Whether you’re going on nearly a full year of lockdown in a global pandemic or have had chances to get into the community since Covid-19 first appeared, it can be challenging to find creative ways to keep busy at home as lockdowns continue. Many have used quarantine or lockdown periods working to change careers, start new businesses, come up with income streams, and review finances. Others have turned to new hobbies and spent time with family members to pass time.
If you’re looking for new ways to spend the lockdown time ahead, read on for five great ways to use your time at home productively.
1. Changing Careers and Online Learning
For many people in the United States, the global pandemic has meant the loss of a job or extreme job changes like working remotely. This has caused people in the U.S. and all over the world to reconsider long-term career goals. The great news is that online programs have made it easy to change career paths, brush up on credentials, earn a master’s degree, or learn new skills from the safety of your home.
Maybe you spent the last few years working as a para educational aide but haven’t worked since your school district shut down. If you’ve always fantasied about going back to school for a degree or certification, you could use lockdown to begin working toward a job that suits you like a Gerontology Nurse Practitioner, for example. With a variety of online educational programs to choose from, it might be easier than you think to dip your toe back into learning.
If you’re looking for a career change during lockdown but need to get out of the house, a great way to handle this could be gig work. If you have regular car insurance, a license, and don’t mind driving around, you could easily land a gig job with a place like Door Dash or Uber Eats. With most restaurants now offering mobile delivery services through mobile apps and companies, you could be part of feeding your community during shutdowns.
When lockdown is over, you might be surprised to find that you prefer your gig work and the freedom it provides to your old job. You could also decide you want to enroll in a graduate program or finish that degree because you enjoyed the online coursework. Use this time to experiment with how you’ll live and make your income after the global pandemic.
2. Creating Passive Income Streams
Don’t let idle time at home become a total loss. Bringing in an income doesn’t always need to mean hard work. With some research and online studying, you can quickly teach yourself how to make investments that will lead to a future of passive income payouts. That is, extra time at home during lockdown could be used to develop multiple streams of revenue.
If the global pandemic has taught us anything, it’s how important it is to have a steady income. As people are suffering from food shortages and facing eviction, it’s clear that having more than one source of income could help. You don’t have to know how to become a Wall Street trader to start learning to invest now. A simple Google search for how the average person can join the stock market could be enough to point you in a direction that will give you peace of mind.
Consider other forms of passive income too. Affiliate marketing, becoming a social media influencer, selling training and courses, becoming a mobile advertiser, and putting your knowledge and skills in ebook form could all lead to extra income during and after lockdown.
3. Learning About the Future of Technology
The more you know about technology, the better position you’ll be in when it comes to keeping your resume fresh. If technology is something that interests you, a great way to keep on top of things is continued online learning. Do all you can to learn about the latest in tech like numpy.arange, cookie policies, preferred data type, and advanced practice coding. A little bit of homework now could pay off later.
Whether your specialty is SEO technology, grundy code, or python, the future is heading in the direction of artificial intelligence and data management and collection. Doing what you can to at least stay aware of changes in your field now will go a long way in keeping you prepared to return to the workforce when the pandemic is over.
4. Reviewing Finances and Coverages
If you’re stuck at home, now might be the perfect time to go over your finances. Organizing finances and going through monthly payments doesn’t have to be daunting. Start with the bills and payments you care about most. A classic car enthusiast, for example, could start with looking at rates for the best insurance for classic cars. If your current insurance company isn’t up to speed on the best rates for collector car insurance, now could be a great chance to switch.
The same applies to your health insurance and any type of coverage you have or need. For people with chronic conditions, take the time to review your current coverage options for maintaining your chronic illness needs. Even if required to wait until an open enrollment period to switch coverages, being ready to make that change ahead could be worth it.
Use the free time now to review everything from mutual funds and special coverages to monthly payments on utility bills. Finding discounts, coupons, and packages could add up to real money if you take the time to organize your finances during shutdowns.
5. Finding New Hobbies
Whether you’re locked down with adolescents who look bored or home on your own, now is a great time to find new hobbies or spending more time on those you already love. You could try ice skating on that old pond outside the house, learn a new language, or use that online baccalaureate degree program in communications to start a YouTube channel.
At some point, this global pandemic will end and the world will be open again. Using your time in lockdown productively is the best way to ensure a brighter future when life returns to normal. Until then, find creative ways to spend time with family and friends. Stay connected as safely as you can and remember to carve out some time between remote work and schooling for fun.
