Predicting the Long-Term Post-Pandemic Lifestyle

Signs continue to point that we are slowly and cautiously moving into a post-pandemic world but which adjustments to daily life will stick around long term?

I think we’ve all come to realize that that for many, life will be broken up into what it was like before the pandemic and what it’s like after. In general, the “normal” way of life evolves over time, but major events have a way of quickly changing people’s day to day landscape. We saw it happen with 9/11 and now I suspect we’ll see it again.

Below are a few things that were either put in place or gained popularity due to the pandemic that I suspect may stick around in some way, shape, or form. This isn’t a scientific list, just a few observations that I’ve made over time and I definitely could be wrong. What major things do you think I’ve missed or where do you feel that I might be completely wrong?

Workplace

Working from home will be more common. The pandemic showed many businesses that having employees work from home is a viable option. In some cases, it may lead to decreased overhead costs in the form of less office space needed, smaller utility bills, etc.
Home Offices will be the new she sheds and man caves. We all like to deck out our work areas but home offices allow for people to show off even more of their personality
Microsoft Teams, Zoom, Google Meet are the new conference rooms. Virtual meetings will be the default way to gather employees.

Healthcare

Virtual doctors’ appointments, AKA telehealth will continue for minor health issues. I had a doctor’s appointment over the phone in April of 2020 and while weird at first, it ended up being a positive and convenient experience.
The end of the waiting room. When having to see my doctor in person, I was especially pleased with getting to my appointment at the scheduled time and seeing the doctor within minutes.

Education

Remote learning will continue to be an option for more pre-college level students. Online learning at universities is nothing new but until this year, it was rarely seen at the elementary and secondary school level. I would suspect that at the very least, high school students will continue to have some sort of online instruction available to them.
Smaller class sizes. The student to teacher ratio at schools has always been a hot button topic. I would think that this pandemic will lead to schools making a real effort to make sure classrooms aren’t overflowing. Less students per teacher will also allow for greater social distancing.

Lifestyle

Drive in and outdoor movies will continue to gain or regain popularity. I love going to the movies and these additional options have been refreshing and, in some cases, less expensive than a traditional outing to the theater.
Blockbuster movies being released on streaming services quicker. HBO Max in particular has really embraced releasing big movies that would usually not be available to them for months. I don’t see studios ditching the theater chains altogether, but I do think we’ll continue to see recent releases from the comfort of our own homes way quicker than before.
Online grocery shopping and drive-up pickup. I think we can all agree it's the best!
Continued emphasis on supporting local businesses. They're a part of or community and have had to fight tooth and nail to survive. I don't think people will forget that anytime soon.