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29 Apr How to make the most of your time during this pandemic?

Posted at 15:35h in Uncategorized by Belle 0 Comments

Man With a Mask on Working on an Ipad We all, as a community, are in an unprecedented time in history. Many have experienced either a job loss or a reduction in hours. Many of us are grappling with the uncertainty of the future, which can result in fear—especially since we are all inundated with horrific media reports every day meant to scare us.

Many are having a hard time finding motivation during this time. Each day runs into one another, and the mounting economic impact of COVID can be stressful. I have put together some resources to help stay productive during this time. I have included some online courses (most of which are free) for further education, books I have enjoyed, and some fun apps. I have been hard on myself for the lack of productivity and motivation. At the same time, I believe this can be an opportunity to relax and not overwork. We have an absence of stimulus right now, so let’s utilize this time also to do the things you have not always had the time to do. Read a book, listen to an audible or podcast, or take an online fitness class. I included some of my favorites below.

TAKE AN ONLINE COURSE

Here are some course ideas on how to gain additional skills during this time and further your education during the Stay Home order.

Future Learn-Teaching Courses

Future Learn offers FREE courses for kids’ teachers. These courses make a wonderful curriculum for our Nannies. You can also earn academic credit to use towards a degree or they can be used as an independent certification.

Link – https://www.futurelearn.com/subjects/teaching-courses

Universal – Housekeeping 101

Keeping a clean house seems like such a daunting exercise for many people, but it need not be. Arming yourself with the right knowledge and the right tools will make cleaning easy and efficient. Universal Housekeeping 101 offers budget courses (prices starting at $50) on how to care for your house and your belongings, and how to protect you and your family from harmful chemicals and allergies. You will learn how to set a schedule that will make cleaning seem less laborious, and you will learn tips and tricks from the experts on how to deal with common household cleaning projects and issues.

The courses are offered in the following categories and are recommended for professional housekeepers. It will help you confidently and professionally juggle every area of your housekeeping work.

Determine and assemble your cleaning kit.
Define a cleaning schedule and develop a cleaning routine.
Know the fundamentals of creating your own cleaning supplies.
Describe the techniques to clean a kitchen.
Describe the techniques to clean a bathroom.
Describe the techniques to clean the living room area.
Describe the techniques to clean bedrooms.
Define the methods to properly clear
Describe basic furniture care techniques.
Recognize and describe how to deal with pets and allergies, and

Link – https://www.universalclass.com/i/course/housekeeping-101.htm

School for Butlers and Hospitality

School for Butlers and Hospitality has a proven track record in training some of the finest butlers and is very proud of the locations and people they work for. The distance learning program of the School for Butlers and Hospitality shows you all the techniques you need to learn to become the best in domestic service. Join the Free Webinar.

Link – https://schoolforbutlers.com
Link – https://event.webinarjam.com/register/2/gwm82c6

Coursera – Creative Problem Solving

Coursera’s Creative Problem Solving is a course for all of us, it deals directly with our ability for creativity which is a critical skill in any field. It focuses on divergent thinking, the ability to develop multiple ideas and concepts to solve problems. Through a series of creativity-building exercises, short lectures, and readings, learners develop both an understanding of creativity and increase their own ability.

This course will help you understand the importance of diverse ideas, and to convey that understanding to others. It will challenge you to move outside of your existing comfort zone and to recognize the value of that exploration. In this course, the persistence of the creative person is developed through practice. At the same time, these exercises are constrained by concerns of safety, legality, and economics, which are addressed in their creative process.

Link – https://www.coursera.org/learn/creative-problem-solving

Masterclass

Masterclass offers comprehensive courses in various categories. One can buy one annual membership for $180 and share one with another for free or get it with a friend and split it.

Categories

Film & TV
Music & Entertainment
Culinary Arts
Writing
Business, Politics & Society
Sports & Games
Design, Photography, & Fashion
Lifestyle
Science & Technology

Link – https://www.masterclass.com

Alison – Caregiving Courses

Alison offers free online courses in caregiving focusing on the basic legal and ethical issues of providing care and helps you develop the skills for becoming an effective caregiver. You will also learn about dementia, the impact of diseases and traumatic injuries, and more.

Link – https://alison.com/course/diploma-in-caregiving-revised-2018

Here are some more online university links for you to take up a course of your choice for free.

Read a book

Here are some book suggestions from my library.

Work out, meditate & get in shape

Most of us are eating and drinking more during the stay-at-home order and also combating isolation. The best cure for depression, anxiety, stress, and ADHD, is exercise. It is one of the most effective ways to improve your mental health. Many coaches, trainers, and instructors are now offering some online classes for free.

