Crowdsourcing The “Next Normal”

An event like the coronavirus pandemic is bound to inflict lasting changes on how people live their lives. Just as the “normal” for airport security changed dramatically after 9/11, so too will the “next normal” that follows the current pandemic. How the “next normal” manifests itself across society is still a bit of a guessing game, but here are a few ideas. Some of them are bold predictions, while others might be more of wishful thinking.

NOTE: Let’s crowdsource this thing. If you have an idea for something that might be part of the “next normal,” please email it to me. Your idea can be serious and technical, or maybe something more light-hearted. Please keep it to 200 words or less and I will add some of the best ideas to this list and highlight them in the daily While You Were Working newsletter.

Here we go…

Being “busy” will be uncool: Months ago … waaaaaay back before there was a coronavirus pandemic … there was a “busy” epidemic. Whenever you asked colleagues, friends or relatives how they were doing, they were always “busy.” They were “busy” at work. They were “busy” chauffeuring their kids to various activities. They might have even been “busy” planning and going on vacation. Being “busy” made people feel important. It was a humble brag.

But then, suddenly, people who weren’t deemed essential weren’t so busy.

• When people aren’t “busy,” they organize virtual happy hours with distant friends and family … instead of dashing out of the house to meet up with the same people they see every week.
• When people aren’t “busy,” they go on bike rides or play Uno with their kids … instead of shuttling their kids to their 3rd or 4th soccer game of the weekend.
• When people aren’t “busy,” they stay home and read a book or listen to music … instead of rushing off to their 4th or 5th happy hour of the week.

A return to “normal” doesn’t have to include a return to everything — and it certainly doesn’t have to include a return to “busy” being cool.

eSports are here to stay: Live sports will always be a huge draw, but virtual sporting events grabbed new eyeballs during this crisis and have likely carved out a bigger slice of the TV calendar.

Think about it: If you run a TV network, do you really want to wrangle with billionaire owners who are reliant on billion-dollar payrolls and multi-billion-dollar stadia to deliver your content? Your costs are only going to keep climbing. Esports offer much more cost-effective programming. Plus, a lot of the health-related public relations headaches go away. Football players don’t suffer concussions and NASCAR drivers don’t die when they compete in esports.

To make esports even more appealing, organizers could do a better job of breaking down gender barriers that currently exist in various sports. Lionel Messi will never play against Megan Rapinoe in a competitive soccer match on a real field, but they could certainly face-off playing esports. Same thing goes for Serena Williams versus Rafael Nadal on a virtual tennis court.

Famous musicians will tour less (or not at all): Countless musicians have participated in livestreamed concerts during this crisis. Some of those concerts were really, really good. TVs and in-home sound systems have advanced to the point where rocking out at home might even be a better experience for fans. It certainly can be better than sitting hundreds of yards away from a stage and watching a concert on the Jumbotron.

While certain acts will always take to the road to connect with their fans, other established musicians might opt to stay home and let some deep-pocketed streaming channel pay them big money to do just one or two concerts a year. Comedians have been cashing in on the streaming wars for years, so don’t be surprised it you see more musicians get in on the act.

Everyone entering hospitals will wear masks: When hospital supply chains return to normal, maybe everyone walking into a hospital will put on a mask. Many people already despise going to hospitals out of fears that they might catch something worse than their original ailment, so why not add a layer of protection? Before this pandemic struck, hand sanitizer dispensers were already commonplace in many hospitals. Why not put the masks right next to the Purell?

Obviously, exceptions can be made for people going to the hospital to deal with breathing issues, but why not slap a mask on anyone tending to something for which a mask won’t make symptoms worse? You might be going to the hospital because you broke your wrist or ankle, but how can you be sure you also aren’t infected with the flu or some other virus and just haven’t started suffering any symptoms yet?

Cities will ban automobiles more often: This prediction is based on the intersection of two things:

1. Millions of people tried their hand at working from home and … well … they liked it. They might not want to do it every single day, but maybe once a week or once a month.
2. City-dwellers got a taste of what life is like when they aren’t surrounded by traffic and … well … they liked it. They don’t want the buzz of the city to disappear forever, but maybe once a week or once a month.

