As the world reacts to the COVID-19 pandemic, people are staying at home, self-isolating, and practicing physical distancing as an effort to slow — and hopefully stop — the spread of the virus. Staying indoors is vital and necessary right now, however, you may be starting to feel that your days are tedious and repetitive. Although most of us have found ourselves with a lot of time on our hands, most of us are running out of productive things to do beyond your usual at-home routines too. You might be asking yourself, “Are there any fun and rewarding things I can do?”
But you need not fret or worry, this isn’t a hopeless case. When you discover purposeful and productive things to do while staying at home, you will be surprised at what you can achieve!
So, whether your home confinement is caused by health or economic reasons, we’ve gathered up a massive list of fun things to do that will lead you on how to feel productive at home during this time. And even when circumstances improve and normal activities resume, keep these ideas on hand – they make great downtime activities for anyone, anytime.
Get ready to make lemonade out of life’s lemons!
Having the chance to look right at your goals daily is a great way to keep motivated, this is why creating a vision board is a good idea. You will have something to push you to toward your big goals while reminding you of other things to do to be productive.
Want to know how to create a vision board? Click here.
The pandemic gave us all some time to pause, but it prevented us from achieving some of our goals for this year too. But worry no more. You can always revisit your goals, check the ones you’re done with, and map out new plans for the ones that did not push through.
Don’t forget to use to-do list apps like Todoist and TickTick to put your actionable items. This will make you feel in control and productive when you see your progress towards your goals.
You can even revisit your new year’s resolution if you want! This activity will allow you to assess your self-progress while making you feel productive. And hey, this goal-setting activity can come as an accompaniment to your vision board too!
Read a book. Reading can transport you to another world filled with adventure, it allows you to travel to places you’ve never been while staying at home!. Here’s some top books to read
The secret to getting through these tough times could be hidden in one of those books lying on your bookshelf unread for the longest time. Don’t have books? Worry no more, you can find free e-books here.
There are podcasts on almost any topic, so find something you’re interested in, and jump right in! Podcasts are perfect to listen to while eating breakfast, tidying up your home, making dinner – you name it. You can do this while still doing other productive things at the same time.
We can all agree there are amazing TED Talks out there. Watching them is a great use of time. Some of them can even spark new interests in you! Yay!
If you’re new to TED Talks, here are highly suggested TED Talks for everyone to watch!
Journaling helps you organize your thoughts or ideas, especially if you’re the type of person who tends to think just about everything. It helps you reflect on your life, too. Depending on the type of journal you may want to try, journaling can also be a way to preserve memories. You may want to try a gratitude journal too!
Here’s a list of different kinds of a journal.
No matter what your age is or where you are in life, there’s always a reason and time to learn a new skill. You might want to learn something that will boost your confidence or something that can be added to your résumé.
Some well-known universities are offering online courses. There are so many online classes on almost any topic, both free and paid. LinkedIn, Udemy, and Coursera are among the most popular. If you want to learn more about free online classes and where to find them.
If you’re still studying, taking this time to review your lessons is one of the best things to do. This will help you retain the knowledge and information you have learned before the lockdown. You will not find it very difficult to go back to class once the lockdown is over if you do this.
This is the perfect time to make way for new hobbies! Explore fun hobbies and do things you’ve always wanted to try. It could be calligraphy, watercolor painting, knitting – or anything! As long as it does not bring any extra stress, do it. Maybe, it can make a big difference like helping you earn some money.
If you’re not keen on starting a new hobby or skill, perhaps you can just rekindle an old one! Learning something new is always great, but you probably have an old skill or hobby that could do with a little fine-tuning. Grab your old supplies and materials, and start brushing up on that old skill of yours. What do you know? Maybe, sooner or later you’ll end up needing to use that skill or hobby. You will not end up wishing you’d done a better job of keeping it up!
There so many reasons to start a blog. You might want to tell your story, meet new people, and attract the audience, share your skills, express your thoughts, or want to create opportunities. You can even review products, places, and services. Do all this by blogging. Or, if you prefer video-based platforms instead of a text-based one, you can try vlogging!