Have you ever wanted to learn to dance, but are too embarrassed to do it in front of people?
Maybe you needed to work on your flexibility. Most of these classes can be taken in any small area of your home. Here are some of my favorites. I have also found some great yoga and pilates on YouTube.

Equinox gym

Equinox gym offers great 30-minute classes on their Instagram handle @variis which is included with their membership and requires no weights.

Link – https://www.instagram.com/variis/

Nicole Winhoffer

Nicole Winhoffer is a world-renowned fitness artist who creatively combines the art of inner expression and fitness. She has amazing sculpting and dance classes on both her website and Instagram handle @nicolewinhoffer. She does free Instagram Lives every week which are super fun and motivating. She closes every class with an empowering message.

Link – http://www.nicolewinhoffer.com

DoubleTime Twins

DoubleTime Twins do a free noon class Monday – Friday on their Instagram handle @doubletimetwins. Check out these cute twins with high energy to take you through some high-paced dance fitness moves.

Link – https://www.instagram.com/doubletimetwins/

Ashley Borden – Rebounder

I recently purchased a rebounder because it’s easy to store and helps move my body. Ashley Borden, a CPT Master Trainer who has been featured on Khloe Kardashians Revenge Body @ashleybordenfitness gives some great tips on using it. You can also find more workouts on Youtube. She also has a direct link on her page for a $50 discount for a rebounder. Here are some of the benefits of a rebounder.

Meditation or Focus Power

Don’t dismiss meditation as a spiritual gimmick. It is a powerful mental tool that increases your focus and output in tasks, enhances the quality of decision-making, and increases productivity through efficient task switching. Simply close your eyes and focus on the tip of your nose, mentally observing. Try lying down with your eyes closed, palms up, and while focusing on your breath, or spend 20 minutes sitting cross-legged and repeating a soothing word to yourself in your head. You can also use a meditation app – Soulvana is a yearly subscription service that costs $59.99 per year. Prices vary by region and it comes with a 7 days free trial. For spiritual people, it features immersive online group meditation classes.

Link – https://www.soulvana.com

Insight Timer App

Insight Timer App is also one of my favorites. It comes with a free trial. A multifaceted gateway to more than 30,000 guided sessions that tap into every emotion rattling your nerves, it also offers relaxing music tracks, a section for kids, and therapeutic pep talks from the likes of Indian yogi Sadhguru and psychotherapist Anthony DeMello.

Link – https://insighttimer.com/

Clean, organize, re-arrange & garden

If for the past few months, you have been waiting for a weekend to clean and organize your kids’ room, living room, or any other area of your house, now is the time. Choose a specific day when you along with your family members can work on the cleanliness and organization of your home.

Once you have cleaned your home sweet home thoroughly, think of rearranging your household items such as television, sofas, chairs, dining table, decorative pieces, and others to give your humble abode a completely new look. Indulge yourself in gardening – Being among plants and trees gives us a sense of relief. You along with your dear ones can get involved in a gardening activity to give back the most to nature. Planting new seeds, controlling weeds, adding some garden art, and others are a few gardening activities you can engage in.

Zoom in with friends and family

We are all staying in touch with friends and family through video calls and texts. To add further to that, you can choose to organize a virtual dinner via apps like Zoom, Houseparty, or good old Google Hangouts, or do a housebound activity together, like crafting or drawing. Write thank-you notes to friends, family, and service people who you remember went out of their way for you.

Turn time into an opportunity

Millions of us are at home during the Covid-19 lockdown. For some, that means losing income and for others, it means more free time and headspace to think about new projects you always wanted to start. For example, offering graphic design work, giving e-learning courses, and selling your own products online. If you have been paid by 1099 you can also apply for the SBA PPP Loan.

Intuit Aid Assist

Intuit just launched a free interactive tool known as Intuit Aid Assist that will let any small business owner or independent worker assess whether they qualify for a forgivable PPP loan or an economic injury disaster grant from the Small Business Administration. It also helps them assess how much money to apply for and how much of the PPP loan would not have to be repaid if used for authorized expenses.

Follow the News

Axios

For news, I recommend Axios. Axios gets you smarter, and faster with news & information that matters. It was started by three co-founders — Jim VandeHei, Mike Allen, and Roy Schwartz in January 2017 based on this shared belief: Media is broken, and too often a scam. I hope some of these resources can help you to keep yourself busy and your spirits up during this difficult time. Please know we are all in this together, and I know we will come out stronger TOGETHER!!!! If we at Riveter Consulting Group can be a resource to you during this time please reach out to us. We are here to help.

Other References –

https://www.insurancedekho.com/health-insurance/articles/simple-ways-to-spend-your-free-time-during-coronavirus-lockdown-451

https://ohmygoodguide.com/productive-fun-things-to-do-at-home-coronavirus-lockdown-quarantine/

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Belle

gold@riveterconsulting.com