Social Distancing: Implications

As I read the numerous articles being published about ongoing developments surrounding the Coronovirus Crisis, I'm reflecting on the impact social distancing had on many individuals before it became an international response to a pandemic we are still learning so much about; and, about how social distancing is affecting individuals in their current state of uncertainty, ambiguity, anger and fear; and, about how social distancing will affect individuals in the future - once the world returns to our preconceived state of 'normal'.

As a government and public relations consultant, I spent much of my pre-Coronovirus days working in self-isolation. Aside from pre-planned meetings or travel, I self-regulated my time to ensure I had a healthy work/life balance and met the deadlines for assignments or activities, accordingly.

My home life was complemented by a daughter who was out-of-province attending university, a son who did both on-line and in-class studies, and a husband who worked in an office setting (M-F: 9-5).

Coronovirus (COVID-19) prompted us to bring our daughter home to continue studies remotely, indefinitely, keep my son home instead of sending him off to socialize with his classmates, and my husband now works from home on his laptop and BlackBerry for the foreseeable future.

Although it’s a shift in our regular routines, somewhat frustrating at times (and boring at others), my family decided to embrace the situation and use the time to our advantage. Work and school priorities continue, but infused into our day is tackling those projects we never seem to have enough time to do: Spring-cleaning, purging, filing taxes, doing a security scan on your computer, backing up the hard-drive, cooking (and stocking the freezer) or attempting recipes you’ve always wanted to try, taking a mid-afternoon nap or lap on the treadmill (after cleaning it off from all the laundry that’s been hanging on it, waiting to be ironed), calling friends and family to reconnect and check in on their well-being, etc., etc., etc.

Don’t get me wrong, being underfoot, being self-isolated or practicing social distancing can be a challenge – and my kids aren’t necessary helping in this regard… but we soldier on, knowing that in the best interest of the health and well-being of others, we’ll do our part.

So, what does the future look like as a direct result of social distancing? Like others in so many different situations, no one really knows. But change is constant, and innovation is imperative. So, if nothing else, take this opportunity to identify what you can do to make your situation better, learn a little, laugh a lot, have compassion and understanding, and know that ‘this too shall pass’. 

We may not return to the pre-conceived notion of what normal is but put your trust in the possibility that tomorrow can be better than today.

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Jacqueline Biollo is a leading authority on innovative business solutions, philanthropy, and community engagement, and is a Principal Consultant with Aurora Strategy Group.