What is happening around the world right now is beyond anything that has been seen in the last century, but it isn’t the worst that mankind has ever faced. Surreal as these times are, we will eventually make our way out of the pandemic, but it will take time. The economic impact, however, will be more long-lasting and far-reaching than the direct impact of the disease itself.
In a time like this when the world has practically come to a halt, professionals who manage to keep themselves at a productive advantage will do particularly well in the coming years. In case you’re wondering what exactly you can do to be professionally productive while being quarantined at home, the options are surprisingly numerous. We have selected a handful of them, and as we discuss those with you, the advantages we are talking so much about should become obvious.
Start an Online Course that will Help Your Career
Online vs offline education was a hot topic up until a month ago, but that is no longer even a discussion, given that online education is the only way for even traditional establishments to continue classes now. If you can’t go to the office and your company’s work from home strategy is running thin, then it’s time to consider putting yourself at an advantage by completing any professional course which can benefit your career down the line, or maybe even immediately after quarantine.
For example, check out this page on Aston University, where they discuss the kind of roles senior executives with DBAs will play in filling up leadership positions across various industries soon. The point is that if you already have an MBA, now is the perfect time to get started on that Doctorate in Business Administration (DBA) course online. While most of your colleagues will be slowly adjusting to the habit of getting back to work, you will already be well on your way towards gaining a serious professional and academic advantage over the competition!
Check the Stock Markets
If you have a decent understanding of stock markets, then you know that buying them in a bear market is both risky and ideal. While it would be ill-advised to start guessing in this market, those that actually understand stocks can make significant profits in the near future. A small investment in the right stocks could turn out to be huge down the line, as long as you manage to pick the right playing fields and the right players which will inevitably rise, post the lockdown period. Understand that it doesn’t really apply in a situation where the person doesn’t have any prior experience with the stock market at all! If you are new to the game, try to read up a bit before diving in headfirst.
Familiarise Yourself with Web Resources and Hardware
Working from home doesn’t mean much to a lot of people who work in the real world. One cannot expect the local handyman or roofing team to start working from home after all, which has already presented a grim scenario for the country’s economy. If you are one of the lucky few who have the opportunity to work from home, now is the perfect time to get to know all your web resources properly.
There is a chance that the lockdown in its various stages will continue for months, which means that you should really get to know how to use the internet, your computer, and its accessories to their fullest degree, in relation to the kind of work you do. For example, if you need to make a lot of client calls, consider investing in a high-quality webcam and microphone, as well as finding out which service provider is giving you the best deal on the kind of subscription packages you need to make those calls. Figure out the kind of hardware, software and cloud resources you can benefit the most from right now, and start building up both your knowledge base and your home office to face the pandemic like the real pro you are!
Do keep in mind that increasing your professional value and capacity to adapt at this time is also a good idea because of the predicted economic depression. If people start losing jobs and receiving pay cuts, having more qualifications on your resume will certainly decrease your chances of being affected too badly by such developments. If you can make yourself a bit more indispensable to the company, why wouldn’t you?
