Filling the time during furlough #COVID19

Excerpted from The SHRM Blog by Kiran.Ali

Is your job affected by the COVID-19 crisis? Are you on furlough for the next couple of months?

If so, use this time to engage in activities that encourage growth, and mental and physical wellness.

Here are some recommendations for how to use this time to set yourself up for success after this period has passed.

Invest in yourself:
Investing in yourself will be the best decision you will ever make. Take the time out to focus on your areas of improvement and work on converting them into your strengths instead. If you struggle with confidence and public speaking, enroll yourself in an online Toastmasters class, or educational program. If you love writing, but do not know where to begin, join an online writer’s club.

Take care of yourself and your family
Life happens and we tend to take things and people we love for granted. Use this time to really focus on strengthening your relationship with the family. Do not forget to tell them how much you love them, do an activity together, cook together, take pictures, make memories that you will cherish forever!

Learn new skills
Is there a skill you always wanted to learn but never got the time to do so? For example, my husband and I love nature photography and wanted to create a channel on Instagram for so long, but never got the time and courage to do it. If you are like us and have been putting things aside, use this time to do it! Take a photography class, learn how to cook, do things that make you happy.

Take care of your health
Although many gyms are closed, you can still take care of your health by exercising at home. There are so many good workout videos on YouTube that you can use to create your own workout routine. Cook food at home, eat healthily, do yoga, and maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Staying motivated and learning new skills can result in a smoother return to work, and could potentially open doors for new opportunities in the future. Most important of all, do not lose hope, this too shall pass!