Hey Friends,

So it looks like life may be slowly returning to some kind of normality, with shops and public spaces slowly reopening. Yet, we are told caution is still required to avoid a second wave, and that we need to get used to a 'New Normal' - whatever that may look like.

My first reaction to being told there will be a 'New Normal' is resistance. I thought, like many others, that I wanted life to return to the way it was before this current coronavirus hit our shores. However, having given it more thought, I think this is actually an opportunity to create a 'New Normal'. Let me clear. The 'New Normal' I am excited to discover is not one where we have to limit our contact with other people, keeping two meters apart when we do, or wearing a face mask when out in public. No, the 'New Normal' I am advocating is one in which we reconsider individually what we want normal life to look like, and take active steps to make this happen.

Often after a traumatic experience, challenge or period of adversity, people can come out the other side in a position of growth (Post Traumatic Growth). I believe, reflecting on our time during lockdown, and the changes we adopted, may help us identify a 'New Normal' which aligns more with our hopes, desires and values. A quote by Derek Sivers may prove helpful on this quest:

Whatever excites you, go do it. Whatever drains you, stop doing it.

I think this is good advice. Specifically, we can ask ourselves the following questions to identify what activities bring us the most fulfilment, and make changes to do more of these post lockdown.

• What has brought you the most fulfilment during lockdown ?
• What have you missed doing the most during the lockdown ?
• What have you not missed doing during the lockdown ?

For example, you may normally have a long commute to work, but during lockdown you have enjoyed working from home or spending more time with your children or going for a walk during the day to clear your mind and reduce stress levels. Well, the first step may be to re-evaluate your working week and negotiate opportunities to continue some remote working, or reduce your work schedule to a four day work week.

I would be interested to hear your lockdown reflections, and if you plan to actively pursue your own version of 'New Normal'.

Have a great week!

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PPS: I would like to complie as many tips relating to Security, Privacy or Digital Minimalism as possible. If you have any, please email them to me and I will try to include the best ones in the Quick Tips section of the blog.

Things I've found interesting this week

\\ One Article Here is the link to the article by Madison Fischer in which she chronicles her rise and ultimate withdrawal from Instagram.

\\ Two Article I read an interesting article by Derek Sivers, in which he questioned why we feel the need to quote someone when we hear them say something which resonates with us. As an academic I am probably not ready to ditch my harvard referencing methodology, but I think in every day discussions, he makes a good point. Read his article and let me know what you think.

\\ Three Podcast I enjoyed listening to Cal Newports latest podcast, in which he answered user questions, including one about how to organise tasks. He provided a good suggestion about how to organise tasks, which I played about this week, creating a Trello board to manage my tasks. You can get a Free copy of the Trello board by inviting one person to subscribe to this mailing list (see below).

Favourite Quote

Most people don't know why they're doing what they're doing. They imitate others, go with the flow, and follow paths without making their own.

I like this quote by Derek Sivers because in many ways it points to some of the issues I recognise with social media.

My articles this week

Why Privacy Matters

Our need for validation through Social Media

Quick Tips this week

How to resist the Black Hole of YouTube

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