For many of us, the coronavirus pandemic has given us plenty of time at home than we ever imagined. The amount of free time we experienced in the lockdown period is something that no one thought we could have. As a result, being stuck in quarantine has given us plenty of opportunities to try things we have been putting off or the ones we have always wanted to do but never had the time.
But staying too long at home can start to feel ordinary and monotonous, especially if you run out of productive things to do. It only gets worse when you start to have feelings of loneliness and isolation while longing to go outside. As the global crisis requires us to stay at home, it is not surprising if many of us have been struggling with the daily routine.
Whatever feeling you are having right now, there are plenty of things you can do to make use of your free time. This article will not only suggest downtime activities, but these suggestions will ensure that you get to live an enriching and productive lifestyle while stuck at home. Keep these ideas in mind to make the most out of your time.
Learn new things you’ve never tried before
Don’t let your free time go to waste by doing things that will only drive you to be unproductive. Use this time to learn DIY house repairs and renovation. But make sure to leave the major repairs to a professional if you are not sure of what to do.
For leaky kitchen sinks or showerheads, you can do some quick fixes or hire a plumber if you want to make a few changes to the plumbing system. You can also consult a contractor if you want to do some home remodeling for the different parts of your home.
Besides home repairs, use the time to build on your knowledge by enrolling in an online course or joining a week-long webinar. These activities come with lectures, assignments, and tests facilitated by a professor and provided by an accredited university. Investing in courses will not only build your skills and knowledge but as well as your credentials.
There are plenty of websites that offer a broad selection of foundation-level courses for free. You can choose from their library of courses that range from politics, business, marketing, arts, and society.
Since you are trying to build your qualification through online courses, why not use the opportunity to learn new skills as well? Choosing a new skill doesn’t have to be difficult. This could be a sport, board game, musical instrument, or dancing. But if you want something that you can include on your CV, try exploring new software or any technical skill.
Consider all your entertainment options
Since almost every entertainment facility is closed, this will leave you with no choice but to try all the time-killing activities at home. First on the list is to immerse in a good book. The free time will allow you to concentrate on the story line and characters without any disruptions. Reading a book helps exercise the mind, improve imagination, reduce stress, and grow your vocabulary.
It doesn’t matter which type of book you prefer, what is important is you find the subject interesting. If there is no nearby library or bookstore, buy e-books or used books online. But if reading is not for you, try listening to audiobooks before sleeping.
Aside from books, this is also a great opportunity to watch documentaries on Netflix. But this activity can also serve as a potential trap, as binge-watching series can drive you to be unproductive. Although watching TV series on Netflix will help pass the time, sitting on the couch for too long can lead to unhealthy habits.
The best thing to do is to make good use of your usual TV watching habits by investing time in watching informative documentaries and discovering topics you find interesting. A Netflix subscription doesn’t cost much, and they also offer plenty of educational programs which you can dive on while in quarantine.
Use your downtime to meditate
Staying at home can sometimes fill you with loneliness and loss of inspiration. Fight those feelings off by incorporating a meditation practice into your daily routine. In these times of uncertainty, meditating can provide peace of mind while allowing you to be mindful of your well-being.
You can start by finding a quiet area in your home, where you can relax and clear your mind with a meditation music playing in the background. Keep in mind that meditation is one of the effective ways to enhance your well-being and eliminate stress.
While there are plenty of productive activities you can do while stuck at home, the ideas above can encourage you to live an enriching life. But as you busy yourself with these activities, make it a part of your daily routine to help you develop a productive lifestyle even when things are finally back to normal.
