<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Most workers overseas would find themselves with an overabundance of spare time. After the furor of settling down has died, you may find yourself suddenly at a loss for something to do. If you’re like me and staring at blank walls or watching T.V. for countless hours does not appeal, here are some pretty good options.</span></p>
<h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">Develop your professional skills</span></h2>
<div class="wp-block-image wp-image-4272"><figure class="alignright size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="768" src="https://production-prod-trueprofile-blogassets-origin.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/uploads/2021/03/christinehawks.jpg" alt="How to be Productive in your Spare Time" class="wp-image-9504" title="How to be Productive in your Spare Time" srcset="https://production-prod-trueprofile-blogassets-origin.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/uploads/2021/03/christinehawks.jpg 1024w, https://production-prod-trueprofile-blogassets-origin.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/uploads/2021/03/christinehawks-300x225.jpg 300w, https://production-prod-trueprofile-blogassets-origin.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/uploads/2021/03/christinehawks-768x576.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption>Enroll in online courses</figcaption></figure></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">I know that you will already have scored that great job overseas, but time does not stand still, nor do job descriptions. Improving your professional skills is a great way to pass the time. Not only will it help you in being better at your job, it may get you a higher salary. You can look into enrolling in courses that will give you a Continuing Professional Education (CPE) credits. <a href="http://www.upou.edu.ph/104-cep/243-continuing-education-program-schedule" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">UP</a> has one, as well as <a href="https://www.pup.edu.ph/ous/icpd/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">PUP</a>. Another way to invest in yourself is to perhaps turn that Bachelor’s degree into a Masteral one.</span></p>
<h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">Enroll in Free Online Courses</span></h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Another way to develop yourself is to enroll in free online courses. Maybe you have always wanted to learn how to code. </span><a href="https://www.codecademy.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Codecademy</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> offers free online courses. Or you can make yourself invaluable by learning the native language. </span><a href="https://www.duolingo.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Duolingo</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> has a very nice app that you can download for free to learn hundreds of languages. You can even learn them simultaneously! If you’re into technology, the prestigious </span><a href="https://ocw.mit.edu/index.htm" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> offers free online courses!</span></p>
<h2>Develop Hobbies</h2>
<div class="wp-block-image wp-image-4270 size-thumbnail"><figure class="alignright size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://production-prod-trueprofile-blogassets-origin.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/uploads/2021/03/shutterstock_368604686-1.jpg" alt="How to be Productive in your Spare Time" class="wp-image-9505" title="How to be Productive in your Spare Time" srcset="https://production-prod-trueprofile-blogassets-origin.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/uploads/2021/03/shutterstock_368604686-1.jpg 1000w, https://production-prod-trueprofile-blogassets-origin.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/uploads/2021/03/shutterstock_368604686-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https://production-prod-trueprofile-blogassets-origin.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/uploads/2021/03/shutterstock_368604686-1-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /><figcaption>Embroidery is not just for crotchety old ladies.</figcaption></figure></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Crocheting isn’t just for old ladies and grandmothers. They’re also for people who find stress relief in doing something with their hands without thinking too much about it. If you’re a nurse or a doctor, your profession would entail you being constantly on your toes because someone’s life is dependent on your vigilance. Sometimes, doing something mindless for once is bliss. There is something amusing about a surgeon finding relief in embroidery, you must admit. You can also do those viral colouring books, see for yourself how soothing mindless tasks can be.</span></p>
<h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">Write, and even publish!</span></h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">If you like to write, you can go into calligraphy, or you can write a journal. You can blog about your travels and give pointers about <a href="https://www.trueprofile.io/member/resources/muscat-weekend-budget-pinoy-style" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">how to get somewhere</a>. Even better, you can develop your talent as a writer and enroll in a writing workshop. </span><a href="https://iwp.uiowa.edu/iwp-courses/distance-learning-courses/moocs" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">The University of Iowa</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> offers a free interactive distance learning. You can get feedback for your work and critique others. If you’re productive and you think you have a winner, you can self-publish an ebook on </span><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/seller-account/mm-summary-page.html/ref=gw_m_b_spwus?ie=UTF8&ld=AZFooterSelfPublish&topic=200260520" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Amazon</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">!</span></p>
<figure class="wp-block-image alignnone size-large size-full wp-image-4271"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://production-prod-trueprofile-blogassets-origin.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/uploads/2021/03/shutterstock_1069206716-1.jpg" alt="How to be Productive in your Spare Time" class="wp-image-9506" title="How to be Productive in your Spare Time" srcset="https://production-prod-trueprofile-blogassets-origin.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/uploads/2021/03/shutterstock_1069206716-1.jpg 1000w, https://production-prod-trueprofile-blogassets-origin.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/uploads/2021/03/shutterstock_1069206716-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https://production-prod-trueprofile-blogassets-origin.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/uploads/2021/03/shutterstock_1069206716-1-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /><figcaption>Develop your talent!</figcaption></figure>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Being in a different country can be a lonely undertaking. It will be up to you to look on it as a new beginning, a prod to spread newfound wings and soar!</span></p>
<h4><strong>If you have not already signed up to TrueProfile.io, sign up now!</strong></h4>
<div class="is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons">
<div class="wp-block-button"><a class="wp-block-button__link has-text-color has-background" href="https://sso.trueprofile.io/register" style="border-radius:50px;background-color:#00497a;color:#f5f5f5" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Sign up</a></div>
</div>
<h4><i>Picture attribution <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">CC BY 2.0</a></i></h4>
<p><i>flickr.com/tyrian123</i></p>
<p><i>flickr.com/christinehawks</i></p>