Finding the silver lining in chaos
The virus has taken more lives than you can imagine. Almost 3 million lives are lost. People lost their jobs and lost their businesses and life savings.
Not to forget the way their mental health got affected. Angry, frustration, depression has been witnessed like never before. But we are sure we will overcome everything in the time to come.
In this post, we will explore the silver lining in the chaos. But we managed to find the bright sides of the pandemic.
Image credit: Tenor.com
Bright Sides of the Pandemic for Businesses
People lost their life savings and most of the businesses were adversely affected.
In the US, business inventories have a 1.51 to one sales ratio on average. However, that same statistic has also opened new opportunities for both large and small businesses alike. The pandemic brought on a number of change efforts in the American marketplace below are just a few of them:
1. More people got started on their dreams
Following the high levels of unemployment during the corona period, a lot of people found the inspiration to work on their long-term dreams and aspirations. A number of individuals started focussing on their skills and passions to earn an income
Also, thousands of online businesses came to life as a result of the lockdown, leading to a high demand in freelance services. including:
- Tech support,
- Web developers
- Graphic designers,
- Programmers
- Animators
- Virtual assistants (VAs),
- Accountants,
- Consultants and coaches,
And many others.
Businesses save a lot of money from using freelancers, so they’ll continue to be a major part of the global workforce. For example, VAs can help businesses save up to 78% of their operating costs.
Similarly, we noticed a boom in website launches during the pandemic.
IIn addition, the pandemic left many people with large gaps in their work schedules. This gave a rise to several entrepreneurial opportunities. There is an increase of almost 23% of start ups.
Larger countries recorded higher levels of startup loan dollars, including
- Chile
- Turkey and
- the United Kingdom
That trend confirms that businesses are springing up.
3. Remote Work became the new trend
The lockdown and social distancing led to the increased adoption of remote work. The use of such techniques as conference calls, cloud computing & workspaces on digital platforms was one such consequence.
Companies have optimized their operations by connecting various business apps to each other which has boosted their workflow. In addition, remote working conditions have helped companies to reduce costs on office supplies and utility bills.
77% of the employees reported that they had better work-life balance while working from home than when they worked in the office. This also improved punctuality and productivity; these employees experienced more creativity at work.
4. More tech Startups
The pandemic came with a silver lining for tech startups across the globe. More people embraced the internet of things and became more comfortable with online activities. This opened up new possibilities for IoT startups to explore.
Several industries saw a significant increase in the use of AI in the workplace due to edu-tech, entertainment, staffing software, fintech, and more. One of such companies is ThriveGlobal—a tech solution that helped employers and employees to reduce work burnout during the pandemic.
The internet became the binding community during the lockdown. People depended on it heavily for work, staying in touch, catching up on things & entertainment. It served as a point of unity among people who otherwise would’ve been separated.
Bright Sides of the Pandemic for People
The flu pandemic experienced a number of negative effects in the world. Millions of people across the globe battled for their lives and over 3 million people died in the process. There was also a rapid growth in unemployment rates that affected cities heavily against the flu.
But on the flip side, the pandemic acted as a wake-up call. It allowed people to reevaluate aspects of what they did and became more aware of what was important to them. A single disease could shake the world, and this made people cherish what truly matters.
Despite the trouble it caused, the Pandemic led to many people becoming more aware of just how precious life is and changed our lifestyles as a result.
1. More investments in the health and research sector
Protests spurred on by the Coronavirus revealed some issues in the global health sector. Specific to this case, there was a shortage of masks and Personal Protective Equipment tools that were needed for patients and frontline workers. Luckily, it didn’t take long for government agencies to provide these items in order to mitigate this growing problem.
Fortunately, a lot of different researchers and companies have been working hard on developing a vaccine for this virus. So far, those who have been infected with the said virus have been able to be treated effectively.
Those at the frontline who work around the clock to save humanity should be rewarded and recognized for their efforts. It’s why we’re also investing heavily in the medical space and conducting research into combating this virus.
2. We realised the importance of family
Following the new office lockdown, many people had more time to spend with their families. Regularly, most people lived a hectic life which left them with too little or no time for their family members and pets. But covid changed everything.
When the virus hit, people prioritized essential trips rather than unnecessary ones. They also did more fun activities to combat the mood so it didn’t affect their productivity. For example, families cooked together, ate together, and watched movies together. This allowed families to bond better and take care of each other.
