Quarantine Habits to Bring Into the "New Normal"

As things start to open back up across the country as the pandemic slows down, I can’t help but mourn a little, if I’m being honest. I am mourning the loss of stillness, simplicity and groundedness and the return of busyness, distraction and complacency.

Don’t get me wrong — I’m all for the economy picking back up, the unemployed returning to work, mental and physical health recovering, and all the other good things that will come along with the process of moving forward. I’m just a little hesitant to return to what is being called the “new normal,” which I’m suspicious will look just like the “old normal.”

But I really hope it doesn’t. I hope we enter life after quarantine with a fresh perspective on life, after having endured tragedy and trauma with all of humankind. After we release the pause button on life, I hope we don’t return to fast-forward mode. I hope we remember what it was like to slow down, notice the changing of the seasons, and spend uninterrupted time with the ones we love.

But don’t worry — instead of pouting about what’s “lost,” I’m choosing to actively bring a number of quarantine habits into this next phase of life. I imagine there will be a clear differentiation between life before and after this pandemic; that our lifestyles in January and June will look markedly different than one another. I hope this is the case for myself — and for you.

Together, let’s make a conscious effort to bring the habits and practices we learned over the last few months into our new version of life after the pandemic. We don’t have to mourn what we are losing as doors inevitably reopen. Instead, we can celebrate what we’re able to bring with us when we step back through those doors.

Minimizing Your Social Schedule

Our social calendars were completely erased from mid-March to late May, and I have to be honest, it was quite refreshing. Don’t get me wrong: I miss hugging and spending time with people. But on some pre-quarantine weeks, we would have every minute of every day packed with an event, a hangout or an obligation, and seemingly overnight — all of that disappeared. I almost forget what it was like to navigate the woes of a packed schedule. And moving forward, I hope to protect my calendar to carve out personal time and keep some days uninterrupted from all invitations or events (Sundays, specifically).

Spending Time With Immediate Family

I guarantee there were many workaholic fathers who were able to spend precious time with their families while they worked from home during the pandemic. Without a commute or business trips or meetings to keep them occupied, they were able to spend hours upon hours of uninterrupted time with their kids and spouse. And overall, so much beauty evolved from reconnected families in the midst of all this time spent at home. At the end of the day, all we had were the people around us. Brandon and I have undoubtedly grown closer together during this time, as we have spent nearly every minute of every day together (while still making time for much-needed alone time…).

Experiencing Nature

I mentioned this in this blog post, but this was the first spring I fully noticed. The world quieted down enough for us all to notice and appreciate the way the trees completely blossom within a matter of days and slowly drop their dainty petals to the pavement like snow. The way the pavement smells after a heavy rain. How birds sing together like a poorly orchestrated yet perfectly beautiful duet. And how the air feels heavier and fuller with heat and yet somehow lighter — more fresh, more free. We’ve taken more walks through the neighborhood in the last three months than we had the previous nine months of living in our home. We’ve taken up gardening, digging our fingers in the soil and watering freshly planted flowers. We’ve laid in the hammock to watch birds building a nest in the limbs above. I hope to never stop appreciating nature like I have in the last several months — to continue to be in awe of the beauty all around me, as long as I can put my phone down long enough to notice it.

Enjoying Hobbies + Doing Projects

I have been so inspired by all the projects people have accomplished and hobbies people have picked up or revisited. Many found themselves with a surplus of time on their hands, and they were able to spend that time pursuing the things they love to do but never had time for, like painting, sewing, gardening, playing an instrument or making clothes. The creativity and productivity during the quarantine was inspiring. We too have tackled a few landscaping and DIY projects along the way.

On a different note, I did notice something interesting. In the beginning of the pandemic, I got frustrated with the pull and pressure to be as productive as possible during quarantine. It felt like we were simply repackaging our fast-paced, non-stop, productivity-obsessed culture into a quarantine-friendly version. Like we had to fill a nervous tick for busyness with an at-home assortment of to-dos. I eventually got over this (and realized many cope with stress by being productive!), but I can’t help but mention this observation.

Embracing Natural Beauty

For the first time in modern history, most hair salons, nail salons and beauty parlors were closed during the pandemic. Not to mention, we didn’t have much to “get ready” for or anyone to impress. I saw so many people embracing their natural beauty during this time — myself included. I’ve worn makeup only a handful of times since March and it has been incredibly freeing. Not to mention, the roots of my blonde hair are a couple of inches overgrown. It’s refreshing to be able to accept and appreciate our natural, God-given beauty without the addition of makeup, hair highlights or a bunch of accessories.

Connecting With Family + Friends Virtually

Believe it or not, I spent more time with my family during this time, albeit virtually, as many of them live in the Seattle area. There’s something about being forced into social isolation that propels you to reach out to your loved ones with any means you have available. Although we’re all sick of Zoom calls by now, there’s no denying the power of virtual connection. I hope we all continue those virtual conversations with family members and friends who live far away.

Shopping Less + More Thoughtfully

A few weeks back, I shared about the unique opportunity we have to be more thoughtful about our spending, specifically in the form of shopping for clothing. Since most shopping destinations — whether it’s a thrift store or a mall — were closed, we had an opportunity to take a pause from our shopping routine. To be content and creative with whatever was already in our closet. To fight the urge to accumulate more. To detox our minds from craving more, more, more. I hope we can continue these shopping habits and nurture this consumption mindset now that stores and malls are opening their doors once again.

What Will You Bring With You?

What habits will you bring into your “new normal?” Let me know — whether or not it’s on this list!