Work, life and balancing it all during coronavirus | A New Normal

There has been massive upheaval in the world of work over the past four months with coronavirus lockdowns, furlough schemes and redundancy. What can we learn going forward? In this episode of A New Normal, Iman Amrani speaks to Guardian readers about travelling less, dealing with childcare, what working from home is really like, and how they're feeling about a changed workplace.

The Guardian YouTube network:

[ellenc]

One point that was not mentioned I would have loved to hear about is the disparity between people working an "office job" and people who cannot work from home, such as people in the hospitality industry or in any industry that often does not allow for working from home. I went to university and many of my friends can work from home. However, I also have other friends who work "less skilled" jobs and cannot work from home. It's really hard for me to see myself just working from home while many of my friends have lost their jobs and still have not found a new one. It feels unfair

[Maunakea]

We’re not working from home. We’re living at work.

[DarkWolf]

Great video Iman! I've been fortunate to be able to work from home throughout lockdown to shield family members. In between the productivity boost, reduced distractions, cutting out the daily commute, extra free time and better mental health generally, I can't imagine returning to office life as it was before. The video clearly shows that this is not the case for many others. I deeply hope that we meet a middle ground and employers provide more flexibility in the future, although I suspect many will simply double-down to get bums on seats again. I think that the way employers handled covid will be an important factor for future employment prospects.

[williebeamish]

I am so tired of hearing "new normal" this and "new normal" that. NO! Absolutely NOTHING about this is "normal" And I will not use that phrase. It's "abnormal". All of it.

[martinpstevens]

Thanks for this video series Iman. I’m one of those who had to WFH whilst living along, which has been pretty horrendous the past 7 months. From self-medicating with alcohol to being professionally medicated with antidepressants, it’s something I pray I never have to repeat. Thankfully my office reopens this week and I get to have some face to face contact at long last.

[dromoda]

Love watching ur series, Iman! From India.

[Haobey]

At least the wrong number call meant you pronounced Micah correctly with the real guest. Silver linings and all that.

[chilldude]

The office has perks and I do miss many things. But, the pace of my life has slowed down and I don't ever want to go back to the pace it was before.

[Bar_Steward]

step 1, turn off TV. step 2 go about your day as usual.

[UKgamer]

I think personally I've seen during this pandemic how disposable we all are, according to our government. I think I'm going to try to move to germany in the next year or so.

[sneakers_guy]

Really enjoyed these New Normal vids Iman 👍

[aliakba]

I like to balance you and your draws that will be our normal

[BlackRose-viyg]

Tbh working from home or at work it's not that big a deal. Yes it was a change of routine but why do the guardian always make freakin big deal of everything. Because!! If you don't want to catch the f××kin virus you don't have much choice but to work from home if you can

[Agnsticus]

If you want a stabil connection, GET A CABLE, easy as that! :P

[ladyoflimerick]

White working class people anyone?
Nah.. it's the Guardian.

[Kenneynrg]

"Oh, Western freedom-loving “left-wing” thinkers! Oh, left-wing laborists! Oh, American, German and French progressive students! All of this is still not enough for you. The whole book has been useless for you. You will understand everything immediately, when you yourself — "hands behind the back"—toddle into our Archipelago."
~A. Solzhenitsyn, The Gulag Archipelago

[gypsyjr]

It is the lock downs that are the problem, not COVID. COVID has never approached the mortality rate of Hong Kong and several bird flu strains we've seen over the past 50 years. But the lock downs and distancing have left the general population without sufficient antibodies to COVID to help keep it from cycling through at full strength. The government is responsible for the impact of COVID, not the flu itself.