Every now and then our normal gets redefined. What was normal a decade ago may no longer look or sound normal now. In ancient times, hunting and gathering was normal for livelihood. Can you imagine doing that now? Centuries ago, kings and kingdoms were normal and now democracy and republic have replaced the old normal. A revolution, a new discovery, a groundbreaking invention, and sometimes even a pandemic – these can redefine our normal and we adapt, adjust and get used to.

The latest global pandemic has locked us all in and in this lockdown my normal has changed a lot. And so I’d like to present to you my 7 new normal:

1. Staying home: 

Thanks to the lockdown the biggest new normal has to be staying home, and I know I’m speaking for almost everyone. Getting up, getting ready for work, getting out of the house, getting on the bus/train, getting to work, getting back – all normal before lockdown. The new normal is getting up and staying home.

2. Quality and quantity time:

I am spending quality time with my family and this is also a new normal owing to the lockdown. Quality time was difficult to manage with all the family members working in different places. Now we’re all working from home and quality time is just just round the corner. Of late however, we are spending so much time together, I don’t know whether to call it quality time or quantity time. 

3. Online meetings:

Before the lockdown, online meetings were exclusive for participants residing in another country or continent. As of now, the online meeting is the new normal even if you’re living in the same country, same state, same locality. The online meetings have their own new normal too.

Your mom is asking you if you want some Oreos right in the middle of an important discussion. Your boss’s daughter crawling in front of the monitor and blabbering. You hear your colleague shouting at his son to keep it down. A colleague answering a call and spilling some personal beans. Another colleague interjected to warn him that we can hear him. All the new normal!

4. Waking up to birds chirping:

I started noticing the birds chirping about a week into the lockdown and I must say I was pleasantly surprised. Into the third week, the chirping was still pleasant. But by Jove now, I am no longer surprised or pleased. Instead I miss my alarm clock that I could easily turn off – my new morning normal.

5. Staying fit:

For many of us, going to the gym to stay fit and healthy was normal before the lockdown. And now, staying home to stay fit or rather to stay alive has become the new normal. Some of us may have replaced gym equipment with a skipping rope and some old dumbbells. As for me, household chores are my new workout routine like sweeping and mopping instead of swimming.

Relayed: 5 BEGINNER FRIENDLY YOGA ASANAS TO IMPROVE YOUR MENTAL HEALTH 

6. Grooming:

Going to the barber’s for a quick fix seems a thing of the past. We are all learning to groom ourselves with tips and tricks that may never have worked earlier. A friend says he wasn’t aware that his girlfriend could also have a beard and mustache. Hairy men, hairy women – the new normal indeed!

7. Shopping: 

Earlier shopping meant window shopping. Earlier shopping meant outdoor time by default. Earlier shopping meant clothes, shoes, gadgets… Now the new normal for shopping is – hit the power button. Now, when you say “Let’s go shopping” we don’t hear the wardrobe open, instead we hear laptops powering on. The clicking of the shoes is now the clicking on the keyboard. And the shopping list: hand sanitizer, food, food, food, and some more food!

What was normal in the past may not sound normal today. In this ever-changing ever-evolving world, let’s appreciate what’s normal, and let’s also embrace what’s not normal, after all “normal” is a relative term anyway. This pandemic has taught me just that. 

Enjoy this new normal while it lasts. Stay home, stay safe, stay new-normal!

mindspeaks