Changes that might or might not stick..... - YouLookFab Forum

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Changes that might or might not stick.....

Sal

Veteran

I have been wondering what changes we are making now that might or might not stick once the pandemic passes........ both personally and our society.

I have in the past tried to make changes and some have stuck (for example yoga, exercise in general and weekly work planning - and wardrobe planning) and others that I really struggle with (good night time routine being one)

I feel the following aspects have changed forever for me - I do hope they stick:
- washing hands when I arrive home. I honestly never really thought about this before when using supermarket trolleys or sitting on park benches or touching traffic light buttons. I washed my hands before meals and after the bathroom but not when I arrived home.

- not taking a fully stocked supermarket for granted that is available at almost any hour of the day or week. Shows my privilege I know.

- appreciation of my community. We have a wonderful community in our neighbourhood that I have always appreciated but in this crisis - they are even more magnificent. It is cruel that we cannot do more than talk across the road or across the fence to direct neighbours but we message each other and help out each other.

- not taking for granted the pleasure of seeing my sons go to school, university and play sports. They are missing sports (mostly participating but also watching team sports on TV) immensely. They are missing their friends.

For our society I wonder if the following might change:

- more self reliant for essential supplies
- more people working from home
- increased nervousness about international travel

What I do not want is an increase in nationalist talk and behaviour - hoarding for our own purposes, blaming other countries, and less cooperation over international matters.

How about you? How have you changed and what do you think will stick?

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48 replies

Latest reply was from Sal

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

YES, to all of this, Sal. I'm thinking the same things.

Also:

Retail will change forever. Online shopping is the way forward.
Increase in wardrobe rentals
Far fewer large offices as people work from home
Less waste all round
Masks become essential and are an important part of fashion
No more need for lipstick!
Nail salons and spas are history in the long run
We learn to cut our own hair!!! (Good grief I hope not )
Malls become warehouses
Trends are even more trivial
Goodbye fashion weeks
Polarized dress codes

Anonymous

Being able to work from home has been huge for me. I didn't realize quite how much I was away from home before- and how little of my own time, time with DH, and time for friends and family I had. I don't dislike my job, but I do want to start moving towards a WFH situation. Without that piece the other changes- ability to cook each day, keeping on top of chores, and exercizing here (hiking in woods and biking) won't stick.
Another thing is not taking life for granted- mine, DH, family, friends, etc. It's much more fragile than I thought, and any of us or our loved ones could be gone tomorrow.
Nor my community. I really value living in a rural area, and feel much safer here than I would in the city. There's natural space, "kodak moments", farms, waterways, minimal crime, and friendly people.

CarolS

Veteran

Although we often do walk in good weather, DH and I have really come to count on and enjoy our daily wellbeing walk. Today we were wondering how many people who have taken up walking (or outdoor running) because it is the only out-of-home activity available will continue with it once the virus is at bay?

Because fitting is tough for me, I'm very sad at the thought of moving to online shopping, but I tend to agree that the retail landscape is in for a sweeping change.

And I think what suntiger said is HUGE. People's expectations of work and home life are going to change and we're not going to settle for the way it was before.

It's fascinating and terrifying to see how quickly this invisible little bug is transforming the wold. Mind boggline.

Anonymous

I’ve been giving this a lot of thought: I imagine most of us have . But first off : nail salons must stay !! In all seriousness. I don’t see personal care basics like the hair salon disappearing any time soon . Spas maybe , but I’d be surprised to see others disappear right away . Online shopping will be the way it goes , I agree , and maybe that’s not a bad thing. There are pros and cons obviously , but shopping and browsing as recreation is a tough thing to argue for . Restaurants may be less plentiful , and the small indie retail landscape will be hit hard . I agree with others who mention not taking for granted the easy availability of groceries , and the importance of being with people who share your values . I already find itself much quicker to smile at someone I don’t know - maybe in solidarity right now , but to me a smile from another human being is pretty special right now . Personally , I know my days of higher - end shopping are done . It so quickly showed itself for how ridiculous ( for me ) it was . Money and income are a precious commodity never to be taken for granted .

