(MAY 18, 2020)

By Basil Springer

STAY AT HOME: A NEW NORM? – BASIL SPRINGER COLUMN (MAY 18, 2020)

Do everything in love.” – 1 Corinthians 16:14 

Those of us who are occupied as housewives or househusbands, are retired, home-school children, have a virtual job enabled by digital technology or conduct business from home, tend to naturally manage our time in a home environment. 

On the other hand, when a “Stay-At-Home Order” is imposed by the government as an optimal solution to combat a disease pandemic, transmitted from human to human, it is a different matter.  

Parents and children are confined to the same space 24 hours per day, there is a void of external social interaction, outdoor sport is curtailed, the discipline of preparing attractive, home-cooked food becomes the order of the day, home help is restricted, exercise routines are disrupted, meetings must be held by audio and video conferencing, irritability may set in, and when you venture out to access essential services, personal hygiene must be carefully practiced, physical distancing observed and masks worn.

Also, the national borders are temporarily closed to passenger traffic to reduce the spread of the disease and prevent a second wave of infection, trade is significantly less than before COVID-19, the economy grinds to a halt, and jobs are lost. 

The recovery process, which includes gradually relaxing the “stay-at-home” protocols and opening up the borders, then becomes a balancing act between saving lives and protecting livelihoods. Because no one really knows if and when the pandemic will end and cease to be a threat to us, we must be prepared to adopt a positive mindset to address the new national “stay-at-home” norm, for as long as it is necessary. 

The secret is to use our God-given resource of 24 hours in a day to manage this new norm, while satisfying our fundamental needs of love, food, air cooling, heating, clothing, housing, sleep, exercise, electricity, money, digital equipment, internet connectivity, education and the like. Realizing a vision begins with the first step. Determine your budget e.g. eight hours’ sleep, eight hours’ work and eight hours’ personal time and community service. Here, are some cost efficient ideas. 

The recognition that God is Love is a good starting point in this management process. 

Remember that nutrition is paramount – grow what you eat and eat what you grow. Acquire a piece of black plastic, used tires, soil mix and compost and start your own food production unit. Make your own compost from organic waste. Distill your grey water, e.g. water frombaths, sinks, washing machines, using a solar still and irrigate your plants. Collect and store rainwater when in season and make a water air cooler. Heat your water with a solar water heater. Install photovoltaic panels and generate electricity from the sun’s free energy. 

Get a total of eight hours’ sleep per day by working smarter not harder. Daily walking exercise works wonders for the respiratory and cardiovascular systems. 

Generate money by starting a home enterprise of your choice rather than looking for paid employment. Ideas abound! Seek a shepherd to guide you and lead you to sources of seed, equity and working capital. Embrace smart technology. Secure reliable broadband internet connectivity, educate yourself, and communicate with the world through social media,videoconferencing and messaging apps. 

Enjoy working from home. For many, it may soon become the norm that’s not so new. 

Dr. Basil Springer GCM is a Change-Engine Consultant. His email address is  [email protected]. His columns may be found at www.nothingbeatsbusiness.com and on www.facebook.com/basilgf.