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As much as I have been trying to be socially responsible and stay at home for days at a time, it is hard to deny the stress that such an enforced lifestyle can have. I found myself dedicating more time to explore within, as it was not possible to explore the world outside. 

At first, it was pretty good – I felt I could be a lot more productive in managing my time flexibly throughout the days (and nights). However, just about a week ago, I confess that I woke up one morning and just felt very confined and anxious. The reality of being unsure how to align my daily life and goals with an uncertain “post-COVID” future had hit me all at once. 

Even after the danger of the disease dissipates and we have some form of normalcy back in our everyday lives, there will not be a “post-COVID world” – not really. It seems now more and more likely that the novel coronavirus will not just simply disappear (unlike SARS in the past). Until a vaccine or other cure is developed, we will have to learn to co-exist “with” the virus and not “after” it. 

 

These are my reflections and hopes –

 

This crisis has shown us how interconnected and interdependent we are in our daily lives, more so than many would have realized or believed. Let us not forget this experience, and recognize how important in-person interactions and connections truly are, despite amazing advances in digital technology. I hope that we will all remember and appreciate the acts of kindness we have witnessed and heard of. Wishing hope and health to all.

 

We have most likely reached the end of “normal life” as we knew it before COVID-19 unleashed its wrath on the world. Perhaps even the end of an era. 

 

The defining characteristic of the Coronavirus Epoch is distance. Regardless of the different issues that each of us has to confront, whether medical, financial, or psychological/mental, we all struggle with the tangible impact of separation, isolation, and distance in our lives. 

 

No doubt being separated from friends, family, and colleagues, and having our usual lives and normal social structures completely disrupted can be distressing in many ways. However, I believe that social distancing and self-isolation has allowed us to engage in something rare and special: stillness and reflection

 

In being distanced from others (and in some sense, also from my usual self), I have found the extra time and space to reflect. 

 

In the past few years, I have navigated moving to and living in several countries, diving headfirst into new cultures and communities across Singapore, China, the U.S., Korea, and Japan. Even under “normal” circumstances, my family is spread across multiple continents, with my parents in Singapore, brother in the UK, and extended family scattered elsewhere around the world. 

 

Now that I am physically separated from my friends in the same city (Tokyo, at this time), I have found myself questioning – who do I consider friends, regardless of where they are in the world? What kind of relationship do we have and how can I improve it? How have I neglected my family, mentors, or friends and how can I better (re)connect with them? (As part of this thought exercise, I wrote a letter to my mother for her birthday.)

 

Submerged under all the noise and activities of our hectic city lifestyles, there are an infinite number of ways we fail to recognize and understand ourselves and our actions. One of the key concepts of social psychology is that our social interactions help form our self-concept and perceptions. What does it mean, however, when these interactions no longer happen in-person, but are rather mediated through online screens or robots and other devices? How do people come to know and understand themselves in a digital world, and how will these self-perceptions then affect our social interactions?

 

Now that our world is undergoing seismic shifts, it is so important for us to take a moment to re-evaluate our lives. What is working and what is not? What do we need to develop and what is being neglected? What matters to me and how will I protect it? How can we better understand our inner life (self-awareness, self-esteem, self-expression) and how it influences our social experience?  

 

The coronavirus outbreak has given us a chance for a wide-reaching self-reflection exercise on what we value and how to enhance it, away from all the distractions that normally keep our minds occupied. 

 

At the end of the day, despite the widespread fear of contagion and panic from lockdowns, the coronavirus epoch has nonetheless brought out heart-warming stories of human compassion and empathy amid the shut-in-relentless-teleconference-online-meeting routine and malaise.  

 

When the history of the Coronavirus Epoch is written, I hope that we will remember: 

 

– How the human needs to flourish and find happiness when connected in close, supportive relationships have been brought to the forefront of our daily lives. I hope that more people will value off-screen time, spend less time on phones at the table, and make a point to put aside smartphones and computers to interact face to face when we can come together again.

 

– That we can effectively work from home and add value. One possible silver lining to the current crisis may be that the pandemic will prompt necessary work-style reform, with more companies allowing flexible hours and telework options. I hope that even traditional industries will no longer see people who work from home as “slacking off” or “not doing real work,” and provide more opportunities for those who may not be able to physically commute to the office for fixed hours. 

 

– That the coronavirus world has changed how millions around the world are educated. We will hopefully see much-needed innovation and new approaches in education that provide solutions to address the digital divide. I hope that we will take more time to appreciate the meaningful work of teachers and educators, who have worked tirelessly for their students and peers during this difficult time. 

 

– The selflessness of healthcare and medical workers at the frontlines risking their own lives every day to tend to the sick and strangers in need.  

 

– That we should pay more attention to the hazards of pollution and be kinder to the environment. Although shutdowns have caused grave damage to the economy, one positive outcome is that it has allowed precious time for the world to heal. 

 

Most importantly, I hope that we will remember and hold to heart the reality of how we have managed to adapt to the unknown and unexpected. Of course, there have been many bumps along the way, but we now have the lived experience of how the world has managed to be flexible and resilient even under harsh circumstances. The shared experience of the coronavirus pandemic has helped us appreciate our common humanity, bringing communities closer together. Moving forward, I hope that we will remember that we can emerge from whatever curveballs life and nature throws at us stronger and more prepared. 

What are your thoughts and reflections during these past few months of the coronavirus outbreak? How have they changed your hopes for the ever-unfolding future? I would love to hear from you.