cindysmith

Veteran

Because of the risks for me if I catch the coronacooties, I now see the world outside my door as a very frightening place. I may never see it any differently after this.
And dear heaven, I may never use anything but o'Keefe's on my face and hands after this. I didn't realize how dry my facial skin was until I just used the o'Keefe's on my face to save time in a rush a few days ago, and I hope I never run out of this stuff because whoa!

taylor

Veteran

I agree with Lisa P here. The beauty business isn’t going anywhere. It has and will change and adapt a bit to accommodate the current times , but I believe most businesses will have to.

rachylou

Veteran

Well, it’s pretty interesting. And pretty hard to change. I don’t mean emotionally. I mean the physical landscape. One of the things this shows is how few of us have essential or productive work. Most of us have value-add work. You can’t produce the necessities of life in a condo or even a single-family home. In a suburb, you can’t walk to the grocery. In a city, it’s a lot of work getting those groceries in. Everything has to be transferred to little trucks...

I don’t know what people CAN change.

... but maybe people will start sewing more again...

Jaime

(website)

Veteran

I actually am expecting it to be impossible to make hair or other such appointments as soon as they are allowed to re-open because there will be a mad rush. But I do imagine masks being worn at least for some time. More WFH for sure, and more on-line ordering. People may start prioritizing their home comfort over its location vis a vis workplaces. More home gyms. Perhaps a different attitude toward centralized government and health care. But truthfully, nobody knows.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

I don't feel qualified to predict the larger social changes that may or may not result from this. That will depend on how long it all lasts.

On the surface, the structure of my life has not radically changed. I already worked mostly from home, balancing my creative practice and my paid contract work (and I stlll do). I already loved and felt grateful for my daily walks (I still do). I already socialized with far-flung friends and family via online platforms. (I still do -- only more so).

What will change permanently for me?

Like you, Sal, I'll be more careful about washing my hands whenever I enter my house from outdoors.

I'll be more grateful than ever for my in-person encounters with friends and family and for my travel opportunities, if and when those ever resume. Yes, I'm an introvert, but nothing compares to a walk or in-person gab with a beloved friend. And there's nothing like a trip to expand the spirit and the mind.

I'll probably be a gardener at long last.

I'll be more grateful than ever for my privacy, when I can get it. Working from home with 3 people (one an entirely new person to me) ALWAYS in the same space is getting really stressful for me, even though I am fortunate to have a relatively expansive space.

Runcarla

Veteran

I don’t see a decline in personal services happening. The first things I’ll do once things open up is book hair, aesthetics, and massage! I’ll also get back to the gym - which I miss A LOT! I think I will be slower to rejoin some of the other activities I got involved in after retirement, since it was starting to feel like attendance was more of an obligation, than enjoyment - and I am enjoying having stretches of time to accomplish bigger projects.

I predict a boom in home remodelling, and possibly a move away from mini-houses, as folks will assess their current homes suitability for WFH (dedicated office rooms) and space needs. Money (if there is any) earmarked for travel and other luxuries will be spent on homes and gardens to make quarantine and staycations tolerable/enjoyable.

AND, if a vaccine for the virus becomes available, I’ll be in the line-up.

Brooklyn

Veteran

I am now doing online gym sessions at home in a small group with a guy who used to train me when I worked in the city a few years ago, and who is now out of work. Trying to support him. I’ve heard other gyms are doing at home training sessions to keep afloat. I think that’s something I might continue and that could become a trend. Especially good for people who WFH or who live in remote areas.
I’m enjoying online catch ups through zoom and FaceTime and suspect I will do this more (in addition to seeing people in person!) when this is over.
I seem to have befriended just about every regular attendee at my dog park because the pandemic seems to have made everyone more outgoing! I feel like I have a much stronger bond with members of my community than before.
On the big picture front, I think WFH will become much more common. I also think the cruise industry is going to have a LOT of trouble recovering from this.
And also, here we are seeing a lot more constructive political dialogue between opposing parties and interests. The level of co-operation and goodwill we are seeing here between government and opposition, the federal government and state governments (with some representing opposing parties), our conservative government and union groups, employers and unions, and banks and customers is amazing! I hope that continues.

