Five things to do to keep yourself productive or just not feeling bored during the lockdown

The first idea I came up with is being active, go on a run, a job, a nice walk. If you live near nature, then you can walk on a trail, not near a lot of people. I’m currently using this app called Step bet. You bet a certain amount of money to enter a challenge where you have to complete a certain amount of steps in a certain amount of weeks. You are against other people within the problem and if you complete your challenge, then you share the pot with all other players that have completed the challenge too. A lot of people are riding their bikes, and if you are a person who has never ridden a bike, I think this is the best time to start. No cars and fewer people outside so you don’t need to feel as embarrassed in areas where you would learn to ride. I think walking around your neighbourhood is way better than going to areas that are most likely areas that are usually quite backed.

The next idea is cooking/baking. I am not a fantastic cook, but I have begun to bake desserts I’ve always wanted to make like banana bread and brownies. I want to get to a point where I mainly cook from home because it’s cheaper than taking out, you can cook whenever you want, and you know exactly the ingredients in your food. I hope that if I keep up practising my cooking skills, that I can start making my ingredients such as pasta and noodles. I live at home, so once I move out, I would love to grow vegetables.

Learn a new skill for your career. I am a current graduate, and I’m learning how to use pivot tables in Excel. I’ve learned one data analytical tool, but I would like to learn more during this time. Definitely a good time if it will help you to move up within your company you work for, or for moving down a different career path. A lot of universities are giving free classes that generally would be paid for, so take advantage of that! Some websites for learning skills I know are Skillshare and Allison.

Learn a new language! I got back into learning french, I learn for about 15 minutes a day, and eventually, you can add more time for learning. People learn languages differently. Some like learning grammar, watching T.V and movies, listening to music and learning the lyrics, using interactive apps. I have begun using all these methods so that I don’t feel I’m making a routine and using the same way for learning. I don’t get bored as much as I think stimulated when I do different things. I also recommend finding someone who speaks the language, and there are PenPal websites where you can find teachers and become a teacher for others in your language. You both get something learning out of it!

Lastly, you can read. It’s great for this time because we have so much time. You can sit outside your house if you have a bench as I do, sit in the garden or just read anywhere you want. Maybe in bed before sleep. I recommend reading rather than being on your phone as the blue light will make it harder for you to sleep. I have so many books I want to read, and now I have the time to read them. I’m reading a lot of motivational books because I’ve been struggling to find self-love. I also want to read a lot of books to help me follow my path in life both my career and my personal life.