With people still experiencing strict social distancing measures, it’s no wonder people find it hard to keep busy during lockdown. However, there are signs of things starting to get back on track.
Some shops are starting to reopen to the public, and the roads seem to be getting busier by the day!
That being said, I still feel like we have a bit to go yet and we will still be in some sort of lockdown (for a while at least).
So until then you have more time to read all this fantastic ground-breaking writing I have on how to keep busy during lockdown.
I’m the type of person who likes to keep themselves occupied by doing anything to keep my mind active. I love to binge on Netflix as much as the next man but I can’t do that for hours on end.
I like to do things that are creative. Not because I am a massively creative person, but because I don’t get as easily bored when doing creative things.
Take this blog for example. I can spend hours on end thinking up of new content and planning it out then writing about it.
You may not be into starting a blog but there is something out there that you could easily spend hours upon hours on.
It’s called your PASSION.
Finding your Passion
When we talk about finding passion it sounds like a cheesy one liner coming out of an overpriced motivational training programme.
Passion isn’t something that will just come to you one day while you’re sitting about the house bored.
Finding passion isn’t about reading this blog either and hoping you find what it is you are passionate about. The only way to find your passion is to try things.
Try everything you can.
I tried several dozen things before I started this blog. Each time you try something new and you find out you’re not passionate about it, you should celebrate, because now you’re one step closer to finding you’re true passion.
I know what you’re going to ask next.
Conor what has this got to do with keeping myself busy during lockdown?
You see the thing is, you can only keep yourself busy for so long. In the effort to try and keep yourself busy you may run out of things to do (or get bored) and you won’t know what to do next.
That’s why I wanted to talk about passion. It’s the things you can spend endless hours doing, that’s the type of thing you want to keep yourself busy with during lockdown.
Now I’m not saying you can’t do anything else other than your passion. Of course we will be doing day-to-day things that keep us busy, but finding time to fit in what you’re passionate about will benefit your life in so many ways.
Go out and try things
Remember how i told you about having to go out and try a bunch of different things? Well luckily for you I have a few ideas to get you started.
Try them if you want, but please don’t give up if you find out you don’t particularly like doing them. There’s thousands of other things you could be doing so no excuses!
Lets get into it.
Learn an instrument
Years ago I got a guitar for Christmas and had all the best intentions in the world to go and learn how to play it. About a month after getting it I stopped using it completely and it sat in my room for years collecting dust.
Fast forward to today and I have decided to learn again. I know, it actually took a pandemic to make me pick it up but at least I’ve started again.
I’d encourage you to try the same with another instrument. With all the free content on YouTube its so easy to learn any instrument you want.
I couldn’t believe how beneficial learning to play an instrument was for your brain! It’s the equivalent of a full body workout for your brain.
Don’t believe me? Watch this TED Ed video.
Study a course (a lot of them)
Picking a course at any stage of your life can be stressful. I remember picking my course for university and feeling overwhelmed at the sheer amount to choose from.
Luckily with the power of the internet things can be made easier for you. With websites like Udemy and Skillshare you can choose a variety of courses at a fraction of the price. Some courses are even FREE!
The Open University are even offering out free courses to help with the current climate.
My advice is to go out and try as many different courses as you can. That’s exactly what I did. See it as an experiment. Each course or topic you don’t like, make a note and go check out another subject in a completely different field.
You may just surprise yourself with what you find interesting!
Cultivate a routine
Trying to get into a routine when you suddenly can’t work or have kids to look after can be tough, but not impossible.
The fact I can work from home allows me to keep my routine pretty effortlessly and I’m thankful for it. I know others aren’t so lucky and they may find themselves stuck in a rut.
My advice would be to start with your morning routine. I’ve talked about morning routines before on my blog, click here to see what I wrote. Also go check out Hal Elrod’s book called The Miracle Morning. This book literally changed my way of thinking when it comes to morning routines.
You don’t even need to look at the benefits about having a good routine to know how beneficial it is, you just know how much better you feel when your are in some sort of routine.
Although, this article by Time cap was an interesting read on why having a routine is important.
Find your own fitness regime
I’m by no means a fitness expert or a personal trainer but you 100% need to be having some sort of fitness regime in your life.
Even if it is just going for a walk on your lunch break, you need to be moving your body in some way. I myself like to run while listening to podcasts or music, but there are other options for people who may prefer something else, for example:
- Yoga
- Circuit exercises
- Resistance training
- Boxercise
- Walking
- Body weight exercises
- Dancing (believe it or not)
There are even more choices out there, but theses ones literally came off the top of my head and there is no point trying to write every single option down, you need to try them yourself!
Reconnect with people
Okay so this isn’t really linked with finding your passion but I wanted to throw it in. For one, it gives me something extra to write about and secondly, I think now is a perfect time to catch up with people you may have lost touch with.
Arrange a Zoom call with your friends from university (I do) or set up a virtual quiz so that you and your family on the other side of the world can have a laugh together (done that also).
It’s not until you talk with somebody for the first time in a while that you realise how much you’ve missed their company. We all get busy with our own lives that we forget to keep in touch at times.
Learn something practical
Similar to learning an instrument but can be applied to so many other things. Basically anything that requires you to use your hands and your brain at the same time can be seen as practical.
Maybe you have some basic tools in the shed, therefore you can have a go at building something. If that isn’t your sort of thing then why not bake something?
There isn’t really any ceiling with this, you can do anything within your means. You may just have to get creative. For some inspiration read this article from Life Hack.
I love how they somehow managed to make a shelf using old wood and belts!
Set future goals
I’m a huge believer in writing your goals down. I even published my goals for 2020 on my blog a few months ago. Goal setting isn’t something I always done though.
I use to never write them down, or even give them much thought for that matter. It wasn’t until I went to university and started reading up more on self improvement and successful habits that it suddenly dawned on me.
Nearly every successful person in life set some sort of goal for themselves. So from that point on I started writing down my goals.
They even done a study on setting goals in California were 270 participants took part. They found out that you were 42% more likely to achieve your goals if you had wrote them down. Imagine increasing your chances by 42%!?!
I see setting goals as a skill that needs to be developed. Start by writing one thing down that you would like to achieve that week, then take it from there.
Start with small attainable goals to get your confidence up, then progressively work into larger more exciting ones. The video below explains in more detail on how you can get started.
Now get BUSY
There you have it.
That is my strategy on how you can keep yourself busy during lockdown.
Get busy finding something that you love to do!
Simple.