The media has focused on all of the negative reasons why COVID-19 has changed the way we live for the worse. I’d like to flip the script, and discuss the ways in which this novel coronavirus has been a positive force for good. Here are 9 positive benefits of the pandemic. Enjoy!

1. ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS

Less CO2 Emissions |

We all drive significantly less, public transportation has been reduced, fewer airplanes, and Ubers / taxis / Lyft! Of course, more people are going on road trips now, but driving a car for hundreds of miles is still less carbon CO2 emissions than flying to the Maldives, for example. We probably won’t travel by airplane for at least another year. All of this has made a demonstrable difference in the quality of air that we breathe and has slowed down global warming in a way that nothing short of a virus could have done.

Less Paper Consumption |

This may not be true for everyone, but in our household, we don’t have a printer. I used to print only necessary items at work, but now that I no longer have that option, I don’t print anything unless absolutely necessary. Since we all don’t go to work physically anymore, I also feel like paper consumption has been significantly reduced.

2. FAMILY & FRIENDS TIME

More Quality Time with Loved Ones and Household Members |

While not true for everyone, many people have commented on how they are spending more quality time with their kids, elderly parents, and household members. For the first few months of lockdown, we didn’t know for sure how COVID-19 was spread, so we were more reluctant to leave the house, wiped down all packages, re-heated microwavable food for 45 seconds, and left groceries outside for 3 days. However, now we know that it’s mostly spread through respiratory particles, so the best ways to protect ourselves are through protective shields, hand washing for 20-seconds, glasses or goggles, face masks, and hand sanitizer where ever we go. As a result of having no events to attend or physical meetups with friends, the only thing we could do was spend more quality time with our parents!

Zoom “Meetups” with International Friends & Family |

Initially, we were all about the Zoom calls with friends, often doing at least 3 per week! We even spoke with friends in Japan, Israel, Hong Kong, and all over the United States. It was a very good opportunity to speak with both international and local friends. I was also able to reconnect with friends I haven’t seen or spoken too in years, which was a wonderful benefit. This would not have been possible, had I not been forced to stay at home and stay safe!

Less Events and Feeling Busy |

Due to COVID-19 and the life-saving lockdown procedures nearly all over the world, we stopped having to attend a billion events. This allowed for more down-time and quiet time at home. In a world that is so fast-paced and there are a billion things to do, we no longer had to do as much, which was refreshing and jarring at the same time.

Even so, I still think it’s a positive result of COVID-19 that I have been able to spend more quality time with my loved ones and have had more time to meditate, workout at home, improve my cooking and coding skills, challenge my creative side, and relax.

3. APPRECIATION FOR ESSENTIAL WORKERS

Gratitude |

We, as a society, have more gratitude than ever before for essential workers such as fast-food and restaurant workers, farm workers, grocery and pharmacy delivery folks, and nurses and doctors who are risking their lives everyday with little protective equipment to try and save people’s lives! Remarkable, really.

4. VALUABLE HOME WORKOUTS

Free Courses on Youtube |

After the gyms were closed in California — even our apartment’s gym — I quickly re-discovered my love for dancing! And better yet, there were a ton of free classes I could follow online, such as “The Fitness Marshall” and “Mylee Dance” on YouTube. Thanks to these free classes, I can keep my weight in check, reduce my stress levels, and awaken my serotonin and dopamine receptors. Best of all, I have improved my dancing skills for my upcoming wedding!

Outdoor Running |

While I no longer run, I have seen an influx of outdoor runners, which I think is fantastic. Exploring your neighborhood and getting fresh air, is the perfect way to do something good for the environment and for you.

5. THE EXPLOSION OF VIRTUAL EDUCATION

Free or Inexpensive Online Courses |

Due to COVID-19, I was able to attend a free “Code in Place” course with Stanford for 8 weeks or so, where they taught me the basics of Python. It was a personally-enriching course, and I’m so glad I had the time and space to participate. They had over 10,000 students globally join this course, as well as expert engineers who acted as TA’s.

EdX |

I also discovered amazing EdX courses from Harvard, MIT, and others, where I could learn a variety of topics for FREE. I always love that price tag! If I wanted a certificate, then I would need to pay. Otherwise, getting a top-notch education was 100% free.

6. HOME IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS

Improving the House |

We improved our house by organizing closets, kitchen cabinets, and shoes. And we’ve also bought more plants to enrich our house with good chi and air. We absolutely love our new plants, mostly succulents, which require minimal care, but provide us with so much positive energy and greenery! They definitely enrich our living spaces and help clean the air.

Doing Tasks You’ve Avoided |

We’ve all had time to do the tasks that we’ve been avoiding for awhile, whether it’s cleaning out that nasty closet, organizing shoes, sorting items to create a cleaner space, or developing new spaces for reading, working out, etc.

7. THE LAUNCH OF BUSINESS VENTURES OR HOBBIES

More Time for Side Projects |

We now have more time for business side projects, website creation, or hobbies we normally couldn’t get around to doing. For example, I’ve had the great pleasure to create a wedding website for us, crafted 200 origami cranes for decoration around the house, made 100 inspirational quotes that people can put on their walls, and launched an Instagram account to empower more women to achieve their fullest potential!

8. THE RISE OF MICRO-WEDDINGS

We have pivoted our wedding at least 5 times, but in the end, we are going to have a beautiful micro-wedding — something that would have been socially less acceptable less than a year ago. Not only can we save some money, but we can also have a more intimate, safe, and heartfelt event. For this, I will be forever grateful.

Now and into the future, mirco-weddings will most likely become the norm. We can all save money and have more meaningful small and / or virtual events.

9. THE ABILITY TO WORK REMOTELY — ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD

One of the best things about COVID-19, is the ability to work remotely, particularly for those in the technology industry. The pandemic has fast-tracked the ability to work from home, which means that employees can work anywhere in the world, such as the Maldives, which is offering a one-year visa for people who want to do just that. This will dramatically change the future of working for everyone, and in particular, women.

While the UN has stated that domestic violence has increased as a result of this pandemic, women are able to have more flexibility in their work-life and better able to manage both a household and work. Also, if women choose to refrain from sharing information about their pregnancy, they can now do so, as they don’t need to go into work physically, and they don’t have to show their bellies on a video chat.

Most large tech companies are not planning to have their employees back in the physical offices until August 2021, or ever, such as Twitter. The ability to work remotely will benefit all people, as it provides flexibility, autonomy, and independence — things that most employees crave.

In the SF Bay Area, the pandemic and the ability to work from anywhere, has also led to an exodus of tech employees to cheaper and better quality-of-life areas such as Denver, Colorado or Austin, Texas. The ability to work anywhere in the world, was once a luxury, but it has now become the norm until mid-2021. For that, I am eternally grateful and motivated to work even harder and demonstrate my value, so that I too, can work from anywhere!

Thank you for reading this article. If I missed any other positive elements of COVID-19, please let me know in the comments.