Indulge Time Pass: Chhaya Momaya, Anuvab Pal, Sonali Gupta discuss the new normal

Here are some of the week’s best highlights from our lockdown special webinar Indulge Time Pass hosted by journalist Kaveree Bamzai

Here's what the experts have to say about what's coming

The quarantine hasn’t been easy on anyone. Even if you don’t have anxiety, you still have to deal with panicky Whatsapp forwards or personal stress, and you can’t go to your favourite gastrobar to unwind at the end of the day. The Indulge Time Pass Webinar conducted by journalist and author Kaveree Bamzai engages some of the best minds of the country to help us keep our mental health in check and share insights on the new normal.

This week, Indulge Time Pass hosted social influencer Chhaya Momaya, behavioral scientist Pragya Agarwal, comedian Anuvab Pal and clinical psychologist Sonali Gupta to shed light on what the new normal may look like. Excerpts:

Pragya Agarwal: Professional flexibility will reach new heights

I feel post this, flexible and remote working will gain relevance since organisations have experienced that it can work out. Corporations have realised that working from home is okay, they are thinking more about child care, we are talking about reproductive health, there’s open discussions on stigmatisation. People are being more aware about other’s needs, since we have so much communication right now.

Agarwal thinks we're moving towards a better working culture

Chhaya Momaya: An intimate way of living will be back

I feel like urban interaction will slow down, along with luxury buying, since India has always been a price sensitive market, unlike Europe. Sustainability will be given a lot of importance in fashion with light and easily manageable clothes taking precedence. Our new way of life will be more intimate as people will try to keep gatherings limited, and will connect more meaningfully. Like virtual weddings, where you don’t need to invite the world, and you can still stick to the traditions without going overboard.

Momaya thinks sustainability is on its way back

Sonali Gupta: We need to set new internal boundaries

For older millennials or younger ones this is a very new set-up. One way to deal with anxieties is to set healthy internal boundaries, external boundaries are very easy, we can just block or unfollow people. But during this time we need to learn to have conversations with family and how to disassociate. We all need self-compassion; when you feel like steering away from a family Whatsapp group, just disengage.

Gupta has the best hacks for virtual disengagement

Anuvab Pal: Some things will stay the same

People will still be people, we will still hate the same people we used to. But a good way to stay away from anxiety is to take each day as it comes. I can’t complain about my gigs getting cancelled, because the Wimbledon is cancelled! This other day I was talking to a friend, and a lady told us that we are not practicing social distancing and we needed to separate. It may very well be the new normal.