I remember having a conversation with a tattoo artist not too long ago about the then sudden craze of minimalist designs.
He didn’t quite fancy the trend and summed it up by saying: “When they get old, the design will look smudged.”
While it could be true for ink on body, the same cannot be said about the concept of a minimalist lifestyle, post-Covid-19.
What had happened over the past two years was that ‘small’ was now ‘in’ – smaller gatherings, smaller workspaces, and a smaller workforce.
The results, or output, remained pretty much the same, and in some cases, better than before.
The sudden surge of daily Covid-19 cases in recent days has seen a slew of cancellations in social, and religious gatherings.
No one wants to risk it, despite health authorities assuring Malaysians that there was no reason for alarm. This is because, to date, over 95 per cent of the daily cases fall under Categories 1 and 2 – those asymptomatic, or exhibited mild symptoms. This was due to the high vaccination rate in the country.
Even during the recent Chinese New Year celebrations, families held smaller reunion dinner gatherings, while many opened their doors only to immediate family members and close friends.
Birthday parties too, are being celebrated on a smaller, yet more intimate scale. Weddings, meanwhile, see those invited, politely shying away – often much to the delight of the bride and the groom, who finally know the people attending their wedding – instead of having to greet their mother’s brother’s uncle’s sister’s son-in-law’s daughter.
Even funerals are being ‘live’ streamed these days, limiting the number of attendees paying their last respects.
Employers have realised that working from home (WFH) somehow works. There’s still plenty of debate about WFH, but like it or not, the hybrid work system, at the very least, is here to stay.
Big offices are a thing of the past, as reduced workspaces see companies saving on rent, maintenance, and utility bills.
Some companies also learnt that tasks could still be accomplished with limited manpower.
Such a minimalist approach makes the “go big or go home” thinking, archaic, something out of the Jurassic Age. It’s just not sustainable.
One’s social circle may shrink, but it may result in more quality, and intimate conversations. The connection is further strengthened – a get-together has more meaning, no longer just a simple hello, yam seng and goodbye session. Less, truly is, more.
The same goes for when it comes to companies trying to get their message across. Branding and marketing efforts will see a more targeted approach, instead of going for sheer volume. It’s about wooing the right audience, without spending the big bucks.
Generally speaking, people will no longer be offended if you don’t attend a gathering or a funeral. And with Covid-19 here to stay, many would continue keeping a safe distance, while staying connected in their own way.
It took a pesky virus to show the world that people can continue with their lives with the bare minimum. If this had been the thinking since Day 1, the government would not have wasted billions of ringgit in taxpayers’ money on huge government buildings when work could be carried out from the comfort of one’s own home.
Unlike body art, which makes an impression when it is big and bold, decision and policy makers can still make a statement from smaller offices, and with minimal, but effective tools. If they wanted to.
