Well, as Bob Dylan said, "the times they are a'changin". And now you are home because your company has too many people. Don't let it get you down. It is time to shake the dust off and get moving. Here are nineteen things you can do while you wait for your phone to ring.
1.
Read and/or Study your Field
Because of the current
situation, many things are going to change. You should expect that by the time
your company comes back your job may not be there. Lots of companies will
layoff employees and you should expect that you might be one of them. If you
like your field, do everything you can while you are off work to extend your
knowledge and make yourself more valuable to your employer. Here are some
links to my business books: https://amzn.to/33uHne1
2.
Take an Online College Course
Toward this goal
of improving your skills while you have the opportunity, it is not difficult to
find a college course that you can take while you are working from home. You
have at least one hour of extra time that you are not using to travel to and from
work so use this time wisely. Stay off Netflix.
Online college link: Online Degrees
Online college link: Online Degrees
3.
Find the Next Best Thing
Think about how
the economy is changing. It is during times like these that industrious people
adjust and create the next new "thing". You must be at home so why not find a
service or product that can help people, then go to step 4 and write your business plan. In fact, there
are lots of people now whose needs have changed. If you can find a
way to meet those needs, this could be an opportunity for you to thrive and survive.
Explore the Internet and see if there is a way you can use available databases
to do your job at home. If your company is no longer offering certain services, you can do them from home by placing some ads and inviting people to
contact you. Get a PayPal (or other) account and you can start taking credit
cards online.
Paypal: https://www.paypal.com
4.
Write a Business Plan
Here is your chance to write that business plan you’ve always wanted to write. Read up on your business idea and put your thoughts on paper. Or you can hire me to write your business plan with you. I have written over 260 business plans and have helped many companies get started. What a perfect time to make sure that next time this happens you will be self-sufficient. Check the internet to see if there is a business plan template that you can use or contact me, and I can send you a questionnaire that I use.
Here is your chance to write that business plan you’ve always wanted to write. Read up on your business idea and put your thoughts on paper. Or you can hire me to write your business plan with you. I have written over 260 business plans and have helped many companies get started. What a perfect time to make sure that next time this happens you will be self-sufficient. Check the internet to see if there is a business plan template that you can use or contact me, and I can send you a questionnaire that I use.
5.
Write a Grant Proposal
Many foundations and corporations offer grant money to worthy
causes. Applying for a grant can be a good way to tide your company over and do
good works at the same time. If you’d like help in writing a grant proposal, we
can help you. We’ve written grants that have gotten money for small businesses,
fire departments and other organizations. http://www.documentservicesinternational.com
6.
Buy Gold
The government is
spending lots of money to “stimulate” the economy that their actions have brought
down. You can be sure that the value of the dollar will soon be going down. If
you have extra money or the government sends you a check, spend that money
buying valuable commodities such as gold, silver or platinum (among others) as
a hedge against even worse times. In fact, the prices of these commodities will
likely go up exponentially and you could make a windfall. But do it now before the herd mentality gets going.
Here's a book on sound
investment: https://amzn.to/2Qvd95a
7.
Stock up
Notice the items
that are scarce and watch for times when they show up on the shelves. Try not
to hoard, but keep in storage a reasonable amount of these items to tide you over for
the next few months. Once an economy gets out of whack, it is hard to say which
items will become scarce. If there is a food you really like, buy a few extra
when you get a chance.
Here’s a book on
disaster survival: https://amzn.to/2J22meN
8.
Exercise
Keep yourself
healthy, exercise, try to eat right and keep your mind clear. Now is a time
when many people go into depression. Plenty of exercise can help you stay
positive while you look forward to better times. An important suggestion: stay
away from alcohol (unless you use it to clean your house). Alcoholic drinks can
only bring you down. To stay positive, keep alcohol out of your life. Think of
your values and this will keep you from being depressed.
Exercising at
Home: https://amzn.to/3a5QOD3
9.
Read the Constitution
Lots of changes
are happening in terms of government power. Right now, politicians are trying
to find new ways to take away our freedoms using the chaos they have created to tell you how to live. This would be a
good time to read the Constitution and try to be clear in your mind about what
freedom means and how we can restore it.
Learn about Defending American Values: https://amzn.to/2Wy4hQi
Learn about Defending American Values: https://amzn.to/2Wy4hQi
Get your copy of the U.S.
Constitution: https://amzn.to/2xPWWB7
10.
Take Time to reevaluate your
Value Structure and How You Can Focus the Rest of your Life
What are your
values? What can you do to ensure they survive through the chaos? How can you
define your values more clearly? I wrote a book about it. Here are my self-help
books:
11.
Identify your Next Job and Go
After it
Your boss may not
realize that in laying you off, he has made you stronger. He has given you the
time to develop yourself and make yourself more valuable. The changing market
could give you an opportunity to start a new business, work smarter and develop your mind as a valuable investment. This may be a perfect time to start a business
on a shoestring – perhaps the only time and you should take advantage of it.
Ask yourself, what businesses are closed and what can you do to provide products
or services that these businesses are not providing. They have given you a
window of opportunity.
