The new coronavirus: when new challenges open up new opportunities (Part 1) (Школьные сочинения)

Every cloud has a silver lining. Nothing could possibly describe the current situation with the ongoing pandemic better than this proverb. Of course, daily news makes every reasonable person feel sad and frustrated. It simply cannot be the other way around: millions of people throughout the world are suffering from this dangerous disease and thousands are dying despite all the selfless efforts of doctors.

But we should remember that there are no unpleasant situations that do not have at least a few positive sides to them. The coronavirus crisis is no exception here. So, let us try to identify its positive aspects and have a closer look at them. It will help us keep our spirits up in such a troubled time and also map out some development strategies for the future.

The key point is that those people who are quarantined or stay in self-isolation and have as a result been temporarily or even permanently put out of work, suddenly found themselves having more free time than they could have ever dreamt about.

And since time is a priceless gift in our life, it would be a sheer crime to let it go down the drain. Here arises an important question about how to spend this free time that appeared out of thin air in an enjoyable and productive manner. Below are some of our suggestions. A number of them may seem self-evident and even banal at first sight, but in fact they are not if you think carefully and creatively enough.

First, a lot of free time is a great opportunity to finally deal with the mess that your home is probably in. You certainly do not have to be a neatnik, but a little bit more of cleanliness and order has never hurt anyone. The same cleaning procedures can be carried out with your PC, laptop or even your phone: unfortunately, many people do not bother to keep their files well structured and classified, which makes the efficient usage of an electronic device almost impossible. By looking through your files and arranging them in a logical way you can turn your computer usage from a problematic adventure into a rewarding and pleasant experience. One of the most substantial perks of having your things – both real and virtual – in order is that by doing so you give yourself a chance to clear your mind, get a fresh view of what you are doing in life and start working in a much more conscious and productive manner without getting distracted by the irrelevant.

To be continued …