How Has Lockdown Changed Your Outlook on Life?

The pandemic has turned our lives upside down, and threw us all for a loop - but in amongst the madness we discovered a few silver linings. We all had different experiences during the multiple lockdowns, and of course it came with a number of challenges, but there were also some positives that came out of this unusual situation.

In this blog, we’ll be taking you through how lockdown has changed our outlook on life and how the world is shifting towards a ‘new normal’.

More time with family

As challenging as it could be at times - especially for parents of little ones who need undivided attention - lockdown gave us the opportunity to all be in the same place at the same time, and reconnect as a family. To make the most of the extra quality time at home, everyone dusted off the board games or got their walking shoes on, and reminded themselves of the simple pleasures that weren’t as much of a priority during pre-lockdown times.

Considering 55% of Kiwis said they’d like to spend more time with their families before the pandemic set in, lockdown provided an unexpected silver lining and allowed us to do just that.

A focus on self-care

Along with more family time came more time for self-care as well. Before lockdown, most of us felt like our busy work week got in the way - but suddenly there was a focus on getting in more ‘me time’ while we had the chance. From catching up on reading and watching the TV shows we never had time for, to taking up new hobbies and prioritising time for regular exercise.

Lockdown not only pushed us to make time for the things we love, but also to try new things with some of the spare time we had on our hands.

Flexible work options

As the reality of an extended lockdown set in, businesses adapted quickly to working from home - an important part of the new normal. At the start, some found it a bit challenging to separate work and home life, but once things settled down, the positives became more clear.

No more commuting to and from the office, and we didn’t have to completely sacrifice the social side of work, thanks to video calls on Zoom/ Google Meet/ Slack and other online resources. Not only did we adapt, some businesses even increased their productivity with the help of new online tools and software to make for a smooth transition.

Enjoying the outdoors

Spending time around the house has its upsides, but getting out for a walk or run became a great way to break up the day and soak up the outdoors - even if it was just around the block. Setting aside some time to move around and get outside not only benefited our overall health and wellbeing, it also gave us a chance to wave hello to our neighbours and reconnect with our community.

We weren’t the only ones to get a health boost during this time - mother nature also saw some positives with a global reduction in carbon emissions, thanks to a well-deserved break from the hustle and bustle.

Supporting the local community

Contactless deliveries and pick-up options from your favourite local cafes were an absolute lifesaver to get your daily coffee fix. The community showed their support for neighbourhood eateries by treating themselves to takeaway orders to help keep doors open in the long run.

These efforts meant that over 71% of all online spend was with local retailers, showing that the ‘support local’ sentiment was an important part of lockdown for many of us, and gave us a sense of togetherness.

Becoming more house-proud

After being around the home for a significant amount of time, lockdown pushed us to become more house-proud. It was the perfect time to declutter and give your home the attention it deserves - finally giving us the chance to clear out old clothes to be donated, and organise those drawers full of mystery items that are no longer used.

In one way or another, lockdown changed all of our lives, and provided us with the time to reconnect with family and appreciate the little things. The resilience we showed during this time taught us what we could achieve with the resources we had. With that in mind, it’s important to keep up these good habits to live a healthier and more fulfilling life.