Your Next Job: https://amzn.to/3a4FvuP
12.
Write a Book
You’ve always
wanted to write a book. Although it will take time, give yourself a shot and
get as much down on paper as you can. If you develop enough material, you can
later organize it into a money maker for you. At the very least, you'll be able to say that you are an author. Start with your outline and
then fill up each point with as much knowledge from the top of your mind. Then
re-organize it and edit it for grammar and clarity. If you need help editing and self-publishing
on Kindle or paperback, get in touch with me. I can help you for a small fee.
http://www.documentservicesinternational.com
http://www.documentservicesinternational.com
13.
Minimalize
You may have too
many things in your life. You can minimalize by evaluating what you have,
whether you need it or whether there is a more effective way to get things
done. Minimalization takes time but now you have time. I could have written many more suggestions on this list that involve minimalization. For instance, order things from Amazon rather than going to the department store where you could catch a virus. Have your food and movies and other things delivered by a service so you don't have to waste gas driving all over the place. If you do drive, make it a day-trip and see the interesting sights around you. Finally, use email and texting rather than phoning, pay your bills online or set up automatic payment for your utilities. One thing I've done recently is canceled my cable tv and began streaming all my live television from the Internet. A nice cost savings. Try www.youtubetv.com.
Minimalization
Guide: https://amzn.to/2UlyjUv
14.
Forage
Foraging means
finding edible food in your local surroundings. You’d be surprised what you
find. Here’s a book to help:
Foraging: https://amzn.to/2Uk2zPD
15.
Make Money from your Hobby
Now may be the
time to turn your hobby into a business. What have you loved doing in the past?
What would you like to make into a hobby that you haven’t had the time to do?
There may be many new things that you can do that will give you great pleasure.
Making Money from
your Hobby: https://amzn.to/2vyGcxw
16.
Do Home Improvement
Improving your
home means DIY that will add value to your home. This may be critical if you
decide later to sell your home.
DIY book: https://amzn.to/2xTwPcD
17.
Help Others if you can.
If you are
financially independent, you can use your time to help people who are suffering
from loss of their job. Make sure the people you care for are doing ok and ask them if they need help to get through these times. You can also donate blood or
check with hospitals to see if they need volunteers, etc.
How to Change the
World: https://amzn.to/33GWgtX
18.
Update your Resume
Now is the time
to dust if off, update it and improve it. My resume writing service has helped
many people get a better job. Send it to me and I’ll give you a quote. See my
email address below.
19.
Think About How Great You have
it
This may seem
like a strange suggestion but, as an American, you are among some of the
richest people in the history of the world. Learn to enjoy your life, your
home, your time.
How to be Rich: https://amzn.to/2J20r9U
New ideas:
20. Research your family tree. This is a great time to learn about your ancestors. If you have the time, check out some of the online resources for researching your family history.
Since I have a professional genealogist in my family, I received some great tips about researching your family tree:
1. Familysearch.org - is a free website with tons of great resources.
2. Ancestry.com - you have to pay for this one unless you are in a library that offers free access but it is very useful.
3. Many libraries offer free access to online newspaper databases with a library card. Just take a look at their databases page on their website. You can research obituaries, marriage notices, birth notices, and etc. And most librarians know a great deal about researching family histories and they can give you great advice and sometimes even help you in your search.
4. Many local libraries and genealogical societies offer free resources or guides on their websites. Just go to the site of the library in the area where your ancestors are from to see what is available.
5. https://archive.org has free genealogy books on their website in addition to items like city directories. 21. Take time for a massage or foot rub. You deserve it. You can check out "Massage Envy" if it is still open or have your partner take a little time to give you some pampering. After all, if you've got it, you've got it together. Make the best of it:
How to Massage your Lover:https://amzn.to/2U7yy6S
Do you have any other ideas for people who have extra time today? Send it along to me and if I use it, I’ll give you credit.
20. Research your family tree. This is a great time to learn about your ancestors. If you have the time, check out some of the online resources for researching your family history.
Since I have a professional genealogist in my family, I received some great tips about researching your family tree:
1. Familysearch.org - is a free website with tons of great resources.
2. Ancestry.com - you have to pay for this one unless you are in a library that offers free access but it is very useful.
3. Many libraries offer free access to online newspaper databases with a library card. Just take a look at their databases page on their website. You can research obituaries, marriage notices, birth notices, and etc. And most librarians know a great deal about researching family histories and they can give you great advice and sometimes even help you in your search.
4. Many local libraries and genealogical societies offer free resources or guides on their websites. Just go to the site of the library in the area where your ancestors are from to see what is available.
5. https://archive.org has free genealogy books on their website in addition to items like city directories. 21. Take time for a massage or foot rub. You deserve it. You can check out "Massage Envy" if it is still open or have your partner take a little time to give you some pampering. After all, if you've got it, you've got it together. Make the best of it:
How to Massage your Lover:https://amzn.to/2U7yy6S
Do you have any other ideas for people who have extra time today? Send it along to me and if I use it, I’ll give you credit.
Robert Villegas
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