After COVID-19 evaporates and is a thing of the past, how will we navigate the new normal? Many may feel less is more. Americans lived large before COVID-19, spending beyond their means, dining out, purchasing new cars and soft goods and spending on fuel, travel, and luxury brands.

As the new normal sets in, local business owners may begin to realize a big office isn’t necessary, me included. As I work alone in my office, I realize my employees can work from their kitchens and bedrooms. From home, my staff has been nailing it. We Zoom three times weekly, we chat daily, and we have become internet heroes during the lockdown. It feels like we haven’t missed a beat.

On the other hand, I love my office—especially when I have it to myself. Alone, I look around and realize how much I enjoy the space. I have turned my 1,200 square foot open-air office into a make-shift apartment. I have a 60-inch Smart TV where I watch the local updates regarding COVID-19 and do online GLO.com yoga classes. I have my paddleboard and bike in one office. During lunch it is easy to sneak in an extra workout. I crank up the Sonos and do 40 squats, stretch, bend snap and repeat. It is a great way to bring up the energy level of my workday.

I filled the refrigerator with my favorite beverages, meals and snacks. I purchased new dishes and cloth napkins. It is my secret getaway. I spend 50 hours here weekly by myself. I wonder how it will feel to have employees here sharing my apartment. I will have to get a storage space.

My husband tells our friends and family how well we get along in quarantine. I laugh to myself when I hear him brag about our relationship. I think to myself, nothing has changed for him-- the secret to our relationship during quarantine is my sunny little apartment. Yes, I am grateful for my clients and all the support I have received during this crazy crisis. And I am lucky to have this business 25 years strong. I am also really lucky to have a supportive husband who doesn’t mind when I make fun of him. But it’s my secret get-away that lets me feel renewed.

Will Coronavirus Drive Permanent Shifts in Shopping Behavior?