We humans are a creature of habit. And the worldwide curfews amid the outbreak of coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic have certainly forced us to introspect, change and even solidify our habits. Good or Bad, that’s subjective and depends upon individual circumstances and choices.
Still, here are a few habits that people are forming in their daily lives. If capitalised properly, by enterprising minds, these habits may make millions as the world recovers from the greatest shutdown in the modern history.
Content & Media Consumption
People are reading more books than ever! And are consuming even more videos. Social media is also way more active now that people have nowhere to go, nothing to do other than fidgeting around on their gadgets.
But, it will all go down once people start returning to their busy lives. And resume their old 9 to 5 jobs, wasting time commuting and coming home too tired to consume anything.
Not exactly and certainly not completely!
First, this is not an isolated event with any geographic or demographic limitations instead it is an “Isolation Event”. An event that has forced billions(yes with a B) to stay at home.
Most of the people will consume unfathomable amounts of content even if it is informative or self-improving in nature. A considerable portion of these people, if not the majority, will be first time content consumers. They will become a mainstay even after the withdrawal of the curfews and lockdowns of the world.
Such a huge wave of content consumption in India was last seen after the launch of Reliance Jio, a newbie at that time but the current leader in the Indian telecom industry. It democratized data prices forcing the entire industry bow down and provide India with the cheapest internet in the entire world.
Thanks to Jio, there is a whole new breed of youtubers, producing vernacular content in 100s of languages bringing an even greater number of non-english speaking communities online, many of them for the very first time!
I believe the same will happen again and those who get hooked to the screen in these tough times will become addicted. And they will keep consuming thus creating a very promising opportunity for content creators and media businesses to capture.
Fitness & Healthy Eating
Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, WhatsApp, wherever you go you will find a #FitnessChallenge going on. And it is being as viral as the virus itself! (no mockery of the hard situations intended)
People are cooking more meals in their own kitchens than the otherwise busy lives allowed them pre-corona. Not just that, they are also trying healthier options shunning the regular high fat, high calorie ones in the usual, cultural cuisines.
Do you really expect people to go back to their unhealthy, inactive schedules once everything starts to become normal?
I don’t think so. Infact, I think the majority of people that choose their health in the wake of the pandemic will continue to choose living healthy even after the coronavirus is long gone.
So, in my opinion, people will line up for gym memberships as impatiently as they lined up for groceries and other essentials in the supermarkets around the world!
Okay! It may not be as rosy a future for gym owners. Still, sale of gym memberships, gym equipments, healthy/organic foods and ingredients, etc must be high enough for smart businessmen to capitalize the trend.
Meditation & Mental Health
I don’t remember any other period in my adult, post-school life where I had this much time at hand as the current COVID-19 scare has provided me with.
Even after days of wasting time(the only gift this virus unleashed) I, along with millions of other people will introspect and implore the past, the present and the beautiful future that lies ahead.
People will incorporate good habits, calmness and mindfulness in their daily lives thereby bringing simplicity, stillness and happiness not only for self but for all their loved ones.
So, Yoga schools, meditation clubs, events and places where people will be able to spend quality time with their loved ones must present huge financial opportunities.
After such a long time in the confines of their homes, people must yearn to explore outside. This will make domestic tourism business a great income source!
International tourism on the other hand will be sluggish atleast for an year or two. And as per my personal opinion, even longer if the governments of the world don’t loosen up.
Green & Eco-friendly Products
I ventured out sneakingly amid the lockdown(imposed by our very capable government) in the guise of buying a few grocery items(that I actually bought).
What I witnessed was a utopian dream come true!
The standstill, noiseless roads, the cool surroundings(relative to last year and years before that), breathable and fresh air(though I had a nasty mask on), it felt awesome and the lockdown seemed justified even with the economic repercussions.
All this led me to think why can’t such an environment be permanent, obviously without hurting the economy any further. Only one thing came to my mind, electric vehicles and shared living. And I pledged that I will strictly implore greener options to fulfill my material needs if I want to keep the positive natural changes intact.
The whole world is already convinced about the inevitable rise of electric vehicle adoption among the masses. And people are already choosing sustainable products made out of natural materials like bamboo, jute and recycled waste.
So, the 2020s will be a decade, we choose to be greener and adopt eco-friendly and sustainable practices and products. The business opportunity is massive and the potential immense to convert our race’s biggest behavioral change into millions in profit!
Preventive Healthcare & Cleanliness
I would never have thought in my faintest dreams that I will ever witness people fighting over toilet paper and hand sanitisers!
But now that I have seen such madness what can I say other than saying what it is? It is fear. Fear of the unknown, the invisible, untouchable and powerful… really powerful.
Coronavirus is a cleanliness OCD sufferer’s biggest fear come true! And it has polarized millions across the globe to be more aware. Not only about their own personal hygiene but also about the cleanliness of their domestic and public spaces.
So, I don’t think people will go back to their old habits of sneezing, coughing and not cleaning their hands!
And the masks, I am pretty sure that designers will find innovative ways to turn them into fashion accessories of the future. (as they did with the total perception change about corrective eyeglasses)
You can easily capitalize the trend by setting up e-commerce stores online and sell preventive healthcare products, cleaning supplies and even ayurvedic/herbal products.
Conclusion
Apart from all this, one can just close their eyes and invest in the equity markets of choice and get assured long term profits.
In my opinion, this is not a mere correction! The recession has been due for many years now and it is a big one by any definition!
I hope you enjoyed the article.
Have your own observations about the changes coronavirus will leave our daily lives with? Please share them in the comments section below.
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