Will Life Ever Go Back to Normal?

Never in a million years would I have expected to still be working from home, over a year after we packed up a few essentials from our desks anticipating “a couple weeks” of remote working. Although I certainly miss casual conversations in person with colleagues and clients, a part of me has gotten used to this new working environment and I can’t imagine going back to work Monday to Friday ever again.

It is hard to ignore how large an impact technology has played in transforming our lives. If this pandemic happened back in the 90s/00s when I was growing up, life would look drastically different. But today, technology has enabled us to stay connected to the outside world in so many different ways. In 2020…

I reconnected with friends near and far with virtual happy hours (thanks Zoom!).

I replaced the errand of going to the grocery store with online delivery (thanks Amazon and Instacart!).

I binge-watched more TV than I have ever in my life (thanks HBO Max, Netflix, Hulu, Disney+… I could go on thanks to the streaming wars!)

I ditched my gym membership but still kept my spin and barre class ritual (thanks Peloton!).

And I still got to enjoy my favorite New York City restaurants despite dining being limited and even kind of scary (thanks Seamless!).

Although some things I am happy to put behind me, others I cannot imagine living without. I much rather replace the Zoom bar with a real bar, but I don’t think I’ll ever renew my gym membership because Peloton has made the act of working out much more convenient. And although I may run to Whole Foods to pick up some last minute items, why lug my groceries for the week down NYC streets when I can have them delivered for free?

Technology has enabled us to conduct our lives through a screen in the comfort and safety of our homes. It’s value has been undeniable throughout this pandemic, but will it change life as we know it? Will companies be more flexible with remote working? Will the Peloton boom continue? Will gyms become less crowded that the coveted machine is always available? Or, will we all be craving human interaction that we rush back to our old habits? Only time will tell.