We’ve all been stuck home for a while, it may be another 14 days or longer until our quarantine is lifted. Cheer up, there are positive outcomes that will come out of this quarantine. The Corona Pandemic will change the way we think as individuals and as a society. It will make some things collapse and others rise.
Would you like some food for thought on making this a positive journey for you too? What is the biggest positive effect of them all? Technology. So, what are some ways technology is making your quarantine a little bit easier?
Connecting. With platforms such as Zoom, Microsoft Teams and Facetime, families are still able to see their loved ones, companies are having virtual meetings, students and their teachers, and sports teams are having virtual practices. Whether it’s a tablet, cell phone or laptop, people are finding ways to remain connected through these uncharted times.
Working Remotely. For many companies the sudden transition to a remote workforce was a bit of a wakeup call. Most disaster recovery plans are written around the technology needed to keep a business running, but not what to do when faced with a loss of personnel. A new paradigm was needed to address the loss or inaccessibility of the workforce and with it came renewed appreciation of the people we work with on a day to day basis. New connections were made, old connections renewed and many of the ways we interact will be altered for years after the pandemic has subsided. Companies are now seeing how much technology can help connect each other in new and productive ways and help change their business for the better.
Ordering Food and Groceries. With apps such as Door Dash, Grub Hub, Instacart, and Uber Eats, people can order groceries and meals to their doorstep. The customer can order days in advance, set a specific time for delivery, and even make special requests or leave notes right on the app. Several delivery apps are even taking it a step further and have introduced no-contact deliveries — meaning orders are left on the customer’s doorstep.
Medical Appointments. With hospitals limiting the number of patients and taking extreme precaution, virtual appointments (Telehealth) are becoming the norm. A virtual visit is an online appointment that allows you to talk face-to-face with your provider from wherever it accommodates you the most, and right now, that’s in the convenience of your own home. Instead of going into the clinic where there is a risk of spreading or catching a disease, you meet with your provider using a secure video connection from your mobile device or computer.
Gaming. Online gaming platforms and chatrooms are becoming the thing to do on a Friday night. The internet is packed with various solutions to the problem, with board game apps on your phone as well as digital recreations of all your favorites available too. With the option to play with 2 or even 12 friends, the opportunities are endless. Studies even show that playing online games as an adult can do everything from help you to tackle your stress to boost your overall well-being.
Family time. Spending more time with your family can certainly present new and interesting challenges. Playing games, going for a bike ride or putting together a 1,000-piece puzzle might be your new normal. It’s easy to look at the negative but try and spin it around and make it positive. When are you going to get this chance again to really spend time with your family?
Digital Revolution. Has COVID19 started another digital revolution? Now more than ever, people are relying on technology to complete their daily routines. It’s been imperative to digitally transform our places of work and education to be able to operate effectively. Companies are able to use technology to keep their businesses going and are possibly starting to rethink their business model for the future by fast-tracking digital transformation. Even companies that were resistant to the concept of a distributed workforce in the past have been forced to allow working from home. While companies will eventually go back to rigid work-in-office policies, it’s projected that some will realize the benefits to employees and that in fact, it can be done effectively. If nothing else, companies will have valuable experience and knowledge about what is needed and how to accommodate work-from-home needs in the future.