More cities will experiment with limiting automobile traffic one day a week or one day a month. It might be certain streets, specific neighborhoods or entire cities, but it won’t just be an environmental thing. It will be a quality-of-life thing.

Video-conferencing etiquette will improve: OK, people. It’s great you’ve all figured out the video-conferencing thing, but just because you can have a video conference doesn’t mean you should have a video conference. Also, if participants can just join via voice without turning on their cameras, indicate that in the meeting invite!

Airport security checks will take place at your gate: Instead of having travelers pass through centralized security checkpoints, more airports will place security-screening equipment at individual gates. Such systems are already in place at airports in Singapore and Amsterdam and I can attest that the experience is excellent for travelers. There is an additional cost outlay for airports, but the systems save time for travelers because they don’t have to worry about hours-long security lines. The only people in front of them in the line are the people on their flight!

I’ve long thought security at the gate made sense from a counterterrorism perspective because the massive crowds at centralized security always seemed like a target that would produce a big body count for terrorists. Now, security at the gate might also add a layer of protection from a pandemic because instead of requiring thousands of travelers (who are headed all over the world) to commingle within feet of each other at one security checkpoint, travelers are only required to be in a confined space with people who will already be on their flight.

People will look up: You might not have noticed, but there is one creature that seemed to suddenly vanish from the face of the Earth right about the time the coronavirus was declared a pandemic. The creature was VERY annoying, so it was never registered on any kind of endangered species list, but it vanished all the same.

What was the creature? The human who roamed public places with its head so buried in a mobile device that it was constantly bumping into other humans. Nowadays, every human that is out in public has its head up and is looking out for other humans.

It is unclear if the disappearance of this annoying type of human is now extinct … or just a hibernation. Time will tell, but something tells me more humans will be looking up from now on.

Sports will get better: The long break in sports action will effect what transpires when the games resume. Here are a few ways:

• Basketball shooters will get better: Expect to see a record increase in shooting percentages; particularly free throws and three-pointers. Bored players haven’t been able to train with their teams, but they’ve been able to work on their shooting. Will the increase only last a season or so? Or will it last until this generation of players ages out of competitive games?
• Football games will go to the ground: When football games resume, the ground game will surge. Quarterbacks and receivers usually spend all kinds of time in the off-season working on routes and timing. Some might still be getting together for such workouts, but many aren’t. Without those reps, the passing game will be out of sync for at least a few weeks. In the meantime, run baby run.
• Soccer will see more goals: I have a hunch scoring will increase in soccer. I am not as confident about this as the hoops and football predictions, but here is what I am thinking: All the best strikers in the world are resting and doing what they need to do to stay individually sharp. Conversely, defenses these days often rely heavily on back lines working as a unit. Less practice time together means those back lines might not be as precise.

The NFL Draft will get goofy: Not only was this year’s NFL Draft unusual because it was conducted virtually, it also attracted a lot of viewers who might not normally watch the event. People tuned in because there were no other live events to watch! New viewers bring fresh perspectives and some of those new viewers offered creative ideas for making the draft a better viewer experience. While highlight reels of the players are a staple of the telecast, one idea I heard on a podcast (I can’t remember which one) was to also show each draft prospect’s blooper reel. The NFL and ESPN might never embrace reels of butt-fumbles, horrific overthrows and players being on the receiving end of pancake blocks, but some other media outlet should. Are you telling me you wouldn’t watch?

*** READER SUBMISSIONS ***

Society will become even more reliant on food delivery services: Sure, pre-pandemic, people already used food services like Amazon Fresh, DoorDash, Instacart, whatever it may be (seems endless now)… but a lot of people didn’t. Even the buy ahead and pick up options that have been offered will start becoming the new normal. We’ll find it easier than ever to take advantage of all of the possibilities that are literally at our fingertips and I think a lot of us are never going to look back. — Many readers submitted this idea, but Nardin Metwashla and Bailee Mulder were the first.

