WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU HAVE NOTHING TO DO
It’s been over a month of self-isolation and social distancing. Yet, many of us struggle with the dilemma of doing nothing because we will never get this much free time again or being productive because we will never have this much free time again. While the former is more alluring, we cannot submit ourselves into counterproductivity.
Why?
Because we all know that once we resume “normal” life, you will regret not accepting this gift of a commodity called time. Okay, that was a bit poetic. But it’s true regardless. Plus, once you have binged over 3 shows on Netflix, scrolled for hours on Tiktok, and can’t tell what day it is, everyday seems redundant.
Take this work (or learn) from home opportunity and do what you’ve always wanted to do when you told yourself, “If I had the time, I would ______.” Guess what? That moment is now!
If you’re out of ideas and want to seize this opportunity, I have put together a list of things you can do to make this quarantine era worthwhile. And yes, these are things you will realistically want to do.
1. Take a Course
No, wait! Before you scroll past this point, I don’t mean taking your regular courses from school, college or university. You should venture into a course outside of your academics; something that will add value professionally, such as search engine optimization, SQL, HTML, Power BI, etc.
This will contribute to your professional development and enable you to learn something new! Take that video-editing course or even that master class from your favourite make-up artist. Be sure to look on sites such as YouTube or Skill Share as many course providers have offered free courses to engage others during this pandemic.
2. Schedule Virtual Coffee Chats
This is the perfect time to network as many professionals in your industry may be able to better fit your meeting in their schedules. Reach out to those you want to learn from, who can help you gain insights about your career path, etc. Who knows, you may even end up making a great connection, meeting a new mentor or learning about different industries. And bonus (my favourite part) – no one expects you to be super dressed up either!
3. Read that Book
Remember that book your friend recommended? The one you’ve been putting off? Yes, that book. This is a great opportunity to step outside of your genre and pick a book you wouldn’t normally read. Or if you’re like me, pick up that professional development book you told yourself you were going to start last year.
If you’re not a reader but want to use this time to engage in this activity, don’t set unachievable goals by assuming you can finish a chapter in one reading. For non-readers, this is overwhelming. Instead, try reading a few pages (i.e. 4-5 pages) per day and that’s it. You will gradually become interested in reading as you find yourself enjoying the material and not overwhelming yourself.
4. Refresh your Knowledge
Can you recall that time when you crammed the entire course outline the day before the final? And then you didn’t retain any knowledge after that? When you cram, you don’t remember much of the course material. You may need that prerequisite knowledge for your upcoming courses. Use your excess free time to review your previous course material and refresh your skills to gain a better understanding. Plus, you have no exam stress to deal with this time.
5. Learn to Cook
This one is for those who can’t make anything other pasta, which is something you make when you don’t know how to cook but still want to feel like you can cook… I maybe referring to myself here, but still. These days you have the chance to try out a few recipes of your favourite foods. There are so many ways you learn how to cook; leverage those free recipes and YouTube. If you’re living with your parents, ask them if you can observe them cooking and help out.
6. Help Out in Your Community
Under current circumstances, there is a need for volunteers all around. You should be able to safely find a way to volunteer to make use of your time and contribute to helping out in your community. For instance, one of my friends is making masks to donate to a local hospital. Please ensure your safety when opting to help out in your community.
Now this brings me to the end of this post. I hope you choose to channel your boredom towards fueling productivity. Again, this is the best time to accelerate your efforts and meet your self-improvement goals.
Have more ideas? Drop them in the comments below or share them with me on IG @_reallifewithrainee.
Until the next time, keep safe and healthy!
Real Life With Rainee 