For many of us across the UK, being in lockdown means spending more time than ever before in our homes, which can be both daunting and exciting as it presents the perfect opportunity to wind down and focus on yourself. With so much time on our hands it can seem like a struggle to fill the time and leave us feeling down. We have come up with some ideas to set you on your way to a boredom-free day that we think you will love.
Whilst we do have more time than ever it’s important to remember that it’s ok to learn a whole new language and give Mary Berry a run for her money, but it’s also okay to relax, binge watch tv and catch up on sleep. If you are struggling with winding down and/or anxiety during this time, take a look at our mindfulness blog here.
Cook up a storm
More time at home means more time to practice your cooking skills. The possibilities are endless – you could challenge yourself to make the perfect souffle or hone your pie making skills. Wow your family with exciting new dishes and learn skills for life!
Learn more about how to stay healthy in our blog here.
Work on your house
From the bulbs that needed replacing months ago to adding a fresh coat of paint and injecting some colour into your home, now is the perfect time! Giving your surroundings some extra care during this time will be great to keep you busy and a little feng shui goes far to help you feel calmer. Of course, follow strict social distancing guidelines if you do pop out for supplies.
Get musical
Perhaps you have an instrument laying around that you haven’t picked up in years or you fancy treating yourself to something new. Learning a musical instrument can be a great way to pass the time, there are also lots of online tutorials and apps to help get you started. If an instrument isn’t your thing, perhaps learning to DJ or even produce music could be a great way to challenge yourself.
Read, read, read
Sometimes we can buy books with the intention of setting aside time to read them but then life just gets in the way. You can use this downtime to relax on your sofa or in your garden in the sunshine and get stuck into a book that will truly leave you not wanting to put it down.
There are also millions of podcasts and audiobooks available online that you can listen to instead if you just don’t feel like reading.
Learn a language or two
With plenty of free apps and paid online courses the world is your oyster (from your home of course), you can learn any language you fancy. Parlez-vous Français?
Team up with a friend, a housemate or a colleague to learn together and challenge yourself to have conversations in your new found language.
Release your inner Yogi
Get flexible and take time to learn about the power of your mind by taking part in regular yoga practice. Not only will you build strength you will also practice important mindfulness skills and breathing techniques that will support you in everyday life. You can access free Yoga class via our OneWellness Online Hub
Get creative
Creativity means different things for everyone, there are no right or wrong answers. Whatever you enjoy doing, do it! This could be painting, makeup, photography, learning to do latte art, recreating your favourite dance routine or even making your own clothes.
Whatever you do to fill your time, try and do one thing a day that challenges your brain. It may also be useful to create a small ‘to do’ list for the day, this will give you a sense of accomplishment at the end of the day and help you feel satisfied about how you have spent your time. We are all in this together!
Check in
There are probably lots of other people struggling to fill their time as well, catch up with your friends, reconnect with old friends, organise video calls, take part in quizzes, play board games or cards online – or simply just chat.
There’s often nothing nicer than pouring yourself a cup of tea and have a good old natter, and there will be plenty of people thankful for your call.
Whatever you choose to do, don’t put too much pressure on yourself. Like we said, use this time to do whatever feels right for you. Hopefully these suggestions have inspired you to go and seize the day!
Photo by niklas_hamann on Unsplash
