My job often has a lot of down time... how would you use this time productively?

[neonbelly99]

@zumbafanforever I would recommend studying - it least this is what I do in IT. Try to invest in your future self, rather than trying to grab a few bucks.

 

[zumbafanforever]

@neonbelly99 Fair recommendation. Keep in mind this is 'a few bucks' on top of 'a few bucks'. I.e. already making a comfortable wage and our family is comfortably meeting our expenses and able to save. So those few bucks would go immediately into investing and grow/compound into lots of bucks in future.

 

[hyperhamster]

@zumbafanforever Studying is also an investment in your future. If you do this job for the next 4 years, you could walk away with a bachelor's giving you more earning potential or usable skills if you are running your own company.
Time goes by fast, use it wisely.

 

[eliaajram]

@hyperhamster My husband did this in his 20s. And another post grad in his 30s but more on his own time.

When his first career became untenable due to a change in management he was ready and able to switch to a completely different career at age 40.

 

[yuliana]

@zumbafanforever Yeah, but it might also just keep your value intact.
Not sure what you do, but it does not sound like you're honing your skills or learning new ones.

Your position might eventually get outsourced - there is money to save when staff sit idle as part of their role.

Consider who will want to hire you, if you tell them 'I sat on call for the past four years, working maybe 20%'.

 

[jag15]

@neonbelly99 Agree. One time I had not much to do on a job so I started studying a Cert iv.

 

[birdoftheforest]

@zumbafanforever Learn about investing, basic economic principles, compound growth, strategies to grow your super more effectively and save on tax. Track your expenses and micro-manage them, try maximise disposable income to invest.

Essentially, just learn to be smarter with money.

 

[egm3248]

@birdoftheforest This is on my to do list but it does feel heavy and a bit out of reach. Is linked in learning good for this? Any tips on how to start?

 

[birdoftheforest]

@egm3248 YouTube, reading the Fin review and Google stuff you don’t understand. You’ll learn pretty quickly!

 

[zokomo]

@zumbafanforever Depends on your skillset and/or opportunities you have to widen your skillset. Some examples for ya based on what you might be good at:

Good at writing:
- copywriting or editing. Try Upwork
- tutoring, reviewing/editing student essays. Try Upwork/look online for grey marketplaces for these things
- grant writing for small non for profits. Might not pay off in monetary value, but is a good value add to your CV especially if you're wanting to move up in management, grant writings a useful skill to perfect.
- take a remote customer support job - hard to find ones where you can work when you want but not impossible depending on your skill base in other areas.

Good at tech generally:
- consulting for small biz. E.g website set up, Shopify problem solving, AI integration, automation, tool migrations. Try Upwork, industry specific FB groups or even Reddit communities.

Good at design:
- website design, logo/illustration design
- more admin side of work but setting up businesses with structured tools and templates to improv workflow, e.g. Canva, Miro, etc
- edit photos - ie basic Photoshop. Upwork/FB to find work.
- set up your own website, make it super professional and legit, layout all your skills, and go for bigger fish consulting gigs across whatever industry you feel you have some solid skills in. Have business cards printed and use your own network to publicize. Do the work you get in your downtime too.

Jack of all trades/morally grey/consequences on you:
- flip stuff on marketplace and use your downtime to manage listings
- trade shit (whatever you know enough about to not get scammed - magic the gathering, Pokemon, baseball cards, watches, stocks, etc)
- ghost write student essays (pay per word is pretty crap but if you enjoy it have at it)
- set up an auspost fake text scam syndicate
- good old problem gambling
- use the time to be on dating apps and land yourself a sugar daddy/mummy

Low low return but easiest to do:
- reward surveys
- rejig all your finances and shopping and bills to get rewards points of your choosing
- start a blog/website sharing shit you like eg a recipes blog you can pump with annoying ads and monetize
- YouTube/tiktok/insta social media - find a niche you can evangelise in, or get hot enough to make ASMR (competitions high so you'd need to be absurdly hot)
- play games on twitch on your laptop/mobile (again, absurdly hot helps)

 

[resjudicata]

@zokomo Auspost fake text scam syndicate it is