‘What habits did you pick up in lockdown that you can’t shift?’ – 21 ways people changed forever during the pandemic

This time six years ago we were blissfully unaware of the existence of Covid and were preparing for Christmas 2019 with absolute no inkling of the world-changing things that were going to happen to us all in 2020.

The pandemic is starting to feel like a long time ago now, but there are many ways in which it is still playing out, not least for the people who are unfortunately suffering from Long Covid.

Ripples are being felt in smaller ways too, which they’ve been chatting about on the AskUK forum after The-Baron-Von-Marlon asked this:

What habits did you pick up in lockdown that you can’t shift? I’ve got three that come to mind:

– I still get a buzz from a big supermarket shop

– I’m obsessive about cleaning the inside of my car, this only started during lockdown, must’ve been an anxiety thing

– When I’m at the football and my phone buzzes I always think it means there’s about to be a goal (this one is insane but I know the guys who sit around me are the same),’

And lots of others chipped in with the routines and tendencies they can’t shake either, like these…

1.

‘Three main ones for me:

– I wear make up far less than I did in 2019.

– I can no longer tolerate an underwire bra for longer than a few hours.

– I feel less need to be BUSY all the time. In fact, if I have a run of weeks (like I am at the moment) where I am constantly on the go, it pisses me off.’
–Usual-Sound-2962

2.

‘I don’t want anyone to come within 2m of me. Stay back with your germs!’
–Officer_Cat_Fancy_

3.

‘Almost of my clothes are now either baggy or stretchy or both. All of my shoes are flat. I wear make up so rarely I’ve forgotten how to use it properly. I have about three nicer outfits when they’re actually needed but wearing them really sucks.

Why the hell are we forcing ourselves into uncomfortable clothes and shoes still in day-to-day life?’
–CreativismUK

4.

‘I always wash my hands when I get home. I got a new housemate during lockdown who worked at the local children’s hospital, and he’s diligent about hands washing (as you would hope). I now have to wash my hands as soon as I get back home, or they just feel filthy.’
–clockworkpurple

5.

‘Dirty looks at people hacking and spluttering near me on public transport.’
–Frosty_Manager_1035

6.

‘I *need* to prebook things before I go. Restaurants and days out, etc. I panic that if I don’t prebook, we’re going to show up and they’ll be at capacity.’
–Cumulus-Crafts

7.

‘I’m basically a hobbit now. All I crave is a warm fire, good food and a book.’
–soverytiiiired

8.

‘Not necessarily a habit but a benefit I guess.

I have Endometriosis, so often had days or weeks at work I’d be close to fainting and/or tears, gripping my desk hard to ride out extreme waves of pain rippling through me. Bloated, nauseous and massively uncomfortable in my office wear trying to look and act normal through the agony. Mortified about how often I’d have to run to the toilet and whether people were counting how many times I’d been.

I’ve now been working from home for almost six years and on days like that, I can make myself as comfortable as possible by wearing loose fitting, comfy pyjamas and my big heat pack strapped around my waist for the pain. I can curl up to contort my body into whatever way feels comfy in my desk chair without having to worry about ‘looking normal’ or making small talk in that state.

Basically I can crack on with my job so much better on my bad days than I ever could before. Home work for chronically ill people should be a given if it’s possible – I feel you could get the best out of people and open up opportunities they may have never had.’
–pineapplesuite

9.

‘Hand sanitising, don’t think I ever bought hand sanitiser before the pandemic. And cleaning down my airplane seat screen and anything I touch on the plane. For an extra S&M touch I snap on a pair in black or blue disposable latex gloves to do so. Yeah I’m that person you pass in business class on the way to your seat thinking ‘get a load of this fukin guy’. Seriously plane seats are gross.’
–Adventurous-Rub7636

10.

‘There was one massive positive which came out of COVID lockdown for me – I learned to cut my own hair. Must have saved myself a small fortune in last five years.’
–Low-Captain1721

11.

‘I just love anticipating a big shopping delivery. Sad, I know.’
–Vampirero