Quarantine changed many things for many but it is widely understood that these changes will be temporary. However long the quarantine lasts, one day it will come to an end, at which point many things will change yet again.
You've all picked up some habits that will probably be hard to shake when that day comes. Here are four that come to mind.
Stocking Up
Some habits, whether you always wake at 6:00 or whether you vape, are formed from habits of choice. Other habits form from necessity and need.
Plenty of people were caught off-guard when the news of coronavirus broke and the shutdowns began. Even though grocery stores stayed open throughout, the mad rush to stock up on products left shelves empty at the worst possible times and people unprepared to deal with it.
Going forward there's always going to be a voice in the back of your head saying "but if you don't stock up now..." It's all too easy for that voice to become a habit.
Side Hustles
Just as many people were caught off-guard by empty shelves, so too many people were caught looking for work-from-home side hustles when their shops closed up and their offices cut pay.
Some side hustles disappeared completely, but others boomed. And with the job market uncertain at best and unemployment on the rise, many people went looking for side hustles to help pay for their groceries—when they could get groceries of course.
Socializing Carefully
People also found themselves rethinking how they socialized, staying home instead of going out. Now on the surface, this is the habit most likely to fade with time.
People have missed going out. They have missed seeing their friends and relatives, and just meeting people outside. The urge to stay distant is directly in conflict with our natural human gregariousness.
Safety Precautions
It's important to mention that there are some coronavirus habits that are probably worth maintaining. Certainly, over the last few months, everyone has picked up some new healthy habits, whether it's washing your hands more often or wearing a mask outside.
In the interest of public health and wellness, some of these safety precautions should probably remain norms, to keep everyone safer.
As quarantine ends and people start going back out, some habits are probably here to stay. That's no bad thing: sometimes the most persistent habits can act as a shield against future disaster, a way to keep yourself and your family safe from trouble.
