird about that is it’s a heck of a way to make a living as most Kenyans don’t think that an adult making up stories is actual work.
As a freelancer, though, there have been intermissions of full-time employment, I work remotely so I have this nice little office setup at home, and a strictly-no-noise-in-the-house policy in place. I find it difficult to work in an office.
There are too many people in offices, too much noise, too many distractions, and for a job that requires one to look inwards to produce, I don’t see the sense of going out, to a noisy, peopled, distraction-filled environment in order to get into my head. So, I prefer to work from home, alone and in silence.
In addition, I work better in total isolation; I am a bit of a germophobe. I don’t do hugs, kisses, and handshakes with people I don’t know and even with people I do know, I do so reluctantly – except for close family and friends. I also do not go anywhere without a hand sanitiser, or medicated wet wipes (this was before there was coronavirus), and I can’t resist a tap with running water and soap close by.
That’s me, weird, but this weirdness could become the new normal after Covid-19. This is not necessarily bad.
For one thing there will be a much more heightened awareness of good hygiene in society, even after the novel coronavirus passes. This will in turn limit the spread of the other ailments that have been with us. Regular and careful handwashing helps prevent the spread of colds, flu, cholera and food poisoning.
A cough will henceforth no longer be just a cough. If it persists we’ll now most likely have it checked rather than wait for it to get worse. And it will no longer be okay to cough and sneeze willy-nilly. You cover your mouth and nose, use tissue, dispose tissue, wash hands thoroughly. Once again this curtails the transmission of many a disease, including tuberculosis.
Raised standards in hygiene, as well as a consciousness of others’ health – even if you have a cold, stay away – will be a good thing.
As for the workplace, what with the social distancing and lockdowns forcing people to work remotely, things there could change as well. Technology might rise to this occasion making it even easier for people to work out-of-office and then employers would notice a couple of things.
Things like if you let employees who can, and prefer to work from home, work from home, and there’s no drop in output, you’ll save on office space and the electricity and internet bills will plummet. Once that’s noticed by business, working remotely may very well become the new reality.
This pandemic has also forced us all to slow down, allowing us space from the hustle and bustle to breath, pause and reflect. Maybe after, we’ll remember the importance of slowing down from time to time.
Something else that could change is appreciation for human connection. After being cooped up and distanced socially, reconnecting and connecting with others will mean a lot – perhaps a lot more than it did before Covid-19.