Intriguing Insights #004 Makeover or Taken-over

So at the peak of my cocoon mode, I downloaded one of those habit logging apps. While that fad didn’t last long it brought an interesting statistic to my attention. It takes 66 days to form a habit. Now that we have just reached Day #75 of our lockdown, does it mean we have a whole new repertoire of habits.

While that’s seems probable there is another reality that may also be equally true... distance makes the heart grow fonder. So are we going to yearn for those habits and rituals which were a part of our life, but have been rendered unviable on account of the quarantine... Or then again will it be out of sight out of mind?

While I debated this in my head, I decided to ask around about some of the key changes the last 75 days have brought in our schedules. Here are my observations on the same. I have put these on a continuum that I felt covered the range of our feelings towards these behaviours. I would love to hear your experiences and if they are in sync or the opposite of what I have discovered.




Me - Version 2.0

So the first stage on my continuum is that of those habits, that have a new and improved avatar. These are aspects of our life that we believe have changed for the better. They keep us positive even as we contiue to be locked in for a better part of our day.

Now while there may be more practices that find their way here. The three I have referred to are the most interesting to me.

New look

Let me start with the one in the middle, and my personal favourite. This one is specific to guys. Every now and again as we go into a video call mode there are a variety of new looks that we are exposed to. From long beards, to well groomed beards, to long locks like Amitabh Bachchan in Shahenshah, there is always something new to see. And the guys themselves are pretty pleased. They've managed to stay at home through the awkward phase of growing the beard and now are happy to flaunt their latest self-expression.

Family time

Yes, this features here... you may think you want some solitude and quiet, but this is infact one of the best things that has come out of the lockdown. From cooking together to playing board games together, suddenly family time is no longer the elusive dream of parents and children alike. Kids with working parents are suddenly experiencing a new reality that they are coming to quite enjoy. And working parents are finally able to get a view into the day of their child face to face, not just on calls and cameras.

#wfh

And that brings us to the third entrant in this category. When everyone is so happy spending time with one another, #wfh is slowly becoming less of an evil than it was way back in March 2020. Sure the meetings are truly back to back, and the network is troublesome, the set up is not conducive for working long hours, but it all seems worth it eventully.

My sobriety chip

This category is next on the continuum. This is more about letting go off compulsive habits and enjoying this new side to life.

Alcohol

Despite the long lines outside liquor stores, most of the people I spoke to were quite content with the forced control over their drinking binges. Not to mention the big bucks they were saving with all the night-outs being a thing of the past.

Groceries

Now while this may have nothing to do with sobriety, this finds its way into this category as it marks the return of the neighbourhood kirana store. And afters years of shopping online a lot of people are happy to be back doing their little bit for the local community. Their mom and pop store was after all the only one who stood by them through the last few months.

Moderation time

So more than one person having middling views on any of the three entrants here, all these rituals made their way into the centre because of how polarised the reactions to them were. Allow me to explain.

Fitness

So there were two clear groups emerging here. Group one was the fitness enthusiasts - now while they had innovated and figured a way to keep their fitness routine working, they sure as hell missed their original workout regimen, be it a gym, cycling through the city or that morning run. Now the second group who wanted to but did little about fitness pre-covid, had managed to fit some amount of home exercising into their schedule now that mornings weren’t as crazy. To them this new habit was indeed a welcome addition.

TV viewership

Here again we see one group that is binge watching content on OTTs with a vengeance to finish it all by the time they are allowed to leave their homes. The second group however is dismayed by the abrupt stopping of their favourite soap and waiting with bated breath for the return of fresh content.

News

Here I found more of an age split. The older generations is missing their morning paper even though they are up to date on news via TV and WhatsApp. The youngsters can’t seem do understand what the fuss is about as they continue to lap up their news in snackable doses hot off the oven.

Counting days

Now these are therapeutic habits that may not be so good for you but are being sorely missed.

Shopping

Though online deliveries are bringing some respite here... and this is evident from the heap of boxes one has to sift through at the gate to find your precious from all the building drops for the day (my building is only allowing drops till that point - remember the Rulers). But this is not enough... there are many who want to once again wander through the endless aisles of their favourite shopping mall and are all but gearing up to take a brave step in that direction...

Junk food

Now while some spoke about the goodness of home food... everyone is yearning for their favourite junk food be it a pizza, burger or just anything else that is not available today. Sure they’ve all experimented with the home version of these sinful goodies but that just hasn’t cut the ice.

Let me at it!!!

This is the end of the spectrum. While most are pushing themselves to continue on with these new set of rituals... no amount of repetition is going to make these into habits...

Bai @ home

No friend, family member, work colleague is being missed as much as the bai. Sure to most she is a part of the family, but at this time the reasons are more selfish. While a stray person here and there spoke of their now spotless house. The rest of the large majority can’t wait for the day they get a hand with the household chores.

Salon visits

And here again we see why men are from Mars, women are from Venus. I spoke to you about men and their new looks, but women on the other hand can’t wait to get to a salon. No it’s not just for vanity but some time to herself, some pampering, some TLC.

So that completes my observations on which habits we are going to create or change while locked in... How much of a makeover we are going to get and how our longing for something is going to take us over.