New habits that are likely permanent

[W2R]

I can't think of any new habits due to the pandemic that I expect to be permanent. I might be surprised, though! Who knows.

 

[Teacher Terry]

I hope nothing is permanent. We are disappointed about not going to Europe for a month in August. Usually our town has festivals every weekend but not this year and we miss them. We are going to restaurants and bars with outside dining. We are seeing our friends but not having parties.

 

[Moemg]

I will continue online grocery shopping . It is so time saving and I save money doing it this way . We also will continue our walks at the nearby park .We both enjoy them so much.

 

[Souschef]

Due to the apparent TP shortage, we discovered a device called Hello Tushy which fits below your toilet seat as a bidet. The website is absolutely hysterical, and I ordered one for DW. The installation is very simple.

http://hellotushy.com

 

[NW-Reader]

Our local news has a question of the day, and yesterday it was “7 out of 10 people say the pandemic has permanently changed the way they do this.” The answer was grocery shopping. I too am loving curbside pickups.

 

[Katsmeow]

I do thing some things will change in an overall fashion for many people. Others are personal.

1. Grocery and restaurant curbside pickup -- Yes this existed to some extent before. I never used it though. I did do some grocery delivery. But I find I really like grocery curbside pickup. I think many people will have gotten used to it during this and will continue to do it.

2. Not going to restaurants -- I think this as a personal choice will permanently cut down on how often I go out to eat. I've found that I like restaurant pickup just fine and will continue it more often than dining it. Some people will be eager to go back to restaurants but many will choose the pick up option.

3. More handwashing and better handwashing. I now realize that while I did wash my hands I wasn't doing it for long enough. I think that habit will stick.

4. Online meetings - I haven't done a lot of them but most people I know who have like them. I predict that many places that have learned how to do online meetings now will keep them. Sure some people will want to meet in person but I think the online meetings will stick. Weight Watchers was piloting online meetings before this. When things went back they switched to the online version of meetings. I am sure that they will continue in person meetings as they can but I think they will accelerate the use of online meetings and people who might never have tried them will be used to them and continue them.

5. Remote work - Some people already worked remotely. Now that people have done it and employers have learned how to manage it I believe more employees will have the option to work remotely some or all of the time.

6. Hand shaking -- I will never do it again.

7. Mask usage - Yes, that usage will go down. But now that people know how to do it I could see it being situationally used in the future particular for people at higher risk such as during flu season. It won't be seen as all that odd. Most won't do it but situationally it will be acceptable.

8. I imagine gyms will come back eventually. I am not sure for myself. I always did my cardio at home. I used to do strength at home but changed to the gym for the greater equipment. Now, I don't want to go to the gym. I haven't bought strength equipment (I sold my adjustable weights last year). If I do, then maybe I personally don't go back to the gym. Just not sure on this one.

 

[51notout]

You know, I hadn't thought about that in years (we left the UK in 2007). No hand extended, just "Bye." And definitely no hugs!

And I’m really pleased that I can resurrect that habit, no handshakes and definitely no hugs, going forward [emoji3]

ETA: got too excited about the no hugs/hand shakes.

Meant to add that I’m riding my road bike about 25/35 miles everyday whilst listening to Audible. I intend to continue both of those things. Since my retirement coincided more or less to the week COVID blew up not sure which to attribute these habits to [emoji57]

 

[audreyh1]

Cutting people off short. Like to talk some more but adios, we're done, I'm outta here.

I like this one!

 

[athena53]

Definitely bicycling in lieu of the gym, weather permitting. I've been to the gym only 2 days since I started the bike rides in May, and that was because my bike was in the shop.

Zoom meetings have allowed me to stay in touch with people I probably would not have seen in person- combination of my living in a slightly remote suburb and my own introversion.

I think WFH will persist for a lot of people.

It will be interesting to see if there are permanent shifts to home-schooling. Not feasible for everyone, of course, but for a motivated parent who doesn't have a FT job outside the house and a motivated kid, it could be a better alternative.

 

[Aerides]

5. Remote work - Some people already worked remotely. Now that people have done it and employers have learned how to manage it I believe more employees will have the option to work remotely some or all of the time.

Re remote: I was remote for my last 4 years before ER. My parents and sister marveled "so WHY do you need to ER? You've got it made!" An in-office colleague was openly dismissive of remote workers "they simply can't contribute value" (while I was on the phone, jerk).

My sister, who has been remote since March - along with her husband and kids - and now she's like...oh I get it now, work is work. Just because you can start a load of laundry and don't have a commute doesn't really change the job. Especially when more of your colleagues are all doing it.

 

[Amethyst]

I want hugs, but only from people I love.

It's disturbing to get an embrace from someone for whom I don't feel strong personal affection (or any at all, for that matter).

Handshakes were always fine and dandy with me, until now.

ETA: got too excited about the no hugs/hand shakes.

 

[harllee]

Cutting people off short. Like to talk some more but adios, we're done, I'm outta here.

Robbie, not sure what you mean here? Are you leaving the Forum? I hope not, I like to read your perspective even if I don't always agree.

 

[Red Badger]

Re remote: I was remote for my last 4 years before ER. My parents and sister marveled "so WHY do you need to ER? You've got it made!" An in-office colleague was openly dismissive of remote workers "they simply can't contribute value" (while I was on the phone, jerk).

