Confessions: Living the new normal

• This is a part of a confessions series, where copywriters pour their hearts out on how the outbreak of coronavirus has affected their daily routines, the good, bad, ugly sides of working while you are house arrested and if it is at all possible for copywriters to balance work and personal life.
• As an advertiser, it is a key part of your job to find out what consumers desire. In today’s column, Krishnakant Mishra, Branded Content Lead, Ogilvy Mumbai, tries to look inside and answer what he desires instead.

I wake up. I walk straight to the balcony. I look down. I want to go out for a run, but I don’t want to run out of life. I look up. I start to ‘stand & walk’, a phenomenon that once significantly contributed to my laziness efficiency index, is now an effective utility and chore.

They say everything distant is now visibly clear. Well, for concrete jungles, any distant’s distance ensures everything is always visibly clear. A friend still argues, "C’mon, the minutest in that distant is now clearly visible”. I justify his observation as a ‘F.O.M.O. reaction to a trend’.

I’ve mastered the art of brisk cleaning the house. The first day was a grand display of commitment but lacked pace. Progressively, there is pace, but complacency leaves multiple corners offended. Just how humans perceive hobbies!

Post all the biological needs-deeds and upper body groomed (full-length trousers and shoes are doomed), I’d drive from the bedroom to the living room. Laptop, check. Coffee, check. Router’s blinking lights, check. My background in the webcam, check.

Every day I see my face, I realise I have a trimmer. But I don’t really trust my own reflexes. Appearances are often deceptive. Currently, mine is apprehensive.

As I begin work interactions, I notice a journey from Day 1 to Day Now.

When it began, virtual team meetings resonated with the inspiring ‘nothing can stop us’ rhythm. But, consistently looking at and listening to each other’s digitised self is resonating with the traits of a long-distance relationship. The pros and cons of crisp and limited interaction. Don’t worry! We’ve worked this out. After all, absence makes the heart grow fonder!

We’ve moved from multiple individuals in one meeting room to multiple ecosystems in one virtual meeting room. The ecosystem that comprises our homes, our loved ones. And no matter what, this ecosystem also contributes to our efficiency. They’ve kept us safe and enabled our functional best. I like waving ‘Hi’ or ‘Namaste’ to our occasional surprise guests that catalyse lighter moments.

Meetings are now more precise. There is never a side conversation or whisper (unless someone’s text-bitching). The ones who’d overpower discussions with their strong vocal cords now feel numb.

There are quick breaks which are mundane: walk to the balcony - get upset looking at guys walk-chilling without a reason - rush back for the next commitment.

Meanwhile, there’s a sudden sprain in my neck as it bows down to Lord internet, more than it ever did! Every notification on our mobile screen has become relevant. Honestly, if at all the internet felt like a god, it is today!

Though, I sincerely hope it could auto-trash out a supposed fact based on human gut feelings that travels the world as a real fact.
By dusk, my spinal cord was never so erect, butt never so flat.

It’s a wrap, professionally. It’s dawn, personally.

By evening, a couple of friends and family’s “Kaise ho?” would pop up!

I like how “Kahan ho?” has lost all relevance.

In normal circumstances, we socialise across meeting rooms, corridors, restaurants, bars, cafes, parks, our homes, et cetera. Now, we socialise on a video call. We’d be static or sitting upright on professional ones, moving or lying down on personal ones, switching off video mode on disinterested ones. I like how simple and easy this is!

I sense that I never had so much free time. Like the ‘me’ time I always craved for. Though, I have a new filter now. I want this ‘me’ time to be in normal times.

The world’s suffering and fighting like never before. Every single second, every single element in my vicinity reminds me to be alert. The deserted roads alert me to be home. The stocked-up kitchen alerts to be used efficiently. The notifications out of multiple gadgets alert to practice safety. Family, friends alert to be alert.

This ain’t holiday. This ain’t calm. This ain’t unwind. This ain’t ‘me’ time.

In fact, I was never more alert than I am today. To earn back our normal times, we all have to be!

As advertisers, we constantly contemplate a consumer’s desire.

In these times, I ask myself, what do I desire?

Well,
I want to see the world heal.
I want to thank and pray for the safety of all the frontline warriors.
I want us to be vigilant and not burden the system and its efforts.
I want nobody to sleep hungry.
I want the underprivileged to be addressed, first.
I want to seek and share the hope of living normally again.
I want to hear more of ‘this too shall pass’.
I want more of ‘this won’t be forever’.
I want this to end.
And when this ends, I want to breathe the world.

- Krishnakant Mishra, Branded Content Lead, Ogilvy Mumbai