Looking into the future, and what to expect.

Since the novel coronavirus became classified by the World Health Organization as a global pandemic, our lives as a society has drastically changed. Mass gatherings have become a thing of the past for now and the foreseeable future.

In only a month, theatre shows have been suspended (with the biggest theatre districts, like Broadway and West End, temporarily shuttered until June), concerts cancelled, malls and cinemas closed. Everyone—from A-list celebrities to the commonfolk—have been ordered to stay at home.

With Luzon under the extended enhanced community quarantine until April 30, it’s still unsure whether that will be further extended. Whatever the case, even if the lockdown orders are lifted, it will still take a while for us to return to our old rituals, or our “old normal.”

Even so, here’s what we can expect in the months to come, focusing on our habits and our values as employees.

With many employees working from home, we first had to get used to not going to another place in the morning. In the Philippines, we’ve no longer had to face EDSA traffic, or C5 traffic; no longer had to deal with the long lines at the train stations during rush hour. Wherever you may be, it may be the same scenario: No need to get up early and commute or drive to work. Since the start of the lockdown, we would get up and start working—preparing our physical appearance optional.

At first, it probably took some time getting used to. Unless you’ve been working from home even before the COVID-19 lockdowns, it’s a big adjustment. If you were a people person at the office, you’re probably having a hard time not seeing your coworkers or officemates that you’ve come to think of as friends and family.

It also probably took some time getting used to resisting the temptation to go back to bed and just sleep or take a nap. Or worse, working in bed! But we’ve had to make our own spaces at home work, whether that means jazzing up our work desk or actually setting a schedule and sticking to it so that you don’t unnecessarily go overtime in the comfort of your own home.

By now, you’ve probably gotten used to it; you’ve probably formed a habit already. Maybe your schedule looks something like, you take your coffee at 9 a.m., check your e-mails after, then go to virtual meetings throughout the day.

If things still haven’t settled down by the second half of the year, Christmases may look different. It might not be as easy to book a flight back home to the Philippines. Maybe family reunions will soon start taking place virtually. But whatever the case, looking into the future, if things settle down, if scientists find a cure, if the curve finally gets flattened, then we’ll have to get used to going back to the daily grind. But it may not be easy. We’ll have to recalibrate and take a step back, think about what really matters and what’s important, and perhaps never return to our old selves, but settle into a new one that we’ve found ourselves in.