How do you think life will change in the future?

[rosebb1]

Lots of people saying that life won't be the same again, things will change, won't go back to normal...ever? Please could you explain why you think that?

I must be very naive as I was thinking that once this is over in...6/12 months or whatever it will be, things would return to how they were before this...?

I think a recession looks almost certain, and I think it’s going to make the 2008 one look like a walk in the park (one metre apart and only once a day.)

I’m not a doom and gloom for-sayer but I do wonder if there might be riots etc.

I think it's an interesting study of working patterns. A lot of educational resources have been made free and a lot more parents are seeing what it takes to educate and engage with their children. A lot more work/education can be done from home than employers would like to have us think. I'm also interested to see what it does to behaviour patterns afterwards when people realise they can survive without takeaway coffees every day.

Businesses that employed large numbers will go under leading to recession, empty housing, drop in pensions etc. Many will restructure to continue with remote workers once the infrastructure is perfected, but they might outsource to workers in cheaper countries. In the worst case scenario population decreases will be significant (but hopefully not if we can follow the guidelines). Perhaps something like a winter of discontent (3 day weeks etc) whole things recover.

More people will want to work in education or the nhs rather than zero contract hours jobs.

It will have broken everyday habits such as daily takeaway coffees etc which many or many not be re-establish. Good habits may endure for some people such as daily walks.

Given the amount of National debt we are putting on, a bit more austerity is needed. But thanks to the last period of austerity, we are able to stay solvent and manage this crisis.

Flexible working hours as championed by mother pukka May finally become a reality (trying to be optimistic)

Big demand for holidays in 2021 - a lot of moaning as people priced out of market

Amazing sales in June, July if restrictions lifted as retailers get rid of stock

Increased home cooking

I think people may relish their opportunity for a takeaway coffee even more! There maybe a 'you only live once' mentality. I would love to think society might change and become less consumerist but realistically I don't think it will.

It will be the same probably with a bounce in spending. Whether we could actually do things a bit differently and better is another thing.

Companies that have been very resistant to staff working from home probably due to a bums on seats petty untrusting attitude will have been dragged kicking and screaming into 21st century. Staff will be unwilling to revert to being chained to their office chair and employers will have to accept remote working as an expectation if they want to attract good staff.

We will have accepted that life without all the brands and products we readily consume wont make the world implode and hopefully rail against excessive consumerism and be content with a simpler way of life where the freedom to walk around without fear of catching an infection is the best gift of all.

Companies more willing to let people work from home - DH is currently spared his horrendous commute and still being productive. If employees came in one or two days a week, the net saving on office space would be huge.

People might be more aware of what actually makes them happy. I'm really enjoying gardening at the moment - I always like it but often feel rushed whereas now I can take my time a bit more.

And yes, I'm expecting a horrible recession.

Less air travel. Significant increase in taxes. Remote working becomes mainstream. Employment in Public sector becomes increasingly more popular. More focus on education and health services. Return of Big Government.

I think people will forget quickly and go back to old habits.
The economy will take a hit.

Appreciation of the basic freedoms that we all took for granted and a realisation that we don’t need excessive consumerism.

I hope we will carry on the paper-reduced method of working. Doing things remotely has made my company change antiquated practices very quickly. I really hope we don’t go back, and can continue to homework.

There's things I hope will happen. The community spirit and supporting others will continue.
More people working from home.
People shopping based on how staff are treated, many of us shop eco, I fully intend to boycott places who have abandoned their staff.

I do think we'll end up more hedonistic with a roaring 20s as people think life's too short and prioritize themselves.
I hope I'm proven wrong

I anticipate an unprecedented global financial crisis which could lead to a post WWII mentality of building a more equitable society, or (more likely, given who’s in charge) much, much starker inequality. No idea whether we will have an NHS in 5 years’ time. I expect a huge rise in mental health conditions such as social phobia, germ phobia, agoraphobia. People much less able and/or willing to spend £ on luxuries. More working from home. Fewer gym memberships. This will have a huge psychological effect on children and teenagers - I can’t begin to predict what that will be but my nearly 3-year-old already thinks staying safe requires being at home, and is scared even to go in the garden.

Positives: much, much, much more respect for cleaners, waste disposal workers, carers, delivery drivers, supermarket workers, farmers.

An emphasis on sensors for buttons/flushes/doors. On trains/buses/shops/pedestrian crossings etc so we don’t have to go around touching the same concentrated hotspots of cross infection.

Also even less use of cash in favour of waving a debit card.

And people will have stocks of face masks/hand gel/ toilet paper because they will remember what it was like not to be able to get them. Prep for pandemics when we aren’t in one will not be seen as a weird niche thing to do.

I’d like to think that debt fuelled lifestyles will go. I’ve never been one for overstretching myself which makes my recent redundancy more manageable.

I know other people who have lost their jobs who have new (expensive such as Audis) cars on finance, have been paying for several holidays a year on credit cards, no savings. These are people who earn 25-30k a year, so have been living a life beyond their means, funded by credit. Not all their fault as they’ve been swayed by adverts and the keeping up with Jones’s mentality. However they will struggle if the jobs market doesn’t go back to normal in a few months and it may mean that a living within your means lifestyle becomes more acceptable again.