Most of the world is on lockdown. And, for those of us who usually travel, it’s a tough slog.
It’s easy to feel demotivated when you’re sat in your lounge trying to work or scraping the barrel of what’s left to watch on Netflix.
But staying productive is good for our mental health. We need to look forward, make plans, and get on with little jobs that have value.
Which is why we’ve put together this list of five productive things you can do while stuck in self-isolation. Everything we’ve picked will either:
- Advance your career
- Build income stability, or
- Keep you focused on the positives
So put down your third chocolate-based snack of the day and turn off the TV so you can get stuck into some of these…
1. Re-vamp your LinkedIn profile
When you’re caught up in a daily grind of commuting, working, over time, the school run and everything else that goes along with modern life, updating your LinkedIn profile is not in front of mind.
But this business-focused social media platform is a great resource for networking and career-building. If you have a solid profile, people will recognize you as an important voice in your industry and offer you job and collaborative opportunities that you didn’t know existed.
Plus, you’ll be ready to search for work should your job ever disappear overnight because of… you know… a global pandemic… or something.
To update and optimize your LinkedIn profile. Make sure it:
- Is up to date, with all of your recent and relevant paid and volunteer experience
- Features a high-quality headshot that follows LinkedIn profile image best practice
- Contains relevant portfolio pieces in the portfolio section, like any think pieces you’ve written or projects you’ve completed
- Highlights your most important skills with a keyword-optimized headline so recruiters can find you when they’re advertising relevant jobs
- Sells your experience with a short but showstopping profile description
2. Build your online network
If you were office-based prior to lockdown, you’re probably spending a lot of your work-from-home time using remote communications platforms like Asana or Zoom. Work still needs to be organized and projects still need to run, so people need to stay in touch.
But what if those connections went beyond a few conference calls? Start taking the time to add colleagues, contractors, freelancers, and other professionals you work with to your LinkedIn network.
If you do, you could cultivate valuable, ongoing industry relationships that not only create new and unexpected work opportunities but also build resilience for times of uncertainty.
And why stop there? You can use LinkedIn’s search functions to find and connect with other influential people in your industry. Just make sure you follow these best practices for reaching out and making connections on LinkedIn.
3. Set up a blog
For most people, setting up a blog is something that sits comfortably at the back of their minds. Shoved somewhere between last month’s unfinished ‘to do’ list and tomorrow’s grocery shopping.
But setting up a small, personal blog doesn’t have to be expensive or time-consuming and it can be a great way to build out your personal brand and professional reputation.
Even a blog that’s updated once a month with a single thought piece could be invaluable if you ever need to search for a new job or earning extra money in uncertain times.
And you don’t have to be a web designer to set one up. Try using a simple and free website builder. Most have predefined templates that you can piece together yourself to create something unique and interesting.
Your blog doesn’t even have to be work-related. Maybe you’ve always dreamed of writing in-depth book reviews, or rating and slating pictures of cats. There’s an audience for every niche and, you never know, your little side-project might end up earning you some decent money.
4. Join music sessions in a private chatroom
We’re spending far more time at our computers than we’re used to. Often listening to the same YouTube or Spotify playlist over and over. It’s the perfect recipe for lockdown boredom.
But you can break up the monotony with the help of our latest feature. We at MeetnGreetMe have created a virtual space for music-lovers where they can enjoy intimate online mini-gigs performed by professional musicians.
The concerts are streamed live in a chatroom setting with up to 5 others. Which means you can unwind with a session of live music and then stay to socialize with like-minded self-isolators once the performance is over. You can even present a personalized session as a gift for your loved one or join a virtual gig with your friends! Find more information here and feel free to leave a request.
5. Plan a domestic trip
It’s good to be career-wise! But if all this talk of networking and profile building has got you hankering after a break, try channeling those thoughts into planning your next trip.
I know it’s unlikely we’ll see ‘business as usual’ before the end of 2020 with so many countries have travel restrictions in place. But there’s nothing stopping you from getting to know your own turf once local restrictions are lifted.
A domestic trip can be just as satisfying as visiting somewhere far-flung. You’ll be surprised at the sheer range of stunning and unique sites your own country has to offer. And, a meet & greet can be just as rewarding during a trip from London to Edinburgh as from London to Milan.
So, get on your country’s top tourism Pinterest boards, read some local travel blogs, or ask for recommendations from friends so you can start planning that domestic trip.
The round-up
Just because we’re cooped up at home doesn’t mean we have to settle for a temporary life of cheap TV reruns and sofa snacks. We can do something productive. This is the perfect chance to tick off those tasks that never quite make it onto your regular ‘to do’ list.
So take a look at your LinkedIn profile, build new virtual connections, set up a personal blog, or plan a perspective-shifting domestic trip and then tell us get on in the comments below.
About the contributor: “Jodie is a Conversion Copywriter, Content Strategist and Optimisation Specialist working with bold B2B SaaS and tech brands. Before founding This Copy Sticks, she spent a decade selling the toughest value proposition around and raised £2 million for charities before her 25th birthday. After 10 years in fundraising, Jodie decided to put her words to work helping tech-mad trailblazers grow their businesses.”
Hi, great Post thanks for the sharing,
Regards,
BiharJobAlert.com