5 Easy Ways To Support "A Day Without A Woman" Even If You Can't Strike

The day is almost here, everyone.

On Wednesday, March 8 (which also happens to be International Women's Day), women all across the country plan to go on strike as part of "A Day Without A Woman."

The effort is being organized by the same team that brought us the Women's March on Washington. And by the looks of it, the day might prove to be quite historic, much like the January 21 march.

The idea is for women to take the day off from both paid and unpaid labor to demonstrate what the world would look like without us. It's a brilliant plan, but let's be honest: For many, staying home from work just might not be an option. So what can you do if you support the movement and the mission, but you can't actually participate in the strike? First, don't feel bad about it.

We've got to recognize that being able to go on strike is a privilege. Missing a day of work is outright impossible for many women, whether because they can't afford to lose a day's pay, or because being absent might put their employment in serious jeopardy.

Luckily, there's an upside: There are still some things you can do on March 8 to make your voice heard, even if you can't actively join in the strike. And all of them are easier than you think.

Read on for five small actions you can take. If you have other suggestions, please leave them in the comments!

This is the most important thing you can do.

Female consumers are behind 70 to 80% of the purchases made in the U.S. If you refrain from shopping for just one day, you'll remind the government and businesses everywhere of our incredible purchasing power.

Try to buy what you need the day before the strike. And if you really need to get something on Wednesday, strike organizers suggest you buy it from small businesses owned by women or minorities. Your bucks are better spent at a mom and pop shop than a big corporate chain store.

The organizers have suggested that women everywhere wear the color red on 3/8 as a symbol of their support (kind of like the pussy hat).

Can you imagine what a powerful image it would be to see all the women in your office or on your commute wearing the same color? This is a powerful way to make a statement, minimal effort required.

Do you feel passionately about reproductive rights and want politicians to stop waging war on women's health? Are you worried about the impact Trump's immigration policies will have on the lives of female migrants? Is it really pissing you off that the U.S. is the only industrialized nation in the whole world that doesn't offer paid family leave at the federal level?

Well, this is the day to let your representatives know.

Pick up the phone and call your elected officials. We even have a guide on how to do it, so you have no excuse!

You probably already spend more time on social media than you should. (Believe us, we're guilty of this too!) So why not take a couple of minutes to spread some awareness online? You could post informative articles about reproductive rights, the sexual assault epidemic, or the gender pay gap. You can also send a message of support to those who are participating, or post updates about the strike so others can follow what's going on.

Thanks to the internet, the possibilities are literally endless.

We know we told you to steer clear of making any purchases on the day of the strike, but donating to a nonprofit that is fighting for women's rights would be an exception.

And we're proposing you donate with a twist: Instead of contributing to organizations like Planned Parenthood or the ACLU, which already have a huge network of financial support, why not take this chance to donate to your local, pro-women organizations?

This is a way to make a direct impact in the lives of the women in your community. If you're not sure where to start, Donors Choose is a great resource — make a gift to a girl's school in your area.