Over the last few weeks, our world has been turned upside down as the COVID-19 pandemic has intensified. So many of the things we take for granted have been taken from us. People everywhere are losing their jobs, businesses are fighting for survival and those still employed are trying hard to ‘make it work’. We’re all struggling to adjust to this new normal and for many, the thought of learning is simply too much.

However, now is a crucial time to focus on ensuring your skills are up to date. We’ve seen a plethora of online courses being made available by various educational bodies, some of them free, Here in Australia, just as one example, TAFE is offering fee-free short courses. Given the rapid pace of change and technology advancements, it is more important than ever for all of us to ensure we are employable and have the skills we need for the jobs of the future.

This doesn’t mean you have to enroll in a degree. Instead, you can use all of your newfound time to tackle some of the business books that have been stacking up on your physical and digital bookshelf, or you might finally consume some of the online courseware you’ve been eyeing. Any time we can spend to learn new things and sharpen professional skills will not only make us better at our job, it will also help us to feel excited and re-energized to tackle work and life’s challenges as things inevitably return to normal when we emerge from our homes.

Here are a few ways you can use this time to develop your own skills.

Read a book or join a (virtual) book club

According to the Harvard Business Review, “Reading is an essential component of leadership development…broad and deep reading habits can sharpen intelligence, make you a better communicator, and improve emotional intelligence.” When selecting what to read, choose something that aligns with trending topics, emerging business practices, provocative new ideas, or ground-breaking research—subjects that will get you talking, sharing, and practicing new ways to work for the near year.

To take your learning up a notch, consider joining a virtual book club. Sharing your reading with a wider group provides a more diverse perspective, which broadens our understanding. At Skillsoft, we’ve taken the idea of the traditional book club and given it a digital makeover for the modern workforce.

Embrace online learning

We all know that when work gets hectic, everything apart from the most urgent tasks are sidelined. Unfortunately, this often means there is a library of online learning content waiting for your attention. Rather than postponing your online learning, use this period to give it your full attention. Setting aside 20 minutes to focus on sharpening your skills in areas such as leadership, time management, creativity and innovation, will reset your equilibrium and ease your return to business, as usual, feeling positive, prepared and motivated. At Skillsoft, we’re providing free learning materials to help businesses through this crisis, including content such as how to manage diverse teams and support remote employees. 

Find a mentor

A good mentor can be an invaluable resource. Learning from someone who has already ‘been there’ is a great way to learn from experience. A positive mentor can help you to see things in new ways and focus on the most important aspects of a new task or challenge.  Many people and organizations are going out of their way to support those whose jobs were impacted, so it could be a great time to dodge an ‘I’m too busy’ response and get your foot in the door with the mentor you’ve always dreamed of.

Consider certifications

Certifications can be a great way to master highly-targeted and highly-desirable skills. If you are or would like to work in an industry or a domain that recognizes certifications, consider pursuing one or more via online learning courseware.

Many organizations understand that by encouraging personal development and providing opportunities to learn a new skill, employees are more positive and engaged, but we also need to accept responsibility for our own development. Taking on your own personal development will help make you a more agile learner and agile learners are extremely valuable assets to employers.

Using this time to rediscover our commitment to developing our own skills doesn’t have to end when things return to normal post-pandemic. Whilst we might not have time to sit down and digest an entire book or course, we can always spare a few minutes to watch a quick inspirational video, or to read a summary of the latest business book. If we can create good learning habits right now, it will stand us in good stead to be able to carry them through into the future.