For many of us being furloughed is just a way of life right now. To those unfamiliar with the term, put simply, furloughed workers are those whose employers cannot afford to cover staff costs due to the Coronavirus, and as such they have been asked to stop working, but have not been made redundant. If you have found yourself in this position, it is easy to slip into a state of despair, especially if you’re a person who usually loves working and the social aspects that come along with that. For that reason I wanted to share with you three ways to stay positive when furloughed…
Collaborate Online
Make the most of your time and stay productive. That might mean starting the blog you always talked about or sorting out your existing blog or portfolio website. You might look at collaborating with a fellow creative by making a video together, or finding someone who can automate your social media posts or an SEO agency who can look at how your website can rank a little higher on the search engines. There are plenty of creatives and individuals out there who might appreciate some paid work right now, and if you have a budget available, you might as well utilise it. Staying productive and collaborating with others online is a great way to stay positive.
Identify Future Opportunities
When you’re a furloughed worker it’s easy to wonder when life will go ‘back to normal’, but the reality is, things may not go back to the way they were and if they do, it might be some time way into the future. This uncertainty can of course bring with it a whole host of anxiety, financial and otherwise. What will the future hold? what happens when you no longer have an income? Take some time to consider these questions. If you are eventually laid off, you want to have a few ideas in place as to what you might like to do in the future. Maybe you want to change career entirely, perhaps you want to get a side hustle or part-time job to pay your basic expenses, go back into education or start a business. Face these tough questions with a little creativity, identify future opportunities and don’t be afraid to consider a future that looks very different to what has gone before.
Allow Yourself A Rest
It’s a strange thing being furloughed, as you’re being paid 80% of your salary but not actually doing any work. Of course it sounds great, but you do have the added anxiety of eventually being laid off. As someone who naturally likes to keep busy, allowing myself time to rest is something I have to do consciously. However, acknowledging that it’s o.k to take a break and just enjoy each day has been a revelation. Try to see this time as a mini retirement. You can watch Bargain Hunt in the afternoon and have a nap if you like or do a crossword in the garden, embrace the slow pace of life that furlough brings.
Hopefully these points will help you to keep your chin up and enjoy the quiet brought about by the Coronavirus. Try to see your furloughed time as an opportunity interlude, time to dream, rest and re-evaluate.
“There is no scarcity of opportunity to make a living at what you love; there’s only scarcity of resolve to make it happen.”
– Wayne Dyer
Stay fabulous
Christine
