The phrase “Life will never be the same” that became the mantra during 2020 pandemic may be true in a some extent. But if we look at it, life is always changing, Nataliya Michkovskaya writes for KP.ua.

New experiences and meetings change our lives all the time, as Elenasmodels.com happy couples know very well.

However, we must admit there were quite a few things that most people had to learn during the quarantine and obligatory self-isolation.

12 great things we’ve learned in quarantine in 2020

The silver lining of the pandemic is multifaceted. Sure, there are enough negatives, but we want to look at what experiences and knowledge we can take and use.

1. Respecting personal space

Social distancing rules made us conscious about getting too close to others. For people who don’t like strangers within their personal space, life became simpler.

2. Washing hands

Sure, most people washed their hands before this global health scare, but now we know that it might have been grossly inadequate. For instance, who used to wash hands after handling cash or touching a door handle?

3. Sanitizing gadgets

A few years ago one study discovered that there were more harmful bacteria on our gadgets than on toilet seats. At the time it was just a piece of curious news, but now we clean our smart phones and tablets with disinfecting wipes as well, which is a useful habit.

4. Forfeiting cash

The virus managed to achieve what governments were trying to happen for ages, particularly in Ukraine: People were withdrawing 2.5 times less cash than before during the quarantine. Payments for groceries by cards increased by 80%.

5.  Revival of home cooking

The overreliance on takeaway food and dining out got smashed by the closure of cafes and restaurants. Many people had to get back to cooking at home and learned some new dishes, as eating the same few stables got boring. In Ukraine, men started to help wives in the kitchen and updated their cooking skills, KP reported.

6. Planning ahead

When people started to work remotely from home, some discovered that things to do never end, while others found hard to concentrate. At the end, both categories had to learn the skill of planning and scheduling their time for both work and communication with loved ones.

7. Taking the trash out of the building

In Ukraine, many buildings offered rubbish shutes. But during the pandemic the government resolved to close these, so citizens had to walk out to the garbage bin in the street. The smell from garbage shutes inside was always a problem and many locals had been campaigning for years to get rid of them, now it finally happened, and people got used to it quickly.

8. Maintaining tidy home

Before the quarantine, people had so many things to do: Work, socialising with friends, gyms, holidays, busy weekends, and travel. Many Ukrainians were only arriving home to take a nap. They simply didn’t have time to tidy up daily. Now they finally had enough time for spring cleaning and sorting out the closets. Having fewer things to look after, it’s easier to maintain tidy surroundings.

9. Filtering information

Chronic shocking news during pandemic led to the habit to carefully screen the information we read online or see on TV. People start to realize that there are indeed fake news and they need to be mindful about sources.

10. Spending time by themselves

People have realized they actually can have fun without friends and acquaintances. People rediscovered books, watched movies and series they never for chance to see, done more jobs around the house that they could find time for in years. Others discovered online learning (or even registered on a dating site), started to study a foreign language.

11. Spending time with the family

Some families had little communication prior to quarantine. During the weeks of isolation they had no option but talk to others who live in the same home. For instance, teenage kids started talking to parents and found out they actually are able to find mutual understanding. People started to value their families and friends more.

12. Valuing simple things

The idea of “simple things of life” being the most precious had been around for ages, but it seemed too plain. Now we have learned to value the ability to go for a walk, enjoy the sun and the wind, the great outdoors, parks and recreation. Things like having a coffee in a cafe or having a manicure feel like luxuries.

We all got the ability to stop over-consuming and take a closer look at ourselves, and reset our priorities and goals.

Read also:

• What do Russians do in self-isolation?
  
• Ukraine: Top-5 skills to get during quarantine
• European governments discuss COVID passports to open travel
• Why Ukrainian women fell in love with quarantine lifestyle