Bijou

Veteran

Pros
Greater appreciation for the emergency services, they are the heroes in our society
Greater awareness that we are a global community, we are in this together
Greater acceptance that working from home is highly effective
Less unnecessary travel, using technology rather than jumping on planes to meet face to face and less cars on the road

For me, covid has made me slow down and appreciate what I do have rather than focus on what I have lost. I hope this will make me appreciate how great my everyday life is going forward.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

My apologies. I should have added that what I wildly guessed might happen - and it’s all a very wild guess! - is long term. Say 10 to 20 years from now.

We will move into another era eventually. For the immediate future - the beauty industry will remain the same. Some doors will close forever unfortunately. Over time, somehow beauty services will be different. I don’t know how, though.

Thanks for the interesting discussion. I’ll be back later

Runcarla

Veteran

I don’t want to be moribund, but I wonder what the world will be like after the loss of so many of our elders? Yes, this virus does not discriminate as to who gets it, but it is fatal for older folks.

texstyle

(website)

Veteran

I wonder how much will change - I mean people were still flying for "fun" and going on cruises in early March when we already knew this thing was going to be bad. I don't know. Humans are tough to force into change long term. I think online shopping was already a very big thing so that will certainly continue. Working at home has been "normal" for many people in the tech industry for years and I agree that will increase for non-tech jobs. I wonder if there will be surge in pregnancies in the shorter term?

I think if people are able to get tested for antibodies and figure they are "immune" they will mostly go back to their previous behavior pretty quickly, but maybe be slightly more inclined to prep for disasters.

Gail

Veteran

What I hope to continue:
New habit of pilates twice a week
5 mile walks 4 times a week.
Using technology for far away friends
Making better use of the food I already have in my home.
Washing my hands and cleaning my car more regularly.
Being more flexible in all aspects of my life.

Being thankful that for now my family has jobs and are safe, my heart aches for those that have lost loved ones.

Anonymous

Suz's comment about recapturing privacy really struck me. I SO look forward to that too, but NOT at the expense of the others in my home. Tough thing to wish for. Just last night I was trying to finish the last 10 pages of a book that had a lot of emotional depth , and my husband was sitting right beside me on the bed interrupting me with updates from his phone . It took everything in me to try to stay inside the book and the words and not wish him gone

One thing I know for sure (eyeroll = Oprah) is that gyms/fitness studios will become valued for their sense of community as much as for their equipment, if you know what I mean. The good ones with lots to offer with thrive.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Taylor, I think you're dead right about beauty services ADAPTING. Like most businesses.

Lisa P and Carla, the longevity of the gym setting is an interesting question. Yes to the incredible value of the equipment that is only available at a gym. Yet gyms are large germ-breeding places. More home gyms, maybe? It's very hard. There are no easy answers.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Suz, hang in there. WFH with an entirely new person around is very distracting - I know you will make it work.

Things that really resonated with me, and I’m high fiving those who wrote them:

Online shopping was already a big thing - it will get much bigger!

Frequent, very frequent hand washing

Not taking a fully stocked supermarket for granted

Many more people working from home

People's expectations of work and home life are going to change and we're not going to settle for the way it was before

Quicker to smile at someone I don’t know

Most businesses will have to adapt the way they operate - mine included

Masks worn for some time. I think they will become fashion.

More home gyms

Boom in home remodelling. Less travel. More remodeling.

More constructive political dialogue between opposing parties

Greater awareness that we are a global community

kkards

Veteran

Hmmm...
‘`home gyms and online training ~ will continue to grow<br>`hybrid on line shopping will continue to grow, order online and pick up or deliver same day. Pure play e-commerce grow, but not as fast . People want the convenience of on line shopping, but they want it now.

`face mask in West will become as prevalent as they are in the East.<br>` schools in the US will rethink there current schedule and year round scooping will become a thing

for me personally
I’m going to figure out how to keep up with my daily walk.

And I’m going to appreciate the people I interact with every day

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Brooklyn, I've been doing a home workout with my kettlebells guy via Zoom -- the whole group of us meets. It's working great and I can see continuing with this. My only problem is I don't have equipment and there's none available! I'm improvising with a portable file box for a kettlebell. But it broke this morning.

