Life after lockdown: the new social normality
Did you know that Americans are spending 16% less time outside the home compared to pre-pandemic levels? This remarkable statistic isn’t just a passing phenomenon – it’s part of a fundamental shift in the way we live and engage socially in the post-pandemic world.
The way we interact with each other and spend our time has changed dramatically since 2020. For us in particular, this change has raised new questions about what is ‘normal’ when it comes to socialising. Do you feel guilty because you prefer to stay at home? Do you wonder if your changed social habits are healthy? You are not alone, and more importantly, you are part of a larger social trend.
This article answers the following questions:
- How have social patterns changed since the pandemic?
- Why are these changes more than just temporary adjustments?
- What does a healthy social life look like in the new reality?
Understanding the new social normal
The “new social normal” is not just about working from home or avoiding face-to-face encounters. It’s about a fundamental restructuring of the way we spend our time and energy, especially when it comes to social interactions. Recent research from the American Time Use Survey shows that even after the lifting of pandemic restrictions, people’s behaviour has not returned to pre-2020 patterns – and this serves the interests of big tech companies such as Alphabet (Google), Amazon, Apple, Meta Platforms (formerly Facebook) and Microsoft. This change is not happening in isolation. It is part of a trend that was already emerging before COVID-19: younger generations are increasingly replacing real communication with virtual communication. The pandemic has accelerated this development to an absurd degree. We therefore need to realise what meaningful social relationships really mean.
The five key patterns that reshape social life
- New “domesticity
The data is clear: we’re spending more time at home, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Compared to 2019, Americans now spend an average of one hour more per day at home. This shift limits opportunities for meaningful connections and personal growth.
Living in your own four walls means that you become a recluse unless gatherings at home, professional contacts or social events enable deeper connections with friends.
- Quality over quantity in social interactions
Data shows a 17 per cent drop in casual socialising since the end of the pandemic. This means we are less connected – not in terms of the number of social interactions, but the quality of our relationships. In particular, we need deeper conversations and real relationships rather than superficial digital connections.
- Balancing the virtual and real world
With screen time increasing during the pandemic, a more sophisticated approach to digital connectedness is becoming increasingly important. We need to get better at using technology to complement, rather than replace, face-to-face contact.
The key is probably to understand when digital connections are useful to us and when they are not. Video calls to catch up with distant friends, messaging for quick check-ins and face-to-face meetings for deeper conversations – each type of communication has its place in our social toolbox.
- New time management
The pandemic has not only changed where we spend our time, but also how we understand ‘time’ itself. Statistically, we spend 16 more minutes a day in bed and less time commuting. This should create new opportunities for socialising instead of more solitude.
We have to learn to structure our time in a way that fulfils both our need for social contact and our need for personal space. Instead of just virtual game nights with friends, coffee dates or me-time should also be part of our daily routine.
- New social boundaries
Perhaps the most important change is the normalisation of clear social boundaries. It has become easier to cancel social commitments.
However, if this is not to be a disadvantage, it must be about not becoming socially inconsiderate, but about being more authentic in our social interactions. After all, it’s actually good to rethink our social habits and make decisions based on genuine preferences rather than just obligations.
What happens next?
Today, we need new ways to maintain meaningful relationships and at the same time fulfil our own needs for peace, reflection and personal space.
- Our changing social preferences are part of a neoliberal social transformation.
- It represents the number of virtual interactions over interconnectedness.
- Withdrawal quickly turns into loneliness.
- A balance between virtual and real connection is crucial.
It’s impossible to force back the patterns from before the pandemic. But it’s about recognising the need for social relationships outside of a ‘metaverse’ and finding ways to stay connected that feel authentic to you.
Spending time at home and socialising away from home cannot be replaced by virtual contact – your choices need to be in line with your values, not social media acceptance.