Beyond COVID-19: Lessons from the Pandemic that Changed the World
By: Sergi Mateo
Tags: Travel, Digital Nomads, Future Of Work, Pandemic, Covid 19

Deadly global and highly contagious virus? More than a million cases in our country? Self-isolation restrictions? It seems like we are living in a science-fiction movie, and none of us know the ending. Yes, vaccines have arrived earlier than expected but the future remains very much uncertain.

Every part of the world has been affected, and every aspect of life has been impacted in one way or another. For instance, some families will not be able to gather for Christmas if they are in different bubbles because of social restrictions, remote work has finally gone mainstream and companies had to adapt their businesses and strategies in the way they interact with their customers and how customers purchase products or services.

Will the world be the same ever again? Let’s be frank here. Most likely not.

The COVID-19 pandemic marks the end of an era and the beginning of another with lots of challenges ahead. Since the pandemic has hit the world very hard, it will definitely have a permanent impact on the culture, the world economy and the way of life of every society as a whole.

While the world is trying to defeat the virus, if I suddenly cough or sneeze in public, for any reason, I now look around to see if anyone notices or reacts cautiously in my presence. Similarly, when I hear of someone’s death, I can’t help but wonder if the cause was related to COVID-19. Indeed, we are living unprecedented times with lots of stories that will be written in the history books and will eventually tell our own children one day.

There are some life lessons to take away from this pandemic that we need to understand before we recover from the “New Normal” and move to a “New Future” with plenty of new opportunities to do things better and smarter.

1. This world is fully interconnected

We usually think that countries are separate entities very different from one another. But this is not true. Actually, once the virus was identified in China for the first time, it didn’t take long to spread to nearly every country, and soon later, a global pandemic was declared. Despite the cultural differences and distance between countries, we are battling the same virus and facing the same struggles. This comes as a reminder of just how our world economy and society are interconnected on many levels, including supply chains logistics, communications, technology, social media, and travel.

2. Humans are social creatures

The levels of isolation and loneliness among people are in all time highs due the incredible efforts that we are all making to reduce the spread of the virus, or at least to flatten the curve, including physical distancing, quarantine, and stay-at-home orders. The COVID-19 pandemic outbreak has highlighted, if anything for us, the importance of social interaction and human contact within almost every aspect of our lives, including education, employment, and entertainment.

And as much as I consider myself an independent person who has lived on my own for years and moved countless times to new cities without knowing anyone in those places, this pandemic has made me realize how much I miss social interaction and things as simple as a hug or sharing meals with friends. We are social, and this will never change.

3. We are more flexible than we think

Nobody expected 2020 to be like… this. Well, I knew there will be more companies embracing remote work but I never had thought it would be because of a global pandemic. Many people have lost jobs and have been forced to find creative ways to pay the bills or use the stimulus checks that governments have been paying citizens with freshly printed money. Many others began working from home and schools adapted their educational programs with online learning methods. All these changes are great.

This pandemic has proved how resilient we are as humans and our ability to be flexible and creative in times of uncertainty. We are united by the challenges imposed by this crisis and we rapidly changed and adapted routines to the evolving situation.

4. Decreasing pollution benefits us and the planet

Climate change is real: earth’s surface temperatures have increased, polar ice caps are melting, sea levels have risen, and oceans are warmer impacting the life of many sea animals. The problem is well known: an increased carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

One of the good things to come from this pandemic is that production was put on halt and factories responsible for air pollution have shut down. Thus, quality of air has improved with carbon dioxide levels at an all-time low, and what’s more encouraging, animals are coming out to play and some endangered species started to repopulate. We have to understand that the planet doesn’t need us. We need it!

5. We have to slow down

Go faster. Do more. Hustle. Hustle even more. Sound familiar? We live in a fast-paced world. We are constantly under pressure to be productive, to compete and be better than our peers or ourselves, and to never take breaks. While this has resulted in having successful careers for many of us, this isn’t sustainable in the long run. We are burning out, we are getting tired, and we are hiding our depression by smiling on social media. In essence, we have lost our purpose and work-life balance. We need to get it back and start living our best lives without rushing.

If you don’t know how, start with meditation. It’s an excellent practise that will help you slow down, improve your mental health, find purpose in your actions and social interactions, and ultimately, true happiness.

# Life is precious. Be grateful for what we have.

With over 1.6 million lives lost worldwide, this pandemic has made me re-think my priorities and remember how precious life is. It has been a good reminder to appreciate the little things in life that we often take for granted.

With so many deaths each day, I am grateful for my family and friends, even if it means video calls and text messages while we cannot see each other in-person. With so many people falling ill, I am grateful for my health and the health of my loved ones.

Finally, with so many people losing jobs and becoming homeless, I am grateful for having a location independent lifestyle that allows me to work and travel anywhere in the world while running a business that affords me the luxury to live life on my terms.