Remember the world just about 5 months ago? Everyday life consisted of a certain schedule – we all had our particular rhythm when it comes to going to work, planning other activities, and doing the chores, which more or less ultimately were comprising a well-rehearsed cycle of activities. And after Covid-19 has struck us so unexpectedly, that rehearsed cycle came crashing down, making us, yet again but in much less time to do so, find a way to productively live our lives in a much different setting. 0
1. Start journaling your activities
What this means is that now, that very little is strictly time dictated, by having a journal in which you will write the things that you and do when you do them will help you get a sense of structure with your time. So, start small. Write down major things, don’t worry about the details of your daily agenda, find your own rhythm as you will start seeing how you use your day, and what you want to change about it. You can also divide your journal into sections – about general daily agenda, about exercise, hobbies, activities that you want to pursue, and so on.
2. Start a new hobby
Starting a new hobby will help you a lot with feeling more productive and also in structuring your day into something a lot more diverse. There are countless hobbies for you to choose from so let’s talk about a couple of them!
Photography
You don’t need a ton of expensive equipment and traveling to extravagant locations in order to do photography. You can, of course, do photography that way as well and it is amazing, and you can definitely look at the material at for instance expertvagabond.com for inspiration for your own work. But on the other hand, photography is all about capturing the world around you the way you see it. If you live with someone, or if you perhaps have animals, they could be perfect subjects! This way, you will be able to show them how you see them through your own filter.
Drawing/Painting
Not everyone is as talented when it comes to drawing, but the truth is that unless you want to pursue drawing as your career you really don’t have to be. Drawing is a great way to vent and reflect on yourself. For instance, sometimes I feel a certain way, be it anxiety or just mixed feelings that I just can’t put into words. But given a piece of paper, a brush, and some acrylics…you get the point. Not everything can be expressed via words, since our feelings and even thoughts tend to get very confusing and oftentimes vague.
Writing
As a continuation of drawing and painting, where we have talked about not being able to put your thoughts into words and hence turning to abstraction, writing is pretty much the other side of the coin. Writing can help you a lot with organizing your thoughts, as well as further exploring your ideas. If you have never written as a hobby before, you will probably find yourself getting stuck at first, not being sure how to translate your thoughts onto the paper, but push through, since it is truly rewarding.
Cooking
People say that you don’t know what cooking is until you have cooked for someone you love. While I agree with that proposition, you should love yourself as well, right? There is so much creativity that comes into cooking, so many different ways for you to utilize everyday ingredients! Also, by getting into different cuisines, you are also getting into the exploration of a whole another culture.
Gardening
Well, it would be perfect if you have a backyard for this one, but you don’t necessarily need one in order to enjoy the benefits of gardening! You have no idea what a little dirt on your hands and a few beautiful flowers that have grown from your care and work that you put into it can do for your mind. And you won’t if you don’t try – it’s totally worth it.
3. Learn a new language
Learning a new language is always a great idea for using your free time for something productive! Not only it is fun, but it is also extremely useful. It can also improve your thinking skills and memory abilities, research has shown, and in today’s internet era, it has never been easier! Whether you sign up for an online course or go to YouTube and look for tips and tricks or even buy a book – the results are guaranteed if you are persistent and hardworking!
4. Exercise
As we all know, exercising is not only good for your body and overall health, but it’s also great for your state of mind. It will help you to vent out the accumulated stress, as well as it will burn your accumulated calories! There are plenty of different ways to approach exercise, no matter if you are a professional, a fitness enthusiast, a beginner, or even if you have a certain health condition. And you really don’t need to go to the gym in order to reap the benefits of a good exercise, since pretty much all you need is some space and your body. So, research the exercises you are interested in, be it yoga, cardio, or even just simple routines so that you can later get into something more serious.
Productivity truly doesn’t always have to mean constant work and organization, there are plenty of wonderful ways for you to use your time productively, with also having a lot of fun in the process. Also, by implementing some of the things mentioned above into your everyday routine, you will find a whole new source of mental fuel that you can further use however you wish.
We hope that you have enjoyed this article as well as the activities mentioned, but also remember that sometimes, it is okay if you spend a whole day doing nothing in particular. We all need it sometimes. Learn more here at https://mstrsktch.com/drawing-for-beginners-guide/.