My sister, who has been remote since March - along with her husband and kids - and now she's like...oh I get it now, work is work. Just because you can start a load of laundry and don't have a commute doesn't really change the job. Especially when more of your colleagues are all doing it.

+1. Ditto on both counts of misconception. But not commuting was a GREAT perk.
Worked from home unless travelling for last 3+ years. When I started in that role, my team would fly in to corp office every week. I put the kibosh on that. They were all tech roles that could be done anywhere. Some were mad, because they could no longer rack up status and points with airlines, hotels, and rental cars (our company let employees keep points, miles, etc - many do not). The team traveled extensively for legitimate projects, but I did trim the travel budget by almost a third by cutting frivolous travel BS.

 

[Aerides]

Robbie, not sure what you mean here? Are you leaving the Forum? I hope not, I like to read your perspective even if I don't always agree.

Hah I doubt that, I think Robbie meant a new habit of being able to cut people short who want to come up and chat and small-talk you to death. Easier than ever now to just keep walking and make it short!

 

[ivinsfan]

Sad to say but some of the things I've heard and seen from local "acquaintances" have changed my opinion about them forever.

A few have brought a whole new level of viciousness to their comments on stuff they disagree with. If you disagree you disagree and everyone can have an opinion yet their level of contempt for the other side has been staggering.

It's always been my habit to listen to people and try to find common ground with them, don't think I'll put a ton of effort in that anymore. I already have a list of people that I will pretend I don't see rather then speak to them. IOW I'll use the ignore feature when possible.

 

[harllee]

Hah I doubt that, I think Robbie meant a new habit of being able to cut people short who want to come up and chat and small-talk you to death. Easier than ever now to just keep walking and make it short!

Thanks Aerides, I get what Robbie was saying now

 

[Katsmeow]

Re remote: I was remote for my last 4 years before ER. My parents and sister marveled "so WHY do you need to ER? You've got it made!" An in-office colleague was openly dismissive of remote workers "they simply can't contribute value" (while I was on the phone, jerk).

My sister, who has been remote since March - along with her husband and kids - and now she's like...oh I get it now, work is work. Just because you can start a load of laundry and don't have a commute doesn't really change the job. Especially when more of your colleagues are all doing it.

Before fully retiring I worked part-time for my employer for several years, working almost completely from home. I did like doing it because I was happy not to have the long commute. But, yeah, work was still work. But, if they hadn't of agreed to let me work from home, I would have just fully retired several years earlier.

 

[audreyh1]

Robbie, not sure what you mean here? Are you leaving the Forum? I hope not, I like to read your perspective even if I don't always agree.

No, I think he means having much shorter conversations.

 

[Rushmore]

Sad to say but some of the things I've heard and seen from local "acquaintances" have changed my opinion about them forever.

A few have brought a whole new level of viciousness to their comments on stuff they disagree with. If you disagree you disagree and everyone can have an opinion yet their level of contempt for the other side has been staggering.

It's always been my habit to listen to people and try to find common ground with them, don't think I'll put a ton of effort in that anymore. I already have a list of people that I will pretend I don't see rather then speak to them. IOW I'll use the ignore feature when possible.

Unfortunately that’s me too.

 

[JoeWras]

I've never used the "Ignore User" feature anywhere until this crisis.

I will be using it henceforth here and elsewhere. Amazed how it helps blood pressure.

 

[LRDave]

I would like continue to eliminate hand shaking, or at least reduce it.

I agree with this. Handshakes as a way for people (mostly men) to greet strangers could go away societally and I'd love it. My plan is to personally abstain from it for now on.

Now hugs as a sign of affection for those that I love - I will have a hard time giving that up.

 

[jim584672]

I'll probably keep wearing a mask.

 

[audreyh1]

I'll probably keep wearing a mask.

Certainly in airports and airplanes/public transportation and grocery stores and doctor’s office waiting areas where it is easy to pick up the seasonal flu!

 

[FIREd]

Hand shakes and cheek kissing are out. I think that they will be back as they are such an important part of the culture here. I don't miss them at all personally.

My life today is very much as it was 6 months ago - except that I wear a mask in crowded enclosed spaces. It's become second nature already.

During the peak of the pandemic, I was doing online ordering and curbside pickup for groceries. I thought that this habit would stick but I started going back to the stores two months ago.

The most lasting change will probably be my opinion of some people. In a crisis, people reveal their true character and boy did I learn a lot.

When I ask people if their habits will change, it seems like they expect other people to change their habits but not themselves.

 

[Lewis Clark]

An in-office colleague was openly dismissive of remote workers "they simply can't contribute value" (while I was on the phone, jerk).

Lots of people believe this garbage. Hopefully the past few months have made more managers realize employees can be productive while working remotely. Of course, some folks working remotely will spend a lot of time being unproductive. Depends on the individual.

Just being in the office won't make someone productive. One former co-worker spent a lot of time each day visiting with other coworker friends, chatting about non-work topics. He often spent three or four non-productive hours per workday on such visits. And this was in the office.

I just finished two years in a remote position, about 1,000 miles away. I was frequently told I got a lot more done than any of my predecessors who were local.