Thankfully, no storm is forever. Although the Coronavirus ordeal will bring change in its aftermath it is in our own interest to prepare ourselves for a Covid-19-free future and come out on top. We’ve thought of a few things you can do if you’re social distancing, in quarantine, or if you have, unfortunately, found yourself on reduced hours or even jobless. Here are five things you can do in your downtime that your future self will definitely thank you for.

1. Improve your skillset.

Have you wanted to apply for a particular job but found you’re lacking a particular skill? Now’s your chance to get right on it. Take an online course, call a proficient friend (who may probably also be quite free and happy to help), watch some youtube tutorials or even join a Facebook group or Linkedin community. If it’s something that needs practice (most skills do), there is no better time to do it. Watch webinars or even Ted Talks on your favourite topic. Take this time to learn and improve yourself, even your “soft” skills.

2. Reach out to your network.

Let friends know you’ve been laid off or looking for a new opportunity. Even if you’re not offered a job immediately, this will pay off. In a Covid-19 free future, you will thank yourself!

3. Spend some time on LinkedIn.

Improve your profile, take a LinkedIn skill quiz (if you find you get below a percentile pass mark of 70 – you know it’s time to practice!), update your portfolio – if relevant, and grow your network (refer to point 2). It will also help to share your professional opinion or insights on Linkedin, apart from increasing your visibility and reach on Linkedin, this will also improve your standing as a leader in your profession within your LinkedIn network and beyond.

4. Keep tabs on your industry or speciality skill.

Even when we’re not in the middle of a pandemic, it’s always great to keep tabs on our key industries. Follow industry leaders’ websites, social sites, and niche news sites. How are they dealing with the current situation? How did they evolve their business around it? You never know, a sentence here or a visual there may inspire your next great idea.

5. Get started on your side business.

Have you been thinking about making a job out of a hobby, or even launch your own business? This downtime could be a blessing in disguise. Now’s the time to work and get into the nitty-gritty of it until you’re finally set to launch in a Covid-19 free future.

Know a friend who’s looking for a job? Share this now.

This article is part of our ‘Covid-19 & the Job Market’ resource pack. View more here.