From Crisis to Opportunity: The Lockdown Boom

It is not an understatement that 2020 has been an unusual year. The way that we work, shop, dine, travel, and interact have changed drastically and some of these changes may even be permanent. Change is always tough, particularly when it is forced upon us and not a deliberate choice.

While the challenges have been numerous, resourceful individuals and companies have turned this difficult episode into one of opportunity. Tapping into the huge demand for internet-based alternatives, they have carved creative niches for themselves that promise to pay dividends far into the future.

Here, we look at some of the best ideas that are raking in dollars. Could you jump on the bandwagon and make a ton of money with your own skills?

Video Meetings

Online collaborations have been on the increase for years as many major firms outsource their requirements for better returns on investment (ROI). However, that gentle trend towards IT-based interaction turned into a tsunami when the lockdowns began. Today, online meetings are de rigueur for everyone from schoolchildren to CEOs.

As a result, the use of online video meeting platforms like Zoom has skyrocketed. Of course, as with almost anything based on the internet, there are security and privacy risks involved. Zoom, in particular, found itself in hot water when it became evident that it severely lacked critical security features.

While the gaps have been patched, the company may still have to cease operations due to the US-China trade war. If it does, there are a slew of competitors waiting on the sidelines to take over the top spot. In the meantime, our overt reliance on video meetings continues unabated and is arguable increasing.

Gaming

With increased time indoors comes the inevitable sense of boredom. We have largely been deprived of the movie theater, dining out, attending sports, and other ‘normal’ experiences that involve crowds. In its place, indoor gaming is proving to be one of the most popular options.

Whether it is in the mobile device, console, or PC arena, online gaming has exploded since the start of the year. Record numbers have been set across the board, with both longtime gamers and novices getting into the groove.

It is the same for games of virtually every genre from basic board games to first-person shooters (FPS) to massive multiplayer online roleplaying games (MMORPG). Within this world, some enterprising companies have carved out their own ingenious niche – helping players win.
 

Productivity Tools

Most of us have discovered by now that ‘work from home' is not the wonderful option that it seemed before. Having to relocate and function from home has been a learning curve for almost everyone. It was inevitable but the transition has cost the world of business countless hours of productivity.

In response, interest has surged in productivity apps. Often smartphone-based, these are programs that allow you to manage time, keep track of projects, interact with your team, and generally get more done with less effort. Some companies are even encouraging their employees to download certain apps to maintain efficiency.

Among the most popular trends in this arena is the Pomodoro technique. It is a time management technique that intersperses periods of work with bursts of rest as a reward. The technique is not new but many workers are finding that it is the perfect solution to keep productive while in a house full of distractions.

Health Guides

Arguably, the most depressing thing about the lockdown has been the limitation of our leisure time outdoors. Simple things we used to take for granted like a morning run, afternoon swim, or evening walk have become rare indulgences, if they are allowed at all. Online workout guides are the answer.

Workout apps and online guides have been a boon in the absence of outdoor activity. They give you the guidance, knowledge, and techniques to maintain your fitness level. With video-based lessons, it is possible to follow even more closely than would be possible at an actual gym.

There is no excuse to lose any of the progress you had made before and gain weight instead.

Such activity-focused guides work well with healthy eating initiatives, too. These can be apps that monitor your dietary intake, provide nutritious recipes, or allow you to order healthy food. Used together, they provide a solid basis of exercise and nutrition so you emerge stronger and fitter than before.

Film and TV

This is probably the antithesis to the health apps we discussed above but it is one of the fastest growing online sectors today. As is the case with online work collaboration tools, TV and film apps have been gaining popularity over the years. Today, we have the option of choosing between subscription and free services.

This boom has been helped along by ever-faster internet speeds that allow us to watch the high-resolution video at home and on our mobile devices. In response, even some of the world’s largest production companies have moved to online subscription platforms.

In the first, even major Hollywood film releases have been moved online. However, this is not always as successful as the studios would like. The live remake of Mulan released this year proved to be a disappointment despite their best efforts.

While the production bigwigs must be praying for a return to normalcy, we will have to contend with this new format for now.

Making the Best

That return is simply a matter of time. When it does come, some of us may find ourselves longing for some aspects of the lockdown again. What the lockdown has shown is that there is always room for innovation.

Besides the areas that we focused on above, there is also growing interested in:

- Online shopping
- Online education
- Art and craft
- Self-improvement
- DIY

If you have an interest, some knowledge, or good insight into any of these fields, countless opportunities abound to make a name for yourself.