This Can’t be the New Normal
By: Ayesha Tariq
Tags: Pandemic, Dystopia, Life, Covid-19, New Normal

Photo by Mika Baumeister on Unsplash

I’m reading a lot of posts and articles these days claiming that what we’re experiencing these days is the “New Normal”. People are throwing around this phrase like it’s a good thing.

I can’t believe that people are saying this as if it’s ok to live life like this. How can living in constant anxiety and misery, be considered ok? I am appalled. I seriously can’t believe that this life can be the new normal.

I honestly think someone probably used the phrase once to describe something as being a regular part of our daily lives, and it just caught on fire. It was probably something silly like we need to wash our hands often and, now everything we’re doing is supposed to become the “New Normal”.

Work From Home

Photo by Chris Montgomery on Unsplash

I know a great many people already work from home, or the beach or wherever.

Working from home full-time, without ever meeting someone in person and not working in an office are two very different things.

Working full-time for an institution or a company, and doing that work from home can’t be the new normal. We’ve adapted to it very quickly in the past few months, only because we’ve had to. It’s different, so it’s fun but only for so long. I think people are reacting very positively to this, because there’s no other way to react. What are you supposed to say… “No boss, I’m not working from home. I insist on coming to the office, even if it means risking exposure.”

The other thing is, bosses are putting up with it as well, only because they have to. I can’t believe any boss is okay with not being able to see their employee or making sure that there’s work getting done. It’s challenging enough to keep them off of Facebook in the office, imagine how it must driving them crazy not knowing what their employees are doing.

And for the people who are actually “working” from home, there are no boundaries. There’s something beautiful about packing up for the day and leaving work. Most days, you leave work and you actually leave it behind. Yes, on occasion you have to take work home but, most often there is a finality to the day. When you’re working from home all the time, your work, your day, your family and your life all begin to mesh. Before you know it, you have no idea where one begins and the other one ends.

There’s a reason that people have been spending a whole lot of money over the years to construct office buildings.

Social Interaction

Photo by Edwin Hooper on Unsplash

I scowl at people, more than usual these days. Why? Because I’m uncomfortable with how close they are standing. I’m uncomfortable that they may not be wearing a mask. I’m uncomfortable with everything.

Someone called me yesterday and without even asking if I’m taking meetings just decided to say I’m setting up a meeting for you. It doesn’t work that way anymore. I felt the guy was rude. He should’ve asked if I’m comfortable with it. But then I realized, this wouldn’t have been the case last year. I would’ve jumped at the opportunity for new business. Now, I don’t care because a simple meeting makes me anxious.

Humans are social animals. Even most introverts would at least like to move around in a world full of people, even if they don’t want to interact with them.

Even when we are out and about, we have no expression. It’s not the most situation to be talking to a person not being able to read their faces. A lot of communication is non-verbal. We’ve simply found a way to eradicate that.