You have more time on your hands; use it well

Despite the challenges posed by Covid-19 and anxiety by employees over their jobs, today I want to focus on the opportunities that we may easily miss or be quick to dismiss.

Whether working remotely or from the office, we’ve all gained some extra hours — remote workers have been spared from rising up early, the traffic jams, and home-to-office commutes.

These are extra hours that can be put into good use — reading, online freelance gigs, personal time of reflection, working out. You could pursue a course of interest, or improve your culinary skills, try some gardening or writing, the list is endless.

We have more time to spend with our families. Our children are now with us day and night. This is a great time to rewrite family memories.

If you live alone, reach out to close family and friends to encourage them. This is a time to list all the persons you have not spoken to for a while, forget the reasons for the divide, and extend a hand of forgiveness and comfort.

You will be surprised how light you will feel after mending up a broken relationship or letting go amicably. Do not sweat the small stuff.

EXTRA CASH

I have met many people who do jobs they don’t like to foot bills. If you are in this category, this may be a good time to strategise and research on how you can pursue stuff that you have always wanted to do.

I know passion may not put food on the table, but you will be amazed at what happens when you pursue what you really love.

Picture what it would be like to earn some extra money through a part-time gig. Truth be told, a salary increase is the last item on your employer’s priority list.

You have an opportunity to explore the road not taken years ago and earn some extra cash.

Now, this last point is really for the bold so buckle up and listen for a minute. One of the hardest roles of any manager's job is to convince an employee who feels underpaid.

In my many years practising HR, I can count the few people I have met who feel their salary is sufficient. Now tables have turned and that supposedly inadequate salary is increasingly so important and the thought of its unavailability is agonising to many.

But you have a silver lining — you have some reflecting to do and decide to either be grateful for your salary and grumble less, or use this opportunity to employ yourself and pay yourself the salary of your dreams. Tune in next week, I will talk about how to prepare for the new normal.

Mwikali Muthiani, a HR specialist with over 20 years of experience, is the MD, MillennialHR