Having productive things to do is really helpful, particularly since the pandemic worsens worldwide, each day. Since most of us are feeling the effects of isolation by now, why would students be the exception? Before, when you had a whole day’s worth of studying and activities in front of you, productivity wasn’t an issue. But now, due to self-isolation, you might be missing meeting with your friends or the freedom to leave the house whenever and for whatever reason. Self-isolation can soon give birth to boredom, loneliness, and even depression.
And, you might spend the whole day binging on one series after next. But when the pandemic is over, you might regret not utilizing this time in a productive manner.
Hence, we suggest the following actions students can take during this time:
Online Courses/Classes are Perfectly Productive Things
A perfect way to pass the time, keep your mind busy, and gain a skill that might help in the future. Online classes and courses are a good option to use to keep progressing with your learning even while at home.
Heaps of businesses and institutions are providing online learning resources. From short courses to diplomas, and full-fledged degrees, you’ll have many choices. Even obtaining various licenses is now possible. However, if you do opt for a degree, you will be at it for much longer. Therefore, think about what will serve you best later on and how much time you care to invest.
What’s more, the online class you choose doesn’t have to relate to your current field. You can study anything that catches your fancy, such as:
- Cooking skills
- Arts
- Career change-assisting skills
- Home maintenance
- Knitting
- Photoshop
- Technology
When it comes to taking classes on productive things, it’s not an exaggeration to say that there are endless possibilities.
Aside from random courses, you can also look up industry- or field-related classes for yourself. For instance, knowing more about the subject you intend to take up in college can only be a good thing. In this case, too, you will discover both short-termed classes and those of longer durations.
Need tips on acing interviews? Check out this guide, 4 Recommendations for Successful Virtual Interviews!
Budget Analysis
Your financial situation might have taken a hit due to the coronavirus. For instance, one or both parents of many students got laid off. If you’re going through this too, consider if applying to the colleges you chose pre-COVID-19 is even possible right now.
Or, you may have planned to avail yourself of an educational scholarship to go college right from the start. But are those spots and scholarships still open after the pandemic hit? In short, the effects of the virus on our economy are wide-reaching and far-flung.
If not that, do you the financial resources to continue staying home and pay the bills during the pandemic? After all, it is mostly the essential workers who are out working – and risking their lives. So, what can you do for continued survival? That should also be part of your budget analysis.
And that is what makes a budget analysis one of the most productive things you can do right now! Reassess the amount that you were to spend pre-COVID-19. Can you cut down on it even more – and do you need to? Which of your spending habits should you be curtailing at the moment? What are the essential payments you need to take care of?
Grab your bank/credit card statements for the last few months. They should show you where your cash has been going. Then consider each source of expense and highlight the ones that you can do without.
Catching up on Your Reading can be one of the Productive Things to Do
For those who have a love for reading, there’s never enough time to indulge in it. Even if you’re someone who wants to get into this habit, the time constraints might keep you from doing so. What’s more, perusing a book while strap-hanging might not be everyone’s cup of tea.
But with the self-isolation in place, you do have a lot of downtime. And what better way that you fill it by tackling the book stack on your nightstand? You might have your own TBR all picked out and ready to be read. Or, you may like the camaraderie that comes from taking part in reading challenges. Either way, you now have many hours that you devote to this beautiful habit.
Not worried about the hobby but about catching up on your studies? This will help: 5 Ways to Maintain a Study Routine During the Corona Pandemic!
Update your LinkedIn Profile or Resume
Students who are also working and supporting themselves have a tough time of it. They must juggle both a job and study. But better options might be available. Here, we mean jobs that don’t require them to work for so many hours and pay better too. For many such jobs, like content writing, coding, etc., it is possible to work from home.
Alternatively, your job could number among the casualties of the pandemic. In either case, you can use this period of relaxation – so to speak – to update your resume and LinkedIn profile. Add any recent developments and professional accomplishments. You possibly won’t even have to scour the internet to determine how to spruce up your profile. These are the tips that the expert site itself has to offer on this subject.
All okay on the job front but need help with academia? Try this 6 Tips to Aid You in Preparing for College During the Pandemic!
You can opt to spend this time doing productive things. Use them to learn skills that will aid you in life, the professional arena, or at college. Or, do some heavy thinking about the decisions you already made but require revisiting. For instance, many students might also need to revisit the career path they chose before COVID-19 hit. In that case, the article, The Career Counseling You Need in the Time of COVID-19, will provide what you need.