With the advent of the internet, the world is more interconnected and we are all expected to be global citizens. So, becoming multilingual can be an asset to your career. You will find this very helpful as you travel and interact with new people. It can also make it possible to enjoy new shows or books.
Here are the top-rated courses to become confident in writing and speaking English language.
So if you’ve always wanted to speak Italian or if you think that Mandarin will be useful for work, engage in a language tutorial. You can find plenty of them online. The staying at home gives you plenty of time to dedicate to learning a new language, brushing up on vocabulary, and testing out the pronunciation.
Good communication skills are vital in the workplace and their personal life. People who communicate effectively with those around them will see better productivity and improved relationships in every aspect of their lives. Effective communication allows you to build trust easily, prevent and resolve problems, provide clarity and direction, improve productivity, and many more.
You can easily join a communication skill online workshop or enroll in an online course. Here’s one of the most popular courses on LinkedIn. It will surely be worth the time and money (if it is not for free)! You will develop a skill along with a great many benefits which you can use even after the lockdown!
Many of us care about our resume only when we’re applying for a job. But a resume is a valuable tool to have on hand. It’s a complete record of your marketable skills and experience. And it’s a great idea to update your resume regularly so you will not find it outdated when it comes time to find a new job.
If you’re not able to continue your work because you’re required to stay home, find work from home opportunities. Look (or even invent) ways to earn extra income during the time off.
Freelance websites can help you look for temporary work online. You can also try being a virtual assistant, online teacher, customer service representative, and many more. Now that’s some nice productive things to do at home!
Read: 10 Best Ways to Make Money From Home
Hospitals, health clinics, and other urgent care centers are overwhelmed nowadays. Because of that, it’s better to be prepared for an emergency and learn first aid. This way, you won’t have to leave your home for a relatively minor injury.
Want to learn basic first aid online, for free? Click here.
We all know that working out is important for our physical health, so it’s no surprise that it’s included in our list of productive things to do at home. Don’t worry, you don’t have to be overwhelmed by the idea of working out. Don’t think that you need to be lifting weights and such.
You don’t need any equipment for a good workout, and there are plenty of free online videos to take you through a routine. If you prefer slower workouts like walking, that’s great too! Keeping active will make a huge difference in how you feel during lockdown – physical activity helps you sleep better. It lifts your mood and makes you feel productive, even if you’re stuck in the same room for most of the day.
Read: How To Plan Your Day To Become A Productive And Effective Entrepreneur
Do you wear all the clothes in your closet wardrobe? Will you re-read those notes you’ve kept inside your cabinet for years? And do you think you’ll need those things sitting in a box upstairs?
While stuck at home, rethink how much of your stuff you need. You can start with just one small room, then little-by-little make your way to bigger rooms. Then decide what to donate and what to throw out, and be ready for a full clear out when the lockdown is lifted.
After decluttering, believe me, you will discover that many of your belongings are rarely used! You can sell these unused belongings at a cheaper price. This will help you earn some extra cash to boost your savings. If you feel like you’re not really in need of extra money, you can opt to donate your stuff or the money you will get from selling it.
Whichever you choose, I must say that it’s a win-win situation.
What else can bring you more joy than a perfectly clean home? You won’t probably achieve that much joy from the actual cleaning itself, but you will surely love the result.
Depending on how much time you have, that might mean a deep clean or just a quick retouch of the often-used areas. You can do some redecorating too. Your own home can give days of distraction and something productive to do if you feel like doing that home makeover you’ve been putting off.
Meditation and mindfulness help people stay calm. Practitioners rely on it to help them increase focus, remain present, and appreciate what they have. It has also helped many people to manage their thoughts when it comes to anxiety and overthinking.
Meditation is a simple concept but it can be a bit hard to master. You can start now, at home, and see if it works for you. You may visit this website to help you start meditating.
