Put on furlough? Make the most of your time!
Photo by Gustavo Fring from Pexels
Furlough? At the start of the year, you had never heard the word before – right? But now it is one of the buzz terms of 2020. With millions of people unable to do their jobs due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Job Retention Scheme kicked into gear. In the two weeks to 3 May, around a fifth of UK workers had been put on furlough as part of the scheme.
But working is such a big part of our weeks. So, it means anyone on furlough has quite a lot of spare time to fill. What can you do with it, while sticking to the latest government advice? Well, there are actually loads of ideas. You’re almost spoilt for choice. Things that you’ve put off and things you’ve always wanted to do, for example. Here are a few ideas to whet the appetite.
Get through that pile of life admin
It sounds boring, yes. But it’s easy to let things slide when you’re commuting to and from the office – with social events in-between. You could have a good spring clean as we head into the summer. Or why not take time to get to grips with your personal finances – especially as you’re not likely to be spending as much at the moment? For all that admin, this spare time is a godsend.
Take up a new hobby or pastime
Admin in order and everything off the to-do list? Great stuff – why not turn your attention to a brand-new hobby? The lockdown restrictions have changed a lot of things and one of them can be seen in the number of classes now available online (and even for free). Painting, languages, cooking, yoga, and even wine tasting – is there something you’ve been keen to try?
Enjoy that extra time with family
For people with families at home, this is a rare time to spend much more time with your loved ones. And that’s still the case if the keenest of kids are up early for their latest Joe Wicks class. Not everyone lives with their family, however. But that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the extra time. Catch up with your nearest and dearest wherever they are with a phone or Zoom call.
If you’re currently on furlough, it can sometimes feel like there’s so much time to fill while you wait to return to work. Once you start exploring the possibilities available to you, however, it’s more going to be a question of having the time to fit them all in. And, as the weather improves and government restrictions ease, those opportunities will only grow in number further.