Newly Acquired Skills from the COVID-19 Crisis

Since the beginning of February, a global pandemic has set in and turned the world upside down by reshaping our social norms and habits. Billions of affected people are forced into periods of quarantine and the countries that they live in are closed for business. As we each get used to our new normal, people have been using their extra time differently: some are sleeping more, others are finding time to do side projects and others are spending more time with their families. Here are a few skills that people have learned during quarantine that will help them in the future.

Time Management

With the beginning of coronavirus, many people were forced to discard their usual schedules in lieu of a mixed match, whatever works type of tracking. Before, we had set schedules, work started and ended at specific times, the kids were picked up at the same time every day of the week and dinner and bedtime were like clockwork. Now that our world has been turned upside down, the workday has creeped into our personal time, as it is tougher to find time to ourselves when we are always connected. This has forced many, including myself, to set up strict rules on when the workday ends so that I do not end up spending my entire evening working. This has resulted in a collective ability to learn how to manage our time more efficiently so that we do not always remain on the clock working.

Time for a Bake-Off

Being at home more often with less trips to the grocery store, we have gone back to our roots of baking everyone again. Rather than going to the grocery store for a quick dinner, the pandemic has pushed us back to our basics: baking. Tried and true, baking is a relaxing task that comes with a tasty reward. Even now, people have begun trends on Social Medias for who has the best cake or bread and baking has trended for days on Twitter.

Cleaning out the Cupboards

With the newfound interest in baking and the lack of grocery trips, we have begun cleaning out the cupboards and pantries of goods that we have had longer than their best by date. This has allowed us to create new recipes with items that we already have at home and have helped us save money from grocery shopping for items that we already have. I promise you that there is something in your pantry that you have bought a couple of times (for me it is garlic powder), and only now do you realize you have bought the same item a couple of times all the while forgetting you already have one at home.

Hair Cutting 101

With nail salons and hairdressers closed, many people are finding alternatives homemade alternatives to the lack of personal grooming shops. As hair grows about half an inch every month, people are being forced to learn, through YouTube and online, how to cut their own hair properly. Even if you tried to hold out for a couple of weeks or month, with the increase of Zoom calls for work, at some point you have or will be forced to cut your own hair or have a family member do it. This new skill will definitely come in handy as you will be able to cut your own hair or your children’s hair until it is safe to go back to the hairdressers… or you can continue cutting your own hair and saving the money, it would cost to go to a barbershop.

Understanding your Emotions

The pandemic has given us all time to reflect and think about the change that will come once we are all allowed to move about our day freely. We have all gone through moments of stress or anxiety in the past couple of months that have helped change us for the better by giving people an opportunity to learn how to process how they are feeling and to figure out activities, like cooking, that help with remaining calm. Overall, you can carry this benefit to all parts of your life.

Becoming Flexible

One skill that everyone has had to learn quickly is flexibility. Being stuck in your home with children, an animal and your spouse, has forced everyone out of their safety bubble into an uncomfortable process of learning what you can and cannot do on a daily basis. If you are used to having a quiet office to do your work or phone calls, those days are gone. Now you have children running around, especially now that it is summer, and screaming at the top of their lungs. The only way you get through this is to be flexible and adapt your work schedule to the unknowns that you cannot control. By doing this and adapting, you are becoming a better person and having a better appreciation for your family.

Fake News

With all of the information online every second of every day, we are learning rather quickly to screen out all of the fake news and hysteria and concentrate on the important information. Just like in school where we were took to skim the page for valuable information, we are being forced through sensory overload to choose the sources and information that we believe to be accurate and only reading this information. Our society is getting better at reading real news and calling out the fake news for what it is: fake.

Keeping Close

Although we might have lost our connections in the past, the pandemic has given us all time to reconnect with loved ones and friends that might have been lost through the years. Having people to speak to is one of our human needs, we are social creatures by nature and we have not led the pandemic take that away from us. Once all of this is over, we will have gained a newfound appreciation for keeping in contact with those that make us happy.

Becoming Better with Technology

With technology like Zoom, TikTok and Google Meet, technology has helped us get through the pandemic while being able to stay in touch. Many of us have become more internet-savvy which will be a skill that can lead to increased productivity in our futures as long as we do not use them to procrastinate.

Budgeting

With the pandemic forcing a global recession, many people have lost steady streams of income while their bills keep piling up. As a result, most have begun recording a budget so that they can review where their money is spent and how much money is still coming in. This skill is immensely important, as it is a good indicator of your financial security and your financial future.

Trying to Find the Best Promotions

Now that we might be making less money or have even lost our income completely, people have started waiting for items that they need to go on sale rather than purchasing them at full price when it is convenient for them. If there is an item that you need but can live without for the moment, there is no need to spend top dollar when you can wait for a bit for an even better price. The product does not change; just the price and you can use this extra money on the next item. In addition, companies are providing even more discounts and sales as to entice customers to buy their items. Therefore, it is a win-win for both the consumer and producer.

The Three R’s

Many people have begun opting to reduce, reuse and recycle items that they might not want to purchase during these tough times. This is a good idea because it not only saves money but it will usher in a greener world than pre-COVID-19. Although a very simple skill, if you learn how to use up the most of every item, you reduce the amount of times you need to buy a replacement and you save both the planet and your wallet.

Cleaning like a Pro

Being stuck indoors all day and everyday has probably driven you crazy! But what probably has kept you busy for most of COVID-19 is the constantly cleaning and making sure that your home is beautiful and nothing is out of place. I guarantee that after cleaning your home a couple of times, you have become a master at keeping a clean out all the while doing it as an incredibly fast pace. Now, you know how to clean properly and quickly!

Becoming my Best Self: Gardening

With all the negative news around the world about rising food prices and less supply of fresh vegetables, people have begun learning how to garden for two reasons. The first reason is that if you can produce your own food than at least you know you can eat something that is safe to eat and will not be too expensive to buy. The second reason is to keep busy during these next few months. Gardening takes time, although it will not take you hours every day, it is a great activity that helps keep you calm and relaxed and helps pass the time. If you haven’t started gardening because you have no place to start putting plants, don’t forget that there are many herbs and spices that can be grown indoors with just a little bit of sunlight and water!

 Exercising at Home

Gone are the days where you had to run back home from work and grab your gym clothes to head to the gym for a workout before dinner. With everyone being stuck at home, people have learned to exercise in the comfort of their own home with relative ease by using household goods as weights and finding workout plans / virtual workout seminars that can be easily done at home with just your body. It’ll be tough when the world goes back to normal as a lot of people will love the freedom working from home gives them and who knows, gyms might just be a little bit emptier for those who need heavy weights that are simply not found around the house.

Don’t Forget to Celebrate the Little Things

I promise you that we have all taken for granted the little things in our lives: those hugs when saying goodbye to a loved one, going out to eat for a quick bite or even just sitting in a Starbucks and sipping a coffee. Once this is all over, I think that everyone will take a moment and appreciate all the things that we took for granted our whole lives. I personally look forward to seeing family members in person who are older and vulnerable to the disease and giving them a big real life hug rather than just a virtual hug.

Comments

Can you think of any other skills we might all develop during COVID-19? Is there anything that you have developed over these past few months? Let me know down in the comments!