Even before the COVID pandemic, technology was slowly pushing us into a different type of isolation. The convenience provided by technology made us increasingly reluctant to look beyond our homes or workplace for anything. Humans are social animals. We have a primal need to connect with each other.
To be together. Most would agree, our most valuable and finite resource is time. We commit a majority of our lives to these two places. Home is with your family, work is with your colleagues.
They come with their own sets of responsibilities and expectations. We are taught to not bring work home and not bring home to work. For many, however, the pandemic has blurred the lines between the two, creating a homogeneous and dangerously indecipherable blend. When you work from home, when does work end and home begin? When we do venture out for respite, think about how these places are designed. You get your coffee at coffee shops.
Counter takeout for sandwiches and burritos. Movies at movie theaters. Music venues haveβ¦. We go to them as needed, but their specialized nature causes a lack of social continuity.
At the third place, all are welcome and there by choice. They are less about connection than they are about distraction. The guest experience is valued over the features.
