One thing that comes to mind when thinking about the life post-pandemic is what are the things that we shall do after we are free from the lockdown, a time a life….where we would move freely…without using the term social-distancing or applying it to our lives, not wearing the masks and constantly rubbing our palms with sanitizers and a sneeze would not fill out hearts with panic.
Aaah…
These seem like ideal days or we can say days we look forward to…certain things are already hovering over minds which plan to do once we get rid of this contagious COVID-19 and these days of isolation and social-distancing just are the spots in our memories.
Well some of us are looking forward to small and basic bounties of life that maybe we dint acknowledged or felt thankful for while we had it. As Boris Yeltsin said in 2003, “We don’t appreciate what we have until it’s gone. Freedom is like that. It’s like air. When you have it, you don’t notice it.”
So what are the basic things people looking forward to most, post-pandemic?
From getting haircuts and beauty treatments to enjoy live music, restaurants, get together and events… social media analysis shows what people are most looking forward to doing after lockdown.
Living through the latest lockdown, citizens are starting to realize what they are missing and how important in life “NORMALCY” is and how not having the routine, it affects our functioning and wellbeing of our emotional and physiological needs.
If we apply artificial and human intelligence, social media, and watts-app conversations around the topic of COVID-19 and we can easily analyze what people are missing the most and what is that they are looking forward to once the lockdown ends.
People have their set wish-lists and priorities of things that they are looking forward to, like hanging out with friends and meeting family are top amongst the list, but apart from just fulfilling our social cravings some important things also needs to be done that we have realized that how important they are during this pandemic lockdown.
This situation has also helped us realize that there are few things some very big loopholes in our system and also opened our eyes to a proverb that is “every crisis has a silver lining” or “every problem is a birth of an opportunity”.
We have figured out Seven (7) things that you need to do post COVID-19…to stay updated and informed regarding what is happening around the world and in Pakistan.
E-Databases
The present pandemic has exposed the importance of having the databases present digitally, it has opened the whole new Pandora box and shown us the implication of not having E-Databases. As we saw that once the lockdown was implemented the fact of the matter is that we do not know the facts. Pakistan has remained a ‘data-less’ society for 72 years. Our digitally-challenged bureaucracy has kept Pakistan bogged down in the form of forms and files, on photocopies and affidavits, and signatures and stamps. In simple words, we are digitally unprepared to cope with the current crisis and for creating a better future. Pakistan thus has a stark choice. Make radical changes to its governance and processes or simply be forgotten by history.
Pakistan needs to desperately realize the need to help and make things better for its ordinary and forgotten citizens. It has mustered enough funds and good intentions both being necessary but not enough. The reason is simple, the Pakistani system does not know who its ordinary people are, what their names are, where they live, and what they do. Not only that, but it also has no record of the existence of its 60 million unregistered children. It does not know who and where its 25 million out-of-school children are. It does not know who, how many and where its homeless, unemployed, daily-wagers, plumbers, street vendors, masons, janitors, bus drivers, housemaids, cashiers, street children are, besides a host of other individuals who need support because they cannot work from home. Pakistan needs to digitize all aspects of its governance and to downsize its dysfunctional bureaucracy.
Acquire Soft skills
The quarantine and lockdown have ensured that to move forward in the present market scenario one needs to constantly update their soft skills. These skills help you remain and maintain relevance to the job market as you have more to offer than others which provide you with a competitive edge over others in the playing field.
Once this ends there would be another epidemic that shall be “economic emergency” since the world is going to face serious economic crisis, as the business would not be having much stronger consumer markets hence the production of goods and services shall not be required in a volume as before. So you need to stand out of the crowd and bring added value to your package which you bring to the company you are hired.
Digitization of Businesses
This pandemic and lockdown have made us realize that every business needs to have a presence both online and offline. No business at this age cannot survive just having a presence on one platform (either offline or online). The business needs to ensure that it has active outlets both online and offline. Online means social media, website, third-party platforms, offline means, physical outlets, small stores in malls, and kiosks where need be. The brands need to use effective marketing and public relations tactics once the lockdown ends. For brands which are looking to reconnect with consumers, it is going to be about demonstrating the value of the brand experience.
Get Insured
One thing that we have learned during this time, it’s that life is unpredictable, it’s full of surprises and risks which are known-unknown. Some risks are also associated with other risks that are materialized when a certain situation occurs.
So to relieve yourself from added stress and tension, transfer your risk to the insurance provider. There are multiple insurance plans available to help you out under any circumstances, for instance, there is a health insurance plan for any unforeseen health emergency, term-life insurance that shall provide a lump-sum cash benefit to your family in case of accidental or natural death, hospital cash plan that protects your pocket in case of hospitalization as daily cash benefit is provided if you are admitted to the hospital, personal accidental plan in case of accidental death starting from as low as PKR399/- only and many other plans, all these buffets of insurance plan is available at Smartchoice.pk with exclusive product adviser for each plan that would guide yours throughout the process making your journey easy and hassle-free.
You can also avail customized corporate plans which ensure maximum coverage in minimum price also from Smartchoice.pk just login to www.smartchoice.pk and Get set to insure!
Bring Innovation to the table…
As we mentioned before “every crisis open’s doors for a new opportunity” the important part is to realize and analyze where should we nail in next. For instance, many small and medium businesses have closed during the pandemic never to open again, but at the same time, many other businesses have sprung to life.
So, as it is very said in Urdu “zarurat ijaad ki maa hai” which means “necessity is the mother of all inventions” it is important to remember that you remain innovative and creative and figure new ideas and business models that can be implemented post-COVID-19. There is always room for good and viable business ideas that can comprehend the needs and requirements of society dynamically and are according to the present order of society.
As a human, we know that even in the most broken situation, there are individuals who come up with great big business and I am certain we will see that when the dust clears.
Set-Up Savings Account!
Unfortunately, sometimes we learn the hard way that… “Something should always be kept aside for rainy season”.
Well, to be thankful it’s in our genes to save some and spend some, but the millennial have not been sticking to the age-old tradition of practicing such thing. This epidemic has taught us that “old is gold” well it means that whatever our ancestors, father, and fore-fathers have taught is correct. We should save money for our dreary days, when there is no sunshine and it’s all sad and gloomy you have enough money to put food on the table for a considerable amount of time.
So, keeping the current scenario in perspective many people don’t save keeping the money at home can and should open up a savings account to save money, set a % from your income that you should put in your savings account every month diligently and dedicatedly.
Putting away a fixed income would help you in saving up money not for just an emergency but also for any endeavor that you make want to undertake as an individual or with the family if you have a certain amount set aside it can help more than once. Even if God forbid! You encounter another situation like COVID-19 you would be able to cope up with the situation.
Be-Prepared…
If we have not learned anything from this epidemic, we have learned this one thing is that as a human being, professional, business owner, students, house-wife anyone being in any walk of life or any stage of life, you just need to make this your “MANTRA” from now onwards is “TO BE PREPARED FOR ANYTHING”.
COVID-19 has affected everyone in a different capacity and different manner but has taught multiple things that we shall carry with us for the rest of our lives and would be a story to share with our future generations to come.
So aforementioned is are some of the most appropriate things that we should do and adopt and consider once we overcome this situation and the lockdown. These things will help us gear up for the future and anything that comes our way!