Lisa P, Angie -- thanks for commiserating. I was grieving the other day for the loss of a wonderful summer residency opportunity and it made my lack of privacy now feel all the more acute. This is so, so minor in the scheme of things, but I lost two important retreats this spring/ summer. I am able to do my teaching, contract work, and mentoring work fairly easily from home, online, but even in the best of circumstances, I get almost all my creative work done (or at least started) on retreat. I don't have a lot of people in my home, but several of them can be quite emotionally needy and (for obvious reasons!) that is especially true now. In other words, I get exactly what you are saying LisaP. You are trying to sink in...and someone in the family is forever pulling you out. It's excruciating.

Anyway...all that is to say that having a dedicated office space outside the home, or at least a café to retire to, or a library, can be an enormous boon. The conditions we're dealing with now are far from ideal even for those of us who are used to working from home. Last year, for example, when my stepson and his family visited, I was able to leave the house for work at a nearby café. Not now!

Working from home is / can be wonderful and don't get me wrong -- I am hugely grateful I can do it and that I still have a bit of work trickling in, in these times! But there are real difficulties for people who have small children at home, or people who live with others who have high needs for physical or emotional care. I feel for all my friends who are dealing with small children (and especially children with special needs) AND trying to work full time from home, often on the fly, without the right equipment and no home office space. The demands people are putting on themselves are insane.

Laurie

Veteran

I am grateful that I grew up in a household with this mantra upon hitting the door, "Wipe your feet! Wash your hands!" I wasn't so grateful as a kid, but the habit is deeply ingrained.

I also really appreciate my husband's "stocking" of things....and have apologized for being impatient in the past with his "stocking" (maybe I called it hoarding once or twice?) of essentials. Because he is a trained (non practicing) respiratory therapist and first aid instructor, we have more than the average amount of emergency supplies, including gloves and masks, that are also used for home projects and cleaning on a more regular basis. Because he and my boys are Scouts we have other preparedness items that they've always just had at the ready because, well, Scouts. I will try to be more patient in general.

I hope to continue to cook at home over 90% of the time. That has been a real improvement in our lives.

I may cancel my yoga studio membership in the future. I prefer live classes, but at home. Same dollars but different format, less contact with others.

Definitely going to think about what to do about hair, mine and my guys'. I can change my style to have more longevity between cuts. I want to learn how to cut/style men's hair. My son, who was too impatient to wait for me to help the other day, tried a DIY buzz/fade update to his military haircut. It did NOT turn out well (Dumb and Dumber was the first thing that leapt to mind). I was able to clean it up some. We have the tools, so we just need to learn.

I appreciate the time and opportunity to truly deep clean my home. I miss my bi-monthly help, but no one really cleans like I do when I put my mind to it (trained by the woman whose mantra was "wipe your feet! wash your hands!") I'm focused on the scrubbing right now, and will then get into the discarding. I'm a little freaked out that I will accumulate bags and bags of stuff that I won't be able to get out of the house for months to come, so that's holding me back a little.

Remote work will be more effective because many more people are embracing it. Less flying around for 1 or 2 meetings. More use of the camera on conference calls, internally and with customers. Going to try to never go to an industry trade show again - 30,000 people in one place?

Socializing may mainly be small groups and in the home. I miss hugs, and friends, and freedom.

Decisions about where to live might change. I worry about not being able to quickly get to my closest family members in an emergency.

Gaylene

Veteran

I have a very poor track record when it comes to predicting the future. In fact if I say “that will never happen—people just won’t stand for it...”, you can safely assume “that” WILL become the new, ho-hum normal for the future.

What I WISH would happen:

We would all start showing an interest in those who, as Rachylou noted, actually DO the essential and productive work which makes our comfortable lives possible. Hopefully this pandemic has opened our eyes how much we depend on that army of invisible cleaners, agricultural workers, drivers, clerks, and labourers who perform the below-the-radar, minimum-wage jobs with little or no protection or regulation. My tossing the occasional quick smile and thank-you in their direction is NOT enough. I can do more.

This pandemic has shown there is no “safe” place in a global world so maybe it’s time to think of OUR community as a global entity instead of a defined geographical location on a map.We need to connect, and, yes, travel responsibly, to expand our understanding and find ways to share and learn from each other. In a global world, this virus has reminded us that we can’t protect ourselves by retreating behind imaginary lines. We need to watch over EVERYONE because helping each other ultimately helps all of us. I need to be concerned about the lives of those who are on the other side of the globe.

