Will Life Ever Get Back to Normal? – Running Your Business

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When the COVID-19 pandemic first hit, many people thought life would get back to normal in a few weeks at most. While we waited, we took refuge in Netflix, watched birds, and learned to bake sourdough bread from scratch.

As the pandemic stretched on, we read books and took up hobbies such as sport betting online and spent quality time with the people we lived with.

But when the virus really took hold and the world began to feel its dire consequences, a grim reality set in. People all over the world went into lockdown for well more than a year.

Life Got Tough for Small-Business Owners

During lockdown, the pandemic was especially hard on small businesses. More than 40% of small businesses in the US had to close their doors temporarily. Some even closed for good. Many workers lost their jobs. People everywhere began to wonder if life would ever get back to normal.

Some of the businesses that best survived the lockdowns were those that took a flexible approach. For example, some pivoted toward manufacturing hand sanitizer or face masks. Retail establishments that remained open installed plexiglass shields to protect employees and set up hand sanitizing stations for customers.

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Liquor stores thrived, as did meals-to-go services such as Grub Hub and Uber Eats. Other businesses, such as online retailers, were able to take things in stride and even flourish during this time. Their new normal looked a lot like the old one, except that they were busier and even more prosperous as shoppers began ordering more and more of the things they needed from online stores.

The Real Estate Industry Got Flipped on Its Head

One of the industries most deeply affected by the coronavirus pandemic has been residential real estate. Industry watchers believe this market has been forever changed. They assert that what was once normal life for real estate agents, brokers, and their customers has probably become a thing of the past.

Mainly, this is because a mass exodus has begun. Workers are migrating from downtown areas to suburbs and even rural areas. After all, some reason, why would they want to deal with the irritants of urban living when few of the benefits remain? Many stores and shops remain closed. Theaters, museums, and restaurants operate at limited capacity.

Moreover, why wouldn’t employees choose to move now to someplace where they have always wanted to live when their employers are allowing them to work remotely for the foreseeable future?

Conversely, some people chose to relocate to urban areas when rent prices dropped as young workers fled the cities. At the time of this writing, the changes in real estate continue to unfold. Realtors and others in that industry are learning to dance with those changes.

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Life Has Changed for Both Employees and Employers

The Washington Post has reported that around a third of US workers considered changing careers during the pandemic. In fact, many have either started their own businesses or moved on to more rewarding careers.

What’s more, workers in retail and manufacturing are refusing to work the long hours for low wages they felt compelled to accept before the pandemic began. This shift in the balance of power between employee and employer has forced business owners to begin offering workers higher pay and better benefits.

Photo by Courtney Cook on Unsplash

Sport Betting and Other Pastimes Offer Relief from the Stresses of Life

As the owner of a small business, you may be finding it difficult to deal with the stresses of life today. But if you’re still waiting for life to get back to normal, don’t despair. First, be sure to take care of your health. Get plenty of rest and exercise outdoors whenever you can. But perhaps you just need a quick break from whatever has got you down at the moment. In that case, sport betting and other online gaming activities could offer all the stress relief you need.