 If you are currently in hotel or destination sales and you've been furloughed, chances are you've been catching up on your Netflix lately. As much as I love Netflix as well, I'm here to show you 10 other productive and satisfying ways that you can work on your career, as well as stay in touch with your meeting planner clients. Are you ready to put down that remote control? Stick around. Hey friends, it's Leanne and I know our industry is hurting. I see it every day on social media, people being furloughed from their positions or let go all together. And I especially see it in the bounce back emails from all of my friends who are no longer working at their place of employment. My friends, I feel your pain. As a site selection professional, I'm right there alongside with you. It's been troubling times trying to stay motivated when all of our employment has all but disappeared for the short term. And it would be easy for me or for us to feel sorry for ourselves during this time. But that's just not how I operate and I'm guessing it's not how you operate either. You and I, we are fighters and we're resilient and we're creative. And that's why I've outlined these 10 tips and these 10 ideas of things that we can be doing during this time while we wait for our industry to get rolling again. But before I begin with the tips, I'd love for you to subscribe to this YouTube channel and click on that little bell to be notified. Content around COVID-19 and the post pandemic realities of the meetings industry is just starting to roll out and I want you to stay on top of all of the changes with me. Okay. So what are some things that you and I can do to weather this storm while we wait for business to get up and running again? Tip number one, find temporary employment. This can be in the hospitality industry or even outside of the industry. In fact, some hotel brands are even offering temporary employment opportunities outside of their brand but for their employees. If you work for Hilton, I believe this initiative started as early as April. You may also find permanent employment opportunities out there. Yes, you guys, people are still hiring during this time. So keep your eyes open if you're interested in a change in your career or your position altogether. Tip number two, stay in touch with your leadership. Even though you've been furloughed, you are still an active member of that organization and you should still have access to your leadership for advice or for weekly check-ins. Take advantage of those check-ins and stay in touch with the people at your office. Tip number three, connect with colleagues, especially those colleagues who are left to rebook or reschedule your pieces of business. Your advice can go a long way in paving a smooth road for everyone involved when the programs are changing. Tip number four, and this is the big one, connect with your clients. Yes, they still want to hear from you even if you've been temporary furloughed from your position. There are a number of ways that you can connect with them that are both creative and budget friendly. In fact, I've outlined a list of those ideas up here as well as I have a resource that you can download over here. Head on over to leonculderwood.com to find that resource and get those ideas today. Tip number five, volunteer. A lot of us wish we had more time to volunteer and if you're currently furloughed, this might be the one and only opportunity you have to do so. Find a cause that resonates with you or help people out during this time of uncertainty in your local community. They are always looking for helping hands. Tip number six, find a strategic project that you can tackle when you get back to work. Now is the time to look at your personal operating procedures or even some team operating procedures and bring a fresh set of eyes and creativity to the table when you return to work. Tip number seven, be active on social media. This is great in staying on top of trends and the news happenings of the industry and being able to contribute with your own voice. If you need tips on completing your LinkedIn profile, you can find those tips up here and I also encourage you to get involved with different groups on both LinkedIn and Facebook that deal with the meetings and events industry. Tip number eight, learn. If you have the gift of time, take the opportunity to learn a new skill. I've outlined a number of things that you can learn over a plethora of blog posts, but the most recent has a list of podcasts that you can check out here and tap into. But I also encourage you to check out MPI's Academy as well as PCMA's virtual learnings. There's so much out there right now. You should be able to tap into that. Tip number nine, plan for your return because chances are you are going to be returning to work and I want your work day to look different. I want it to look strategic in nature. So now is the time to be proactive and plan out what an ideal day at your workplace would look like. So when you get there, you are getting things done. Tip number 10, join a professional association. This is great to stay on top of trends and connect with like-minded people. And if you're looking for benefits of joining an association, I did yet another video up here that you can check out. Now I'd love to hear from you, my friends. If you are currently furloughed, I would love to know what you are doing with this time to make the most of it. Please comment below this video and let us know what you're up to. For more productivity tips for meeting partners, head on over to leanncaldorwood.com. And again, if you go over to resources, you'll find this little cheat sheet with creative ideas on how to connect with your clients during this time. Stay safe and well, my friends. Bye for now.