Hi there! If you are new here, welcome! If you are a returning visitor, welcome back! On this side of the world wide web, growth and progressiveness are championed. In this article, there are some productive things to do in Jamaica to enhance your growth. This is especially geared towards nationals of Jamaica. However, others may find it rewarding just the same.
Save this article, so you can refer to it whenever you feel out of whack and unproductive on your growth journey. Without further ado, let’s get straight to it.
1. Create a Foreign Currency Account!
I tell this to as many people who will listen! In Jamaica, its typical of us to either save at home in a jar, under the mattress, at the banks/credit unions, in pardnors etc. but the bottom line is this – saving is done in Jamaican dollars (JMD).
While this is not a financial literacy crash course, I’d sure like you to get this fast: open a foreign currency account. Start with one, perhaps a USD account then steadily build a nest of foreign currency savings using other currencies like the Euro and Great British Pound.
Why is this a productive thing to do in Jamaica?
Jamaicans know, that our dollar is weak in comparison to currencies like the USD, Euro, GDP etc. As such, our spending power using our local dollar isn’t great. Investments can be done using foreign currencies too.
Plus, for those persons planning a trip abroad or even planning to study or school a child overseas (think universities), then having a nest egg of foreign currencies will be a major deal maker when these moments arise. It helps significantly with shopping online too. Avoid having to pay the equivalent of the cost in local currency. That’s such a bummer.
2. Productive Things to do in Jamaica: Give back to your Basic School
They are usually overlooked when commendations and credit are being given by someone who have seemingly made it out. Its also being advised that job seekers drop it from their educational history on their resumes.
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Not only that, but basic schools are woefully and inadequately resourced. As such, the Early Childhood Commission of Jamaica is seeking increased funding for schools at this educational level.
Stop by your past basic school or pay a visit to a neighbouring one. Read to the students, donate a box of pencils. What about those story books your baby no longer needs? Pick up a pack of crayons the next time you go shopping. A little goes a long way and paying it forward is certainly a way to grow!
3. Get Proper Licensing and Certifications
If a thing is worth having – then its worth keeping too. Oftentimes, persons skip getting the relevant licensing and certifications, risking having their property confiscated, businesses shut down or being exempted from benefits.
Typical examples: Bar and shop operators, putting up a sign that “It is my intention to apply for a spirit license to sell rum, gin, brandy and other distilled spirit at the next court session” but never actually going to really sort this out. Sometimes, this sign stays hung for decades! Provided the business lasts that long anyway… and many often do. So, what’s stopping them?
Another example: Some beauty technicians doing hair and nails etc. find it hard to invest in their talents and get the relevant certifications. I don’t know about anyone else, but this is a huge turn off when I visit salons. On the flip side of the coin, persons who do have their certifications usually earn my respect and sometimes another visit. This tells me its not all about a quick cash. It tells me that these are professionals who have taken the time to invest in themselves, so I’ll invest in them too. Its admirable.
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3. Productive Things to do in Jamaica: Get a Marketable Skill
Learn how to drive. Learn how to tie steels or even lay blocks. To take it a notch further, learn how to code and do computer programming! What about learning how to be a good mechanic?
Skills are essential human resources and are especially useful in Jamaica when they can help you earn money. For each skill listed above, there is a demand for it. Gain or even sharpen these and other skills and watch yourself grow.
4. Enter the Jamaica Festival Queen Competition!
They should really have a King component to this competition. However, until that discussion is on, let’s see how exactly the women in Jamaica can grow from this competition. Firstly, it focuses on community building, culture and ultimately nation building.
The ladies in the competition are supported in their voluntary services to their communities and ultimately the training and coaching builds them. Plenty contestants go on to be being advocates for causes they are passionate about, hosts for tv programs, nation builders in their respective fields.
5. Be a Positive Role Model
Look around. The youth of Jamaica are in dire need of positive role models. Role models in the home, the stores, on the street – role models in every walk of life.
Should you agree with this, chances are you are already a positive role model or even have it within you to be so.
Let this shine through when you speak. Let this be witnessed through your talents and how you put your skills to use. Be the best version of yourself, grow. Ultimately you will be that positive role model. And if no one has told you that you are in fact their role model – look around to see who you inspire or have the slightest bit of influence over. Chances are, they haven’t said it – but you won’t need to guess either.
6. Get Involved in a Summer School/Camp Program
Who knows, perhaps you’ll coach extra curricular activities like football, lawn tennis, drama or perhaps the core subjects like Math, English etc. that you may be very good at.
