There is light at the end of the tunnel. As more and more people are vaccinated, the year-plus of suffering from the coronavirus will soon come to an end. In many parts of the country, people are already getting back to somewhat normal behavior. While we will be glad to be rid of it, the pandemic has brought about some important lessons. It begs the question, do we want to continue some of the behavior we adopted due to COVID-19?

More Family Time

One substantial benefit of the pandemic is that it forced families to spend a lot of time together. Yes, it might have been a bit too much at times but it helped many people realize how disconnected they were before the coronavirus struck. Spending time together increases family bonds and overall intimacy. Many people assumed that suicides would increase due to depression associated with the pandemic. But they actually went down. Why is that? Probably because we were constantly surrounded by family support.

The New Activities of COVID-19

With so many of our regular activities on hiatus, we have had to find new ways to spend our time. Many of these have been welcome additions to our lives. What’s more, some of them have been really good for our mental and physical health. Maybe you started to play chess, took a daily walk, or began to listen to podcasts. Whatever the pursuit, you will likely want to keep some of these as permanent supplements to your life.

Outdoor Time

During the peak of COVID-19, no one could do anything indoors. Going outside became the only activity that was available for most people. Parks and trails were swamped with families trying to get out of their homes. Despite the overcrowding, connecting with nature was a definite plus. We were finally able to take the time to enjoy what the outdoors has to offer rather than continue our obsession with screens. The coronavirus forced us outdoors and we are all the better for it. Hopefully, now we will integrate some of that outdoor time into our regular busy schedules.

Working From Home

It has been a pleasure for most people to be able to work from home, despite our children constantly getting in the way. Now, imagine being able to continue to do that even with the kids returning to school. Many businesses have discovered that they can function just fine with their employees working from home. Why pay for that office space when they can remain productive without it? Even companies that might want their workers to return to the office will be more open to at least some part-time telework. Considerable time and energy are wasted every day on commuting, not to mention the physical toll all those vehicles have on the environment. Should we continue something that makes people happy and also benefits the environment? Yes please.

Keeping Connected

Something funny happened when we were stuck in our homes: we made more effort to connect with others. Because we couldn’t see people in person, we used Zoom, Skype, and other video platforms to reach out to friends and family. In some cases, we connected with people who we would have normally never contacted. Human connection is vital to our mental health. If we can continue to foster personal connection after COVID-19 recedes, it will be a triumphant consequence of the pandemic.

Self-Care

COVID-19 took a toll on all of us, both physically and psychologically. As a result, self-care practices grew in daily importance. Whether you began a new exercise regimen or made a concerted effort to get more sleep, people adopted self-care to negate the negative effects of the pandemic. Taking care of ourselves is never a bad thing. Let’s hope that people continue to prioritize their health even when life gets back to normal.

Financial Savings

With millions of people losing their jobs and businesses, the arrival of COVID-19 highlighted the importance of saving for an emergency situation. Numerous people did not have any savings and they suffered immeasurably; they couldn’t pay their rent or put food on the table. If you make extra money, it is critical to practice good financial habits as not to be caught empty-handed. You never know when you might need some emergency cash.

Physical Touch

When you suddenly don’t have something you realize how important it is to you. We missed not being able to give our friends and families hugs and kisses. We mourned not being able to be in the same room as our loved ones. Physical touch will never again be taken for granted. At the same time, we may be more careful about who we choose to touch. Are casual forms of touch ever going to return as a regular part of our behavior? Is the handshake and the high five dead? We now see the importance of providing and receiving physical touch, but we may want to be pickier about to whom we give it.

Kindness

One of the most uplifting parts of dealing with the coronavirus has been the outpouring of kindness exhibited by people around the world. It is nice to see that, in times of trouble, we can come together to help the less fortunate. People sacrificed their time, money, and even their health to attempt to improve the human condition. The big question remains, however: will people continue to be good-hearted when the crisis is past? Let’s hope that showing kindness is not dependent on COVID-19.

Carpe Diem

Maybe the most important lesson to come from the pandemic is that we are not guaranteed anything in this life. We lost thousands of loved ones to this vicious disease. We put our lives on hold for over a year. Appreciate your friends and family. Be grateful for what you have. Be generous with others. Live each day to its fullest because tomorrow is never a certainty.