Most of us know what 2020 is famous for, even if many issues have culminated in making this a year worth questioning. That being said, it’s not over yet. Covid infection rates, for instance, do seem to be growing as a second wave becomes more and more likely. For this reason, there’s every chance of a second lockdown and quarantine taking place.
If that does happen, it’s worth considering what options we have to work with. However, as the summer months are ending, it’s true that no we won’t even have many outdoor or public events to attend. Going to the park won’t be as attractive as it has been, and thus we might feel even more restricted in our homes.
So – how can we overcome these issues and keep ourselves occupied, even in the midst of a potential winter lockdown? The answers aren’t always clear.
Well, there’s no reason to think you’re in a prison. There are many measures we can take to stay engaged and active each day, and we have listed them below:
Picking Up A New Practice
Picking up a new practice can keep your mind and body engaged during this time of sitting inside and wondering what to do with yourself. It can also help you stop lamenting about the current difficult situation (which you are more than justified to continue doing), and instead find pleasure in action.
This might be researching into a historical period you find interesting and learning all of its nuances. That can be a lovely project that you keep in mind for some time. Never underestimate the power of educating yourself to a degree you find interesting. However, no matter if you wish to research the top tips for fantasy football or start learning how to paint following old episodes of Bob Ross’ show, keeping yourself occupied means finding a project, or something you can invest your free time in. This helps you feel more connected, and it will help you organize your mental health more easily.
Attending To Your House
It’s important to keep the maintenance of your home up now that you’re living in it more often, from day to day. It might be that repairing your garage door can take precedence, or checking for damp (and removing it properly), or simply deep cleaning before the end of the year.
Maintaining your house can help you feel a sense of pride in your surroundings, and may also help you avoid having to pay costly call-out charges when a previously unnoticed problem may have developed and become even more significant than it is now.
Alternatively, if you had been thinking about finally taking the leap and moving home, this might be the perfect opportunity to get started with this project. If you are looking for a custom-made option, Visit North Harbour. Otherwise, you could consider leveraging the online viewings and virtual tours that many landlords have made available. And, of course, if you can then start thinking about moving your belongings over before returning to the office!
Finding A Side Hustle
A side hustle can be a great way of making extra cash, and could supplement your income if you’ve been struggling after your job has limited your hours or even downsized in the wake of Covid. It could be that you decide to freelance online with your writing skills using websites such as Upwork (building a portfolio as you go). Perhaps you’re more interested in developing connections and potentially running your own website as a consultant.
Or, maybe you just wish to sell your old stack of clothes through websites like Depop. Some people even reupholster furniture in order to sell for higher prices on eBay. There are a million little things you could do, and if you have the time and the knowledge to execute them, you’re really putting your time to good use. Furthermore, it can feel good to see your little side hustle move forward and help you contend with your bills.
Of course, it’s also important to see what welfare or benefit options are available to you at this time, as we do not offer this tip as direct financial advice. Be sure to take care of number one, first, and that may also include your family.
Organizing & Planning Your Life
If there’s one benefit lockdown provides, it’s having the time to properly organize and plan your life according to your own rules. Now, this can be tough when time is seemingly stagnant and you cannot leave your house as easily. That being said, there are plenty of little changes you could make, and plans you can follow up on.
For instance, perhaps you’ve realized that the degree you were hoping to apply for next year really isn’t something you wish to pursue, now that you’ve had the time to truly think about it. Maybe the fact that so many university lessons are online doesn’t sit right with you in terms of how costly they seem to remain.
Maybe you’ve been meaning to write your novel for some time, and now you can put 500 words a day into the project if you have time free. Setting up a few character descriptions and looking for inspiration can help you make this dream more of a reality. And of course, minor things, like updating your resume for a new job, or postponing plans you have made, or moving your elderly relative from one care home to another, these things you now have time for and can attend to. All of us often complain that there’s simply not enough time in the day, but now we have an opportunity for focusing on that as standard.
Spend Quality Time With Those Around You
Life is short, and sometimes thanking even the worst of situations for the silver linings they hold can be good for your mind and soul. It can be a good idea to spend time with your family and cherish those around you. As the pandemic has proven, we can never be certain how much time with them we have left. It’s important to count each day as a blessing and make sure they know you love them, and that you understand you are loved. This can help even the most dreary of days come to life, and also make them ultimately worth living with the best intentions.
The one thing that you want to avoid is getting too stupid. Yes, lockdowns have been a pain, and yes, 2020 has generally sucked the fun out of life. However, you can spend time with those around you without ending up with immediate threat suspension on your driving license because you got behind the wheel with too much liquor in your body. Be smart about the way that you spend time with people; as we said, every day is a blessing and you want to have more of them on the right side of the law. Spending time together doesn’t have to be out getting drunk, either, it can be having fun without the need to be ridiculous.
With this advice, we hope you can more easily keep yourself occupied, even in a potential winter lockdown.