Until we return to the norm, or at least navigate towards a 'new normal', we need to adapt our lifestyles for the long-term. But the burning question of what exactly this 'new normal' means is on everyone's lips.

Giving a sobering view on how some countries are entering this new world is CNN.com's article, titled Our new normal, in pictures. 

Could our new normal be body sanitisation pods, face mask fashion outlets, clothing bubbles that enforce a two-meter distance between people and a ban on all work meetings unless they are virtual?

It could all very well happen, but let's take a realistic look at what will need to happen when we are 'set free':

According to a recent Kantar webinar, Navigating Growth in a COVID-19 World, there are a few key shifts that we will experience. These include:
  • Contactless love and affection: We will see virtual dinner parties for adults, virtual playdates and birthday parties for kids and grandparents needing to keep a safe distance from their grandchildren.
  • Super-hygiene society: Masks may very well be compulsory over the next 18 months; our hands will never be the same again after all the hand sanitisers and constant washing with soap and water. Additionally, we will not be able to shake hands in business meetings or hug our friends hello.
  • Insular lives: Shopping online and shopping local will become the norm. There will be a rise in the use of in-home media channels (TV and digital) and a renewed focus on the home as a safe sanctuary.
  • Technology superhighway: Technology will act as an enabler in society to get things done, including working, shopping, socialising, exercising and meditating.
  • Renewed respect for essentials: The demand for luxury goods will decline, with a major slowing down of the travel and hospitality industries, and
  • Shared humanity: There will be a renewed focus on giving back to the community and random acts of kindness, together with an increase in support for authentic brands that are helping to uplift society.
The reality is that there will be many restrictions imposed on us that we will need to adapt to quite quickly. Public transport will need to be heavily monitored to avoid over-crowding.

Our retail spaces will need to be reimagined with employee and shopper safety at the forefront. Work environments will look to create more personal space as opposed to having large areas where groups of people can get together for meetings and have breaks.

Additionally, there will be a rise in shift-based work schedules and flexible working arrangements. Schools and universities will continue to integrate distance learning platforms in certain instances, which may even resolve funding issues to cut costs and give more people access to education.

Sport and music events will need to limit audience numbers, with an increase in virtual broadcasts and online performances, as well as a rise in e-sports. Restaurants will have staggered seating with a drop in patron capacity and an increase in online ordering and home deliveries.

And families may just end up spending much more quality time together at home … Our new normal may not be too bad in the end, but what this crisis has done is put a spotlight on the shortfalls of our society and in our country.

It is now time to actively change the way we have been living for a better future. We truly are '#StrongerTogether'.

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