Firstly, it keeps you occupied helping to mold the youth and plenty of these programs offer a stipend or a full salary.
Not only that, but you can include this in your resume and also build connections with the people on your team.
7. Create Murals!
Murals are artwork painted directly onto a wall. In Jamaica, there are a whole lot of wall spaces along the streets that look bare and unpleasant. Nonetheless, there are quite a few areas that are becoming increasingly popular and beautiful as a result of artists and their artwork on walls.
People can’t help but to gaze as they drive along and in most cases stop to take pictures.
See my photos below of a few sections of the wide stretch of artwork in Downtown Kingston:
Think of how productive it would be to bring some dry, dull walls to life and be recognized for your work and have your work shared globally! By the way, ensure you get permission first, before you go painting.
8. Donate Books and Clothes
Its oftentimes easier to just toss them out. You know, for the garbage truck to transport them to their fate.
What if you directed that fate by simply sorting those books and clothes you no longer need?
Think of your alma mater, do they have a library or perhaps there are students there who would be appreciative of those books.
What about service clubs, for example Key Clubs, Rotary/Rotaract Clubs or even State run homes? Get in touch with them and donate. Certainly, you will touch the life of someone.
9. Plant a Tree
Have you ever picked fruits from a tree? Ever sat by the shade of a tree? Ever planted a tree? If you have never planted a tree, it is one of the most productive things you can do, in Jamaica.
Think about it. In your own little way, you would be contributing to the oxygen on our planet and leaving your mark on the earth! Years from now, perhaps you’ll be able to tell your children or grandchildren, that those lovely oranges they love so much, are form a tree that you planted!
Most of the fruits I’ve eaten in my life, came from trees my father planted! That’s something to be proud of.
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10. Productive Things to do in Jamaica: Acquire Real Estate
By now you might have realized that one of the most costly things in Jamaica is real estate. Property. Land. You may have convinced yourself that it is out of your reach… and so, you have decided to settle.
You shouldn’t. Settle that is. You should acquire it.
Ninety percent of all millionaires become so through owning real estate.
Andrew Carnegie
11. Create Another Stream of Income
In other words, don’t just rely on your job. Seek out ways in which your money can work for you while you sleep! Think of a back up plan. What will happen to you financially if you loose your job? Or if you become incapacitated?
Some persons take the route of a YouTube Channel, Blogs, Renting their property or even investing in stocks and bonds. Whatever passive income stream you choose, work on it. These things often take time. If you quit too soon, you may miss the fortune.
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12. Save the Contact Numbers of Important Places
You may not always have connection to the internet to make a quick search for the contact of the police station closest to you; or the tax office or maybe even your favourite take out restaurant.
Consider saving the contacts to your phone for easy access and having a hard copy back up of all your important contacts as well!
13. Productive Things to do in Jamaica: Recycle Plastic Bottles with the Recycling Partners of Jamaica
And earn money from doing so! The Plastic Bottle Refund Deposit Scheme in Jamaica allows persons to get a cash refund when they return their used plastic bottles.
With this new legislation you can earn a minimum of a JMD $1 just returning plastic bottles. With all the garbage on our streets, plastic bottles aren’t at all hard to find.
Even if you do not wish to go picking up bottles from the streets or the beaches, think about your own use of bottles.
How often do you purchase bottled water or even soda, only to toss them away? Imagine if you saved them up for about a month or for a Christmas bonus!
So, get in touch with the Recycling Partners of Jamaica. Help save our oceans and environment and earn some cash while doing it.
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14. Productive Things to do in Jamaica: Participate in a Beach Clean-Up
Here’s another productive thing to do in Jamaica that will most certainly help in saving our planet! Talk about far reaching impacts. Yes, you should participate in a beach clean up.
Oftentimes, beach clean ups are arranged on a national level where all are invited. For more intimate groups though, consider your community clubs or even activities geared toward this at schools (which oftentimes extend the invite to parents and students alike).
Perhaps you can arrange one of your own! Plan with your family/friends or even the kids. This is sure to be a memorable event. Not only that, but a productive and worthwhile one too.
In planning, get in touch with agencies such as the National Solid waste Management and even the Recycling Partners of Jamaica. This ensures you of advice on how to store or even separate the garbage collected.
Productive Things to do in Jamaica: What will you do?
As long as you are interested in enhancing your growing potential, there is always something productive to do.
Once you have the mindset for grow and progressiveness, the things you touch will turn to gold. Just remember, that the mineral gold, has to go through fire to be the precious stone we know it to be.
Keep going. Keep growing. Keep looking out for productive things to do in Jamaica as you continue on your growth journey.
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