When I was out of work I used the time to build my skills - online learning is cheap. For me, the most useful was advanced Excel skills including Macros, which make me seem like some sort of wizard amongst many of my colleagues. Python for automation is also very useful for my productivity

Also start attending any free or cheap events related to your career path. Meetups, hackathons etc. They’re great for networking and getting known as well as improving your knowledge.

Writing about your industry is also helpful to keep on top of your domain. I write on LinkedIn and Medium about new developments, latest research etc. I’ve won multiple consulting engagements from these over the years.