Concurrently, I need to remind myself that my wearing a homemade mask is not about my health—the mask is there to protect others FROM me. So, unless I’m prepared to wear an N95 respirator and protective gear on a daily basis, I’m always going to be vulnerable to what’s in my environment. Wearing a mask can be important because it reminds me of my civic responsibility to look after others—when I keep others safe, I increase my own safety. That means, when a vaccine is discovered, I make sure I understand why others might have priority over me instead of trying to push to the front of the line.

Which leads me to my final wish—that self interest isn’t the only way to ahead in this world. Maybe it’s time for me to lessen the focus on makes me feel happy, safe and secure, especially when this kind of self-interest blinds me to how my choices affect the lives of others. Consumerism, consumption marketing, political philosophies, and social theories aren’t intrinsically good or evil in themselves, but letting these forces unthinkingly drive my actions and reactions can make other lives harder. Maybe it’s time to move out of my comfort zone and become more discerning about what is important and what I can do without. If I can re-learn the lessons of self-reliance and restraint that my parents and grandparents took for granted, I might be a better steward of the planet. A month ago, the thought of living a “little” life would have seemed intolerable, but the reality, while at times mildly uncomfortable, is actually quite do-able even if it extends into months.

Oh, and hand washing will never be the same. I now even put on hand lotion using the same now-ingrained procedure!

Anonymous

I'm an inveterate traveller, always ready to pack my bag at the drop of the hat and wing off to wherever. But now, I don't know when I'll be ready to get on a plane again. There's just too much of an "ick" factor for me to contemplate travel by air. That will probably be the biggest change for me.

I also have a greatly-heightened awareness and appreciation for service workers and health care providers, the true heroes of this crisis. I hope they are all generously compensated for the risks they're taking in getting us through this. Much respect to all of them.

Sal

Veteran

Thank you - I have loved reading all the responses and different views (but with a lot of commonality) among them.

Many of the most highly paid jobs in the world are non-essential at this time. Professional sports players, movie stars and top real estate agents to name a couple. Yet our nurses, cleaners and water treatment plant workers soldier on. I am looking forward to heading back to the movies again and my sons will be so delighted when the NBA and All Blacks play again........ and I know selling real estate is a valuable skill.......but the money spread is not right...

My concern is that we become more insular and less trusting of others...protecting ourselves and our own family/community/country at the expense of others. There are examples of this everywhere but there seem to be more examples of kindness, generosity of spirit and co-operation (heartening to hear that the State and Federal Governments are working effectively in Australia).

Overseas travel is going to be harder I suspect - more expensive, more cumbersome and possibly off the table for a year or so. Travel is very much part of NZ culture and this will be a big change. But many parts of the world have been impacted by travel in a less than positive way - and reducing some of the unnecessary conventions and trade shows and one on one meetings has some environmental and cost advantages although it is devastating for businesses involved.

I am missing my in person yoga classes, pool swimming and gym sessions and intend to return to them. I plan to go back to the hairdresser as soon as I can..............

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Sal, as always, you are soooo sensible, intelligent, self aware, calm, kind, organized yet chill, practical and genuine. I love the way you think. I hope things are going okay with your business.

The most important jobs in the world are torturously poorly paid. It's sickening, isn't it.....

What I miss most is group yoga, getting my regular haircut, and working with clients in stores.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Suz, you are soooo right about how working from home can be a mare. Especially with small children and cramped living quarters. We live in 1600 sq feet which is ample. But it's a loft with no rooms or doors. Greg is in Zoom meetings most of the day. If I need to take a call - I have to retreat to our pantry and whisper...

Also, soon you will be able to work in a cafe or non-home setting. Maybe you can organize your own safe and strong Summer creative work retreat?

Jaime

(website)

Veteran

Sal this thread has really been an enjoyable read, thank you. I do think this situation will have us all reconsidering our values and decisions in ways we can't yet predict.
All essential workers are heroes right now. I actually realize the importance of creative artists during this time. Without books, Netflix, and so on, our days would be so much longer and harder.

rachylou

Veteran

I wonder if Peleton and Mirror sales are skyrocketing, or if people will want to go back to the gym... people make friends at the gym...

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