Image credit: Tenor.com
3. The world became a better place
Due to the pandemic, people have been more open and have been able to develop a sense of community with one another. Many people took this opportunity to start being kinder and helping others and the result is a huge outbreak of generosity.
People volunteered to sew masks, share their meals and other pandemic essentials with displaced people. Philanthropists & the wealthy everywhere donated supplies to their governments & others in need.
As a consequence of the pandemic, humans have shown more care towards one another and at times it has been for the better.
Crime rates have been at a historic low since the majority of humans are focused on their own health and fitness, or staying with their families. This reduction in crime has been attributed to criminals spending more time with people in these settings rather than committing crimes.
Restrictions on movement due to the lockdown also meant fewer accidents. The rate of road accidents and plane crashes was reduced because there was little or no vehicular movement.
Bright Sides of the Pandemic for the Planet
Although human and industrial activities are the main contributors to environmental waste and pollutants, the lockdown was a successful effort in reducing these activities by over 70%. This allowed us to give our planet enough time to heal.
Of course, there were some negative effects from the pandemic so it’s important to mention those as well. However, the people of the Earth were able to restore portions of our beautiful home in these ways:
1. Reduction in Pollution
The mainland is the largest emitter of CO2, with pollutants created by factories & industries. However, during the 2008 Olympics, pollution was reduced by over 70%.”
At the same time, reduced vehicular and industrial activities caused CO2 to be less circulated in the atmosphere. Noise pollution was reduced by large amounts.
The factory had some drawbacks, but it balanced out in the end. People enjoyed better air quality without pollution, a less noisy environment and more water quality.
2. Reduced Rate in Wildlife Mortality
If you want to protect the life of animals, there’s no better place than on our roads. By cutting down on human and vehicle traffic, we can reduce the mortality rate of wildlife by 50%. This means fewer road kills for hedgehogs and other small mammals, who are not safe crossing busy roads anymore.
The myth that viruses came from animals is often debunked. It caused a decline in animal poaching & also reduced illegal animal trade. This was also a time for humans to reflect on how their activities impacted the ecosystem.
3. The environment recovered
Poor air quality has been a problem in industrialized cities for this country for many years. Vernice recorded cases of clearer water bodies; ducks & dolphins were the first to experience the benefits.
With a lockdown, beaches all over the world had a cleaner environment with clearer, less crowded water.
Benefits of Looking at the Bright Side
People sometimes face hard times such as the death of a loved one or momentary unemployment. Dwelling on these things can lead to negative consequences and we need to look on the brighter side.
Here are some ideas to help with post-pandemic stress:
1. It aids self reflection
With many people staying indoors, it gave them a chance to think and reflect on what is happening around them. Employers found they had to do more to improve the work-life balance of their employees
People value ambition, their relationships, dreams, and aspirations more since the lockdown. They also start taking risks to improve themselves in these areas. For example, have you noticed how people are choosing their jobs more carefully?
2. It creates room for optimism
During the pandemic, many people feared for their lives and the lives of their loved ones. Negative news makes it hard to cope with life, but there are a lot of ways to do so. If you use social media or online games, for example, you’ll be able to spend more time with other people and have a good laugh.
3. It allows you to be more creative
For those who lost their jobs because of the pandemic, now know that they could do creative things as well as other work. For example, Khaby Lame used to be a taxi driver and now he has his own company.
Having lost his job due to the pandemic, the 21-year-old Italian-Senegalese joined Tiktok to make skits. Before the end of 2020, he became the second most followed TikTok influencer in the world
4. It promotes mental health
The lockdown helped people to take a break from things that may have been getting them down. Like the clamor for luxury, social media pressure, and career pressure that could lead to feeling underachieved.
Hence, always looking on the bright side will help you to focus on maintaining good mental health. It helps you to ignore the bad things and focus on the benefits that probably never crossed your mind. Things like basic nutrition, clothing, friends, etc. have gained an important place in the minds of people.
Your Turn to Look at the Brightside
The lockdown that happened during the pandemic is getting lifted in most countries now. It may take some time, but the effects are gradually disappearing. Keep an eye out for several changes that are here to stay though.
A lot of companies are switching to remote work full-time, which is no surprise given the advantages. There are also new skills & opportunities available online that people can use to start their own business.
For employers who are worried about employees’ productivity rate while working from home. ThriveGlobal makes software integrations and employee evaluation as seamless as ever.