Newscasts will get healthy: Newscasts will include a segment specifically focused on health. The local broadcast lineup will News, Health, Weather, Traffic, and Sports. Similar to weather, there will be current status reports, maps of conditions and several models forecasting the future. — Submitted by Claudia L. Geraci.

Emergency rooms will be for emergencies: I’m a charge nurse in an ER at a Level I trauma center. Our daily census has been way down since the COVID outbreak, even before the stay-at-home rulings. The folks that previously came to the ER for “emergencies” like the sniffles, or abdominal pain that started 30 minutes prior, or a pain that’s been going on for years, or something you should see your primary care physician for but you can’t be bothered to make an appointment are staying home. Now, the vast majority of people coming in have true emergencies. That’s good because the people that we are seeing are much sicker and require much more attention, something we wouldn’t be able to do if we were taking care of an ER full of non-emergent complaints.

It’s probably wishful thinking but it would be great for all concerned if the Next Normal included people continuing to use the ER only for true emergencies! — Submitted by Jennifer B.

Schools won’t make up snow days: Schools will never make up snow days because students can learn from home, including the related services and specialized instruction necessary to guarantee FAPE. — Submitted by Judy Landis.

College professors will start making big money: Higher education professors will be paid on commission for the “classroom” sales of their for-credit online, pre-recorded video courses. One professor, especially a very popular author-researcher who can “teach” by video will be in large demand, and a smart university will take advantage of such popular courses and charge an appropriate fee. Imagine if you are a professor and can record your 48-hour class, provide testing and award a 3-hour credit, and 1,000 students across the country take that course. University charges $500 for administration/distribution and credit recording. The professor earns a commission of 30–50%. University receives $500,000 gross; professor receives $150–250,000. See where this is going… — Submitted by Steve Cherveny

Man’s best friend will help humans make more friends: We’ll meet more people while out walking dogs. Lots of people have adopted them and the places to walk around here have noticeably more people out with dogs. — Submitted by Chris Miller (Editor’s Note: When everyone eventually goes back to work, business might start booming for dog walkers and doggie day care facilities!)

The landscape of youth sports will shift: Unfortunately, youth “contact” sports will see an immediate and probably lasting decline. Sports like football, basketball, soccer, (yes, Sean, even your beloved soccer), wrestling and others will viewed as too social and involving too much contact. Parents will consider and weigh the risk of a child coming into contact (literally) with another possibly infected individual.

Other non-contact sports will see a small bump in popularity because the risk is minimized. Old sports like baseball, volleyball, swimming, track/field, tennis, pickleball and others will be seen as less likely for disease transmittal and become more appealing. Especially if the related sports governing bodies begin to mass-promote such sports as limited contact being a benefit to their engagement. — Submitted by Steve Cherveny

More of health care will move to video-conferencing: Doctors will use video conferencing much more often. Patients will want to visit doctor’s offices less often. With video chats (Telehealth visits), doctors are on time. It’s amazing! Or at least if they are a minute or two late, I can be in my own home doing something productive until they call.

I expect that we’ll go to the doctor to run tests, have bloodwork, or get x-rays, but those things are often on time and don’t require appointments. Therapy sessions will move to online session at a much higher rate. — Submitted by Jen Linke

Two thoughts on waving goodbye to handshakes?

I wonder if people will stop shaking hands. The Japanese bow to each other in greeting. Why do we think it is a good idea to shake hands (especially during cold and flu season). I looked up the history of the handshake and it was apparently to show that you didn’t have a weapon. Kind of seems like something we can put to bed at this point. — Submitted by Elizabeth Harris

Right now I am using elbow bumps and the heart sign formed using thumbs and forefinger with the “young ones” in my life. Handshakes are so ingrained in our culture , and hugs, at least to a lesser degree. — Submitted by Sally Kaltreider