If you have a closet filled with way too many clothes that you rarely ever wore, with a few staple pieces you wore all the time – the idea of a capsule wardrobe could be for you. A capsule wardrobe is “a mini wardrobe made up of really versatile pieces that you love to wear.” It’s a collection made up of a combination of items you already own and love to wear.
You read more about capsule wardrobe here and here.
Got a wardrobe full of clothes that you hardly ever wear but don’t want to throw them away? Or do you have lots of basic staples that lack personality? You can update, reuse, or upcycle everything from accessories, bags, old shirts to dresses and shoes.
Here are upcycled clothing ideas you might want to try. Or you can visit Upcycle.
Explore new foods and delicacies from around the world. Stretch your cooking muscles simultaneously, and find your inner Gordon Ramsey.
Don’t be afraid to try. You can watch videos online to help you in this new venture. You can reach out to friends and family for cooking tips too. And perhaps, one day, you can start your book of family recipes too. Yay!
Some are lucky enough to have a job that lets them work from home for this time, while some are on furlough without pay. Whichever is your case, it is wise to manage your money. Read articles on how to spend your money wisely. Download money managing apps too, and bid your unnecessary overspending adieu!
Admit it – there are lots of unnecessary clutter on your phone or computer! Photos, apps you don’t use, and others. If you’re thinking of things to do in your free time, spend a day to organize those photos, emails, or files, delete unnecessary apps, and make it easy to find what you need when you need it.
Backing up your files is a must! You never know what could happen, your computer or phone can end up in some water or something that can prevent you from recovering anything. You surely don’t want that, do you?
When was the last time you backed up your files? Now, use your self-isolation to diligently back up everything on both your computer and phone!
Clean out your inbox! Read the pending emails and delete the ones you’ve read. Make it more productive by unsubscribing from some emails too! We usually receive lots of marketing emails daily but we don’t give them much thought. We just delete them mindlessly without reading. If you find yourself doing this, unsubscribe!
After this, you can create templates for personal and professional emails. Doing this will save you so much time in the future!
While it’s true that this is certainly a time to do something new, let’s face it, it’s also a chance to binge, binge, binge some films or movies. Catch up on all those award-winning films that you only manage to watch on a flight or bus ride!
Netflix and other paid online streaming sites are not your only options. Oh yes, you don’t necessarily have to spend for a subscription to watch plenty of excellent films. Various sites offer free streaming of excellent films too. Openculture has a list of 1150 free films you can watch online right now.
There are documentaries on just about any topic and everyone can find one that interests them. Whether you’re into wild animals, art and culture, revolutions, serial killers, or something cerebral, you’ll find a documentary to watch during the lockdown.
Some great sites include Documentary Tube. Top Documentary Films, and Documentary Heaven. There are a few websites that give you access to free documentaries too.
Have you always wanted to write something – articles, poetries, short stories, or a novel, but never found the time or inspiration? Well, this is your chance. Get your pen and paper, and start working on your masterpiece.
Shakespeare reportedly wrote King Lear while self-isolation during the plague, so maybe this quarantine is when you’ll write your opus.
If you’re not sure where to start, courses to develop your writing skills are available online.
You may feel cut off from the rest of the world, but you can still travel – virtually!
Current technology allows you to explore other cities and even other times online. There’s a virtual tour of ancient Rome that takes you through the forum, Capitoline hill, and famous monuments. You can also visit Buckingham Palace and other places virtually too!
Various art galleries and museums around the world have digitized their collections and are now offering free virtual tours. New York’s Museum of Modern Art or MoMA is just one of the finest galleries that you can visit from your own home. Enjoy Pollock and Monet without the crowd!
However, if you prefer Botticelli to Pollock, you can explore the Uffizi in Florence – one of the best collections of Renaissance art in the world. You can enjoy the Musée d’Orsay of Paris as well, the home to an incredible collection of Van Gogh and Cezanne’s artistic masterpieces. And once you’re done enjoying Florence, New York, and Paris, you can come to London to see the Tate Britain and the British Museum!
