120 Important Things You Can Get Done During COVID-19

Sonya L. Cole

April 2020

1. Brew a pot of coffee and save the remaining in the refrigerator for iced coffee.

2. Change your passwords including all social media accounts, online banking, email accounts, television and streaming services, online utility accounts, and medical accounts.

3. Join BC/BS Pack Health or another free health advisory service offered by your insurance

4. Consult with and hire a health advisor or dietician

5. Update your life insurance policies and be sure you have enough to cover dependents, deaths, and endowments.

6. Put aside money in an account for future health needs—a flexible spending account.

7. Estimate future medical costs for necessary procedures and elective procedures such as braces, cosmetic surgery, and those of your dependents.

8. Find your vital statistics documents, make copies of each other, and store in a secure place. Be sure the documents are wrapped in plastic and stored in a fire-safe box. This includes your Driver’s License, Social Security Card, Passport, and checkbooks.

9. Find the vital statistics documents for your children and parents, and do the same as #8. This includes birth and death certificates, house deeds and titles, automobile titles, etc.

10. Make note of any expiration dates of the documents in #8 & #9 in a planner.

11. Make a detailed list of your current medications and those of your dependents/parents and place where it can be found if ever needed.

12. Throw away or donate a box of unflattering, ill-fitting, and outdated clothing.

13. If you intend to diet during this time, pack away your current clothes in preparation for being smaller. Just do it!

14. Locate a men’s or women’s shelter and give them your towels, blankets, and other items you have way too many of in your house.

15. Check your social security statements to see what your income may be at retirement.

16. Review your retirement plans and speak with someone to calculate how much you might need when you retire and how to wisely contribute to your plan.

17. Decide what “next level” means for you.

18. Write an eBook. Look at software that may help with this goal. Find previously written letters, blogs, and emails you can use as content in your new book.

19. Audit and record all of your software subscriptions, productivity accounts, and technology subscriptions such as websites (Wix, Go Daddy), p.o. box, survey accounts (Qualtrics, Survey Monkey), LMS (Blackboard, Sakai, Canvas), evaluation sites (Digital Measures), etc.

20. Write down your passwords and store where you can find, but also where your dependents can find these in the event of an emergency or other catastrophe.

21. Set up a war room or meditation area dedicated to spiritual growth and practice.

22. Cancel unwanted subscriptions cluttering your email accounts

23. Cancel unwanted streaming services and auto shipment products.

24. Set up filters in your email accounts

25. Clean up your phone contact lists and email contact lists

26. Make a calendar with subscription renewal dates especially if rates will increase

27. Register with the National Do Not Call Registry to stop solicitations

28. Freeze debit and credit cards you feel aid in your overspending including store cards

29. Get a membership to a credit monitoring service such as Experian or Privacy Guard (I do not work for nor endorse any particular product).

30. Fix your credit by systematically addressing issues and writing letters (refer to an expert first) or hire a credit repair agency such as Sky Blue, Lexis, or local company, if you don’t have the time or want to do it all yourself. Come out of this better than you went in!

31. Take a real snapshot of your financial picture

32. Research salaries of your current job and ideal future jobs. Look at market value. Use free services such as Glassdoor or Occupational Outlook Handbook.

33. Post an honest review of your job and company on Glassdoor for job seekers.

34. Find a part-time gig or work at home opportunity such as virtual administrative assistant, Verbit legal proofreading, customer service representative for a mail-order company such as Amazon or HSN, transcription services, online tutoring

35. Enroll in a program to finally get a license or certification you’ve wanted such as real estate, project management, human resources (SPHR or SHRM-CP), event planning, life coaching, bookkeeping, computer software (C++, Adobe Premier) design software, digital marketing, or other interests.

36. Learn and become an expert in an in-demand software or other areas

37. Take a masterclass in creative writing, screenwriting, learning to sing, using software/technology, painting, or other interests

38. Research and finally write your business plan

39. Help others write or articulate their business plan

40. Find podcasts and subscribe

41. Create your own podcast, blog, or vlog

42. Do a deep search on your name and image using multiple search engines Clean your social media profile footprints. LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter, etc.

43. Create a business-oriented social media account using your real name and use your nickname or a pseudonym on personal/fun social media accounts

44. Review your privacy settings on your social media accounts—remove coworkers

45. Take your own professional headshot and write your own bio

46. Create a vision board or vision scrapbook

47. Write out your goals using the SMART Method

48. Hire a career coach or business coach who will meet with you online

49. Start a Facebook support or fan group (weight loss, book club, extreme couponing, fansite for a show or an actor you love, writing circle, mom’s group, professional group, or other interest).

50. Volunteer for a cause and help create a strategy or plan a future event

51. Start a nonprofit and identify recruits for volunteering—online and afterward

52. Make a plan to volunteer at a library or shelter and reach out to start the relationship with the management

53. Create a service price sheet and sell your special expertise

54. Look in the mirror and note your positive physical attributes and areas to improve. What can you do to accentuate the positives and improve the other areas?

55. Cancel or move to online catalogs

56. Take credit cards out of your wallet. Make a list of cards and card numbers and customer service numbers and store them with vital statistics.

