Furloughed from your job? Use the time well

Have you been furloughed? Well, the good news is you’ve still got a job; the bad news is you’re not drawing pay from that job. That’s not as good as having a job and actually getting paid, but these days it’s a close second.

Another version of the furlough is the reduction of work hours. Again, it’s a good-news-bad-news scenario. On the plus side, you still have income, even if it’s less. But the negative is that you’re committed to this workplace and might not have enough time left over to do anything else that’s meaningful to you.

More on that in a minute. But first, if your employer offers you a choice between a reduction in hours and a reduction in pay, always take a reduction in hours. Here’s why: When your hourly rate is cut, it’s you who feels the most pain. When your schedule is cut, your employer shares the pain and will be more motivated to restore the hours as the workload increases.

AMY LINDGREN

WORKING STRATEGIES

Back to the question of time and how you might use it when your work is cut or furloughed. Here are some ideas to consider:

Career

- Take a second job

- Schedule networking meetings with friends and colleagues

- Attend professional meetings

- Finish your résumé

- Explore LinkedIn or other social networking sites

- Begin a reading program in your field

- Volunteer your professional skills for a nonprofit

Learning

- Take a class, perhaps in a fallback career

- Learn a second language

- Work through the tutorials for every software program you own

- Strengthen your writing or public speaking skills

Personal/Family

- Learn to plan meals and cook; set up a system that will work when you’re busy again

- Teach your kids or spouse to cook

- Visit friends or family

- Sort your clothes so you have less clutter

- Explore your spiritual side by taking a retreat, signing up for yoga, attending services, etc.

More laundry? More television? More yardwork? Uh-uh. If those things don’t add to the quality of your current life, and don’t help build for your future, you don’t need more of them.

- Amy Lindgren owns Prototype Career Service, a career consulting firm in St. Paul, Minn. She can be reached at alindgren@prototypecaree rservice.com or at 1071 W. Seventh St., St. Paul, MN 55102.