Educational equality will become a reality: All K-12 students, anywhere in the country, will have access to the same high quality instruction and instructional materials that are now found in pockets of educational excellence around the country. Through online learning, they will be able to (and be expected to) visit and experience cultural, technical, and other centers and events, meet and dialogue with experts in any field imaginable, and explore career options and ways of life they may not even have known existed before. They will be able to interact with their peers from around the country, and even around the world to explore areas of common interest and develop affinity groups that can learn at their own pace. We will finally be able to tap into the tremendous promise that exists in ALL our kids. — Submitted by jmphill76

Cities will breathe easier: The most interesting opportunity that I have seen is about the reduced pollution that many cities and other areas are seeing. Maybe this is some kind of global village opportunity to do some things differently in regard to how our economic activities impact the planet. What if COVID-19 turns out to be just a metaphor so to speak for a time when we really do make this planet uninhabitable, or at least not very enjoyable. -Submitted by Jerry Smith

How humans educate their young will change: The concept and methods revolving around rote learning will change and replaced by the concept of problem solving and experiential learning. Hopefully, our kids will learn to use the brain not as a storage bin but a tool box. -Submitted by Kiu Nasseri

Mobile Palengke (wet markets) will become a fixture in The Philippines: Previously, you had to go to wet markets to buy fresh meat, fish, produce, and other perishable goods. Now, mobile wet markets have been created to meet this need and provide the opportunity for people to buy within their areas. This eliminated the need for people to be out in the streets mingling with other people from outside their area and provided opportunity to small businesses within their area to make money.-Submitted by Jobelle Parreñas

People will embrace healthy habits: As a medical student and (hopeful) future family medicine provider, my hope is that everyone experiencing this pandemic takes note of two things related to their long-term health.

First, many people are finding the time now to engage in better health practices like exercise, cooking at home with fresh foods, activities that promote mental health, connect more deeply with family and friends, etc. Perhaps this time used to be spent commuting or doing other “busy” activities, but I hope when things return to normal we continue to be committed to these things that not only promote our survival during a pandemic, but also help us to thrive as healthy human beings.

My second hope is regarding the “underlying conditions” label associated with so many deaths in this pandemic. While some underlying conditions are unavoidable and/or associated with age, many can be mitigated or treated with healthy habits. Our culture has been obsessed with fast and easy solutions to our obesity epidemic, mental health concerns, etc. and so often people believe/hope that one doctor visit or one pill is the answer. Long-term engagement in health, with the support of a thoughtful health care provider who promotes quality of life through commitment to healthy habits (including everything in moderation, like that chocolate cake!), is my vision for my future patients. I hope that through this pandemic people come to realize the importance of overall health and well-being to their survival, longevity, and happiness. — Submitted by Samantha Carson

People will spend more time getting to know their neighbors. The stay-at-home mandate has returned socializing with your neighbors to be a necessary relief. Where we once jumped in our cars to head off to work for the day, to return as the sun goes down, now I have seen a resurgence of chatting over the backyard fence, talking to neighbors who are walking by while sitting on my stoop, and hearing others’ conversations from my porch. I have become intimately involved in the landscaping and shed building of the young couple next door, and we often raise a beer together after an evening in our gardens. Maybe this will cause a return of the front porch on homes, something sorely underrated, instead of backyard porches that offer solitude but no socialization. And let’s get rid of those unfriendly privacy fences that wall us off from the rest of the world. — Janet Kahler, Columbia, S.C.

“Socially distant” will replace “social distancing”: Being “socially distant” — which is very different from “social distancing” — will become the next normal. By being ‘socially distant,’ I mean not expressing love, gratitude, sympathy, or happiness in ways that connect us as humans.

• no longer shaking hands as a common courtesy when you meet someone new
• being afraid to pass a stranger face to face on the street and acknowledge them with a smile & hello
• wary of extending a ‘high five’ as a gesture of congratulations
• cautious to hug those mourning at a funeral to extend your condolences
• reluctant to help to a person in need who has fallen or experienced sudden health related issue in public
• not reaching out with empathy to touch the hand of someone, simply to express “it will all be ok”

Is that any way to live? — Submitted by Anonymous