57. Create a visual of your debt plan

58. Create a pie chart of expenses. Are you within the recommended percentages on food costs, rent/mortgage, and auto expenses?

59. Store vitamins and supplements in daily baggies with at least 30 days worth. You can write the ideal time to take these on the bags and separate them into different boxes for AM and PM. Keep baggies in your office, purse or bag, and home near where you eat so you remember to take them after a meal

60. Read the book Nudge by behavioral economist Richard Thaler to explore how you make decisions and changes you can make for sounder decisionmaking.

61. Ask your trusted friends for their booklist

62. Ask professionals you respect for their booklist

63. Conduct informational interviews by phone or video (future jobs or other areas of interest). Most people are working from home and will oblige you for an interview.

64. Have someone conduct a mock interview by phone or video to evaluate your interviewing skills. Or if you are quarantined with someone, provide them with a list of possible questions for your dream job and have them to mock interview you.

65. Read a chapter a week of a desired book with a friend

66. Do a pie chart illustrating how you spend your time—then adjust where needed

67. Find a motivational speaker you like and follow his or her YouTube videos, Ted Talks, podcasts, and other content

68. Read to your kids, grandkids, or other people’s kids online

69. Go through your shoes and throw out the ones that hurt and make a pile of those to repair when shops reopen

70. Repair clothing with missing buttons, falling seams, etc.

71. Do a check-in with family and friends. Ask people how they are doing and actually listen—refrain from offering advice or talking about yourself

72. Find motivating pictures and tape around your house for inspiration

73. Hang signs in common areas reminding housemates to clean the lint tray in the laundry, wipe down the washing machine, not to leave clothes on top of the dryer, wipe down microwave when done using, WASH THEIR OWN DISHES or at least load the dishwasher, take their shoes to their rooms, throw away their leftovers in the fridge, take the trash out, and whatever else is often disregarded. This is not the time for martyrdom or servitude just because you are home.

74. Tape positive notes about yourself on mirrors and leave notes for others

75. Create a hangtag for your car with a motivational message

76. Write a big sign with a reminder or motivational message and hang on the ceiling above the bed. You’ll start your day on a positive note when you see it once you are awake.

77. Buy a Light Therapy Lamp or Circadian Optics alarm to help your body with moods and with seasonal mood disorder

78. Start a telephone or video prayer group

79. Find a business partner with a different skillset

80. Start a support group for your area of concern

81. Pay attention to your skin and evaluate your skincare regime

82. Make note of your eyeglass and contact lens dates and when your RX is due to expire

83. Restock your contact lenses before your prescription expires. Get an online exam!

84. Sign up to have your medicine prescriptions auto-delivered

85. Send thank-you notes you have put off doing

86. Create a family newsletter with updates and mail loved ones especially elderly members

87. Create a video family update (can be done individually and then spliced together).

88. Create video announcements of events such as 2020 graduation. PowerPoint can be quite effective—and easy—for this purpose

89. Get free phone or video consultations for professional services you need such as legal, financial, Wills & Probate, therapist, etc.

90. Make a calendar of all recurring dates such as renewals, annual taxes, birthdays and anniversaries

91. When is your tag to be renewed? When does your driver’s license expire? When are your house taxes due? When are you due for an oil change or tire rotation?

92. Have a hard conversation with someone on purpose

93. Bleach your teeth

94. Oil your scalp and trim your edges

95. Make a calendar of last doctors visits to know when it is time again.

96. Update your software and technology licenses especially virus protections

97. Make your own popsicles and/or make ice cubes with herbs, fruit, or creamer

98. Put your protein powders, MCT oil, and other health aids in one place

99. Read Langston Hughes Dream Deferred

100. Identify a mentor or sponsor.

101. Make a chart of network and friendship connections in your organization. This will help you to understand and maneuver workplace politics and dynamics

102. Strategically plan your next move

103. Update and send out your resume to stay marketable

104. Clear your browser history and adjust your settings

105. Download photographs and videos to iCloud or an external driver

106. Put unused documents on a jump drive

107. Put all power cords and charges in one place

108. Put a charger in your luggage so you always have one when you travel

109. Put soap in your luggage and leave it there

110. Stock your portfolio with pens, business cards, and mints after each use

111. Look up professional organizations you can join

112. Apologize (you know what you did).

113. Make a will, directive and a living will

114. Add kids to your bank accounts and be sure they have account numbers and can access in an emergency or upon your death (sorry, but we never know for whom the bell tolls).

115. Leave a message or letter to dependents about what to do if something happens to you

116. Create one big theme for the year such as “Year of Transformation”

117. Subscribe to my website for more content www.slcaconsulting.com

118. Email me at sonyaclark@slcaconsulting.com and ask for free consultations with a coach (entrepreneurship, life coaching, human resources, health, diversity and inclusion, financial services, credit repair, career coaching, resume writing, video speaking engagements or trainings, and I have associates that cover so many more areas and topics).

119. Organize your cosmetics and throw away old products. When was the last time you cleaned your under the bathroom sink storage?

120. Throw away expired over the counter medications and supplements.

"Time passes whether you are productive or not; might as well be productive." - my dad

Sonya L. Cole