Are you one of the millions of people working in a home office, kitchen, or basement? According to an April 2020 Forbes article, “an MIT survey of 25,000 American workers found that 34% of those who’d been employed four weeks earlier said they’re currently working from home. Combined with the roughly 15% who said they’d been working from home pre-COVID-19, that means nearly half the U.S. workforce might now be remote workers.”

Much has been written about variable productivity, pros and cons regarding life-balance and the delicate juggling act for parents with children at home. A less discussed matter are the career-boosting opportunities this work-from-home revolution offers. Let’s consider a few here:

• Step-Up Your Professionalism: Have you ditched your professional clothing? Are you displayed in your Zoom box looking like you just got out of bed? This could be forgiven in March when everything was wonky. But, as we enter August, employers are becoming less lenient. They are noticing who shows up with their A-game and who does not.

As the CEO of your career, it makes sense to audit both your appearance and your productivity. You can put yourself on a path to future success by showing self-discipline and dedication in a time with others might slack off.

• Leverage Activity Goals: Many employers have established “if you have some extra time” lists. Especially if you are in a consulting or counseling role, you might finish with a session with fifteen minutes to spare. You can set yourself apart by getting extra calls done, using every minute efficiently. If your name keeps showing up as the one who gets more accomplished you are opening doors for advancement.

• Be a Leader: No matter what your job title is, you can choose to be a leader in your role. Help your employer establish a new work culture in a stay-at-home reality. Don’t sit back and expect top management to come up with all the good ideas. Suggest the creation of a healthy work-culture committee. Generate ideas to increase morale, enhance team-work and innovation.

• Update Your LinkedIn Profile: In the past, much networking happened over a cup of coffee or lunch. That’s gone and does not appear to be coming back any time soon. Your LinkedIn Profile is going to represent you more often than ever before. Upgrade your banner, strengthen your achievement statements, get a better profile picture, solicit some current references and make sure you are telling a cohesive story.

• Consider Making a Career Change: Has this pandemic, and related economic upheaval, caused you to re-evaluate your career? You are not alone. There is a tsunami of career changes brewing. Many found that the security they counted on in their industry or field was flimsy. The future looks uncertain so why not do something new? Pivot into something you’ve dreamed of doing. Or take this time to design a new future, one that you can be truly proud of.

In the midst of chaos, there are always opportunities. This list above is only the beginning. This is an amazing time for growth and innovation, but only if you strategically take advantage of it.