Thanks to the COVID 19 lockdown many businesses have shut operations temporarily or asked their employees to work from home or even worse, have had to lay off staff. For many of us, this means weekdays without commute and weekends no better with nowhere to go. Life has suddenly thrown at us something we are always craving to have – ample free time on our hands.
So without wasting that time to complain about problems or watch gloomy stats on news channels, its best to use the time to learn new skills, pursue your hobby or pick up a new one, or take up some online course to continue the learning process while doing the brain some good.
Here are some suggestions on how you can utilize your free time to upgrade your knowledge and skills.
- Read and enhance your knowledge –
Whether you’re working or not during this lockdown period, there are a plethora of things to read online. There are a number of e-books, journals and research papers you can lay your hands on. Any subject, any topic that interest you; all you need to do is simply Google it and start reading.
- Enrol for online courses –
Online learning platforms like Udemy, Moodle, and Coursera etc offer the perfect opportunity to update your skills. You will find a wide variety of courses on almost every subject, as well as certifications and degrees, which you can take advantage of while you have some free time at home. So, why not sign up for courses that will make you better equipped at your job or add value to your CV.
Here are some great courses -
Digital Marketing Specialization — Certification by University of Illinois (Coursera)
Entrepreneurship Foundations (LinkedIn Learning)
Graphic Design Bootcamp (Udemy)
Adobe Illustrator CC – Essentials Training Course (Udemy)
- Enrol in Leadership and Development Program online –
There are hosts of leadership development programs to register. These programs are specifically designed keeping the working professionals in mind and teach valuable life lessons in management, people skills, leadership, communication etc, which mould you into a better person and also a better leader. If you are planning to join the workforce, these courses can be a great way of showing your employer that you have started getting ready for the future by polishing up your skills further.
There are several how-to videos on YouTube that you can watch to learn something new like an advanced usage of MS Excel, basic coding skills, graphic designing or usage of tools/software like Adobe PhotoShop, Corel Draw etc. These will help upgrade your skills and perform your tasks more effectively at work.
- Learn a Foreign Language –
Planning to move abroad for higher studies or to enhance your career? You can make headway in that direction by learning a new foreign language that will arm you with necessary skills needed to survive in a foreign land. Not to mention, the boost to your CV! There are a number of language apps like Duolingo, Memrise and Lingualift etc., that you can use to upgrade your language skills.
- Take advantage of all the free courses and content – In the post COVID 19 situation, several brands have made available content that you would otherwise pay for. For eg, Class Central is offering more than 400 classes free. From technology, to computer science to art to Buddhist philosophy, you could pick up anything that is relevant for you. As a business owner, you could improve your marketing knowledge with Amazon’s free tutorials uploaded on Amazon Seller University. Or else head to Google Analytics Academy for an indepth understanding of Google Analytics. This could help you understand your business’s digital performance better. If you are someone you love the arts, try Google Arts and Culture Collections, which offers tours of hundreds of museums worldwide.
Conclusion
These are trying times. It’s natural to worry about finances, business, job etc but don’t let stress get the better of you. Instead look at positive side- spend all the time while you can with your family and channel your energy into learning new skills which will improve your productivity. This will not just help you become better at your job but also mould you into a better professional. Use the situation to your advantage and you’re sure to come out the other side stronger. All of this while you stay home and stay safe!
