The coronavirus pandemic is usually associated with a faulty 2020, crumbling economies, destroyed business plans and a state of overall misery. However, the coronavirus has also made some positive changes in the world, which can be seen even after lockdowns have eased throughout the world.

• A cleaner environment

The coronavirus pandemic taught us to live without fuel-guzzling bikes, cars and personal vehicles. As more and more people decided to walk and cycle, there was an immediate impact on the environment of both industrial and non-industrial cities, making the air cleaner than it was even 50 years ago in some cases.

• Healthier lifestyles

Many people around the world have chosen a healthier lifestyle for themselves. They are exercising more and taking care of their health, causing a general decline in healthcare spends globally. Obesity rates have dramatically decreased, and people are healthier than they ever were before.

• Increased family time

Our busy lifestyles had left us with no time for family and friends, causing us to lead increasingly solitary lives. The resultant lockdown post the pandemic has brought friends, families and neighbours closer than ever before. As people spend more and more time together, they are strengthening their bond with friends and family, making their lives fuller and happier.

• Self-improvement

The newfound free time has helped thousands of people to enhance their skillsets and even give their life a new direction. As online courses are available for these individuals at all times, they find it easy to give more time to themselves, helping them in career growth or learning something new.

• Reading

With hundreds of people now switching to reading to kill time, this has caused an increased awareness about the world around us, and a newfound love for reading for individuals who might not have found time for it earlier. Reading also helps in building vocabulary and helping us read, write and speak better.

• Hobbies

Most of us had forgotten our childhood hobbies, and the pleasure we derived from simple things. The lockdown has caused us to rekindle those joys, helping us distance ourselves from digital devices and relearning old things such as pottery, map reading, philately and many more.

• Boost in telemedicine and telehealth

As health workers get concerned about their own health and exposure to this deadly virus, this has spurred innovation to ensure that exposure is minimal and hospital services can run unabated. Telemedicine and telemetry have gotten the biggest boost ever by ensuring that doctors can help patients around the world from their office or home, with no risk of exposure to the virus.

• Innovations in communication

As more and more companies jump the communication services bandwagon including bigwigs such as Google, communication services available online have helped people to communicate seamlessly.

• Work-from-home becoming the norm

While most companies frowned at the idea of working from home, the pandemic has caused a huge shift in the mindset of companies by shifting to working from home at a moment’s notice. This has also enabled employees to ensure a steady income during the lockdown. 

• The rise of delivery services and the adoption of modern technology

Delivery services powered by IoT and AI have become the new normal. As shops continue to remain shut, most businesses have moved online to ensure that they can run their business to near-normal levels. This has become the new normal for restaurants, shops and even large corporates like Zara that have shut down their stores in favor of online marketplaces. Smaller shopkeepers have also adopted the power of technology to get their business online and maximize profits during the lockdown.

Although the list of problems caused by the pandemic is a never-ending list, the list of benefits of the lockdown has started to catch up with them. This radical shift in mindsets has completely changed our lives and in some ways, for the better.