The world has always been changing, but never has it changed as fast as it is now. Many people still hope that things will go back to the way they were before the coronavirus, but it is becoming increasingly obvious that they will not. The world has, in fact, changed permanently in many ways.

One of the most obvious ways the world has become different is through the people who have become more aware of contagion management. Businesses have been putting off plans related to pandemics for a very long time, and now that they have been finally forced to do them, they will still apply them. Social distancing looks like it’s here to stay. It’s something that many individuals on the autism spectrum have advocated for due to autism-related reasons, but it’s now applied regardless. And since it’s already here and being applied, it won’t hurt to keep that 1.5 meters between us in public places.

Another thing that has changed and will probably be staying is working from home. Many people have finally discovered that they could do it more efficiently, and many businesses have discovered that they can save up so much on rent and commutation. Business owners, especially those who have office-based businesses, have also started to realise that it’s infinitely more important to have task-based rather than time-based businesses (more on this here).

Education has also been greatly impacted. Many students, young and old, have realized how much they can do and accomplish on their own. While I remain against homeschooling due to the fact that it eliminates social interaction which is very important in a child’s development, I believe that a blended approach where students take charge of their education under the facilitation of a teacher is starting to brew.

International travel and hospitality will be more negatively affected than other sectors, especially because they cannot be done remotely. It will take quite a while for them to recover, and the changes that will become mandatory for them will negatively impact their usual bottom lines. They will need bigger spaces for less guests, and they will definitely need to observe social distancing more diligently.

The world has changed, despite everything, mainly for the better. People have started to realise what’s more important, and the planet has gotten a well-deserved rest. What else do you think will be changing forever?

Originally posted on May 6, 2020 @ 3:52 am