You can visit over 500 other museums or galleries virtually! Google’s arts and culture collection offer virtual tours of 500 top attractions around the world. It includes national galleries from around the world, individual artist museums, and even the Eiffel Tower.
You can visit all this from the comfort of your sofa. Now be productive while being so artsy!
If you’ve always been delighted by academia or a specific area within it, this is a very good time to read the latest publications. Do something productive by catching up on the latest developments in your area.
JSTOR is allowing free access to thousands of journals during the lockdown. Hurrah to lots of freebies!
Getting mail is an easy way to make anyone’s day better. So send cards and letters to loved ones to brighten their days at home.
You want to connect with people around the world and see how the lockdown is playing out in other countries? You can find penpals online too! Exchanging letters can help broaden your horizons and make new connections.
When non-essential businesses were forced to close, many opera houses like the Met Opera have started streaming performances. This is perfect for an avid opera lover. And if you’re someone who’s never been to the opera but has always been fascinated about it, this is equally great for you too!
Immerse yourself in the drama of an opera performance, without even leaving the comfort of your own home.
Recorded performances are not new, but free performances online are. Now that you cannot go to the theater, let the theatre come to you. Visit the Youtube channels of National Theatre, The Show Must Go on and others now.
Major events are canceled but that does not mean you cannot go to a gig. You can watch many of them on Youtube! Watch classics like Nirvana Unplugged or Radiohead’s Glastonbury set in 1997, and enjoy your personalized lineup.
Want to de-stress and stay healthy during the lockdown? Good news! You’ll be glad to know that some yoga studios are now streaming online classes for you to join in with. A lot of these studios are still running paid classes, but you can also find many online courses about yoga, like Yoga with Adrienne on YouTube. Being productive while caring for your well-being is something we should all be doing.
While staying indoors, it’s a good idea to bring the outside into your living spaces. One of the easiest ways to do that is by growing a home garden. Plants purify the air, give you an enjoyable way to stay fit, and add to your meals as well – plus they make your home more aesthetic.
Vegetables such as eggplants, tomatoes, chillis, and pumpkins are fairly easy to grow at home. You can also try growing herbs such as lemongrass, basil, mint, coriander, mustard, and garlic. Recycle cans, utensils, and old bottles for your home garden. Gardening will surely get you occupied because it’s one of the best productive things to do over the summer.
If you’ve been wanting to give your interior a facelift but don’t want to splash out on new furniture, now is the perfect time to try your hand at upcycling. Give your drawers, shelves, a wardrobe, or even dining chairs a new personality can do magic to your space. It surely is one of the productive things you can do as it gives a fresh new look without breaking your wallet.
That guitar that you bought a few years ago is gathering dust inside your cabinet. Dust it off! Make it a part of your day to sit in front of your notes and practice. If it doesn’t bother your neighbors and housemates, why not play a few strings and strike a few chords, eh? There are dozens of YouTube tutorials that you can access. You will certainly have fun and feel productive while finding your inner musician during the quarantine!
This quarantine, make the most of your social media platforms – join online clubs! This can be a great way to get to know more like-minded people and expand your circle. Participate in social media challenges and the tag-along games that are doing the rounds.
You can even have an online club party. Pick a date and time, get together on remote conferencing platforms such as Zoom or Google Hangouts, crack open a bottle of wine. Productive and fun at the same time!
Do you have a bad habit you have always wanted to get rid of? Smoking? Sugar or caffeine dependence? If you’ve been setting intentions but finding yourself lacking in will (we’ve all been there), this quarantine can be the time you let go of that bad habit.
Identify your triggers and replace your bad habit with a good one. Read more about the science of habit to help you.
A research carried out by Peter Naish, Doctor of Psychology at The Open Psychology, found that flipping through photo albums makes you significantly happier than chocolate, music, watching TV, or your favorite cocktail. The tests, carried out on three groups, compared their moods using the given mood improvers. And those looking at their most loved photographs were found to be the happiest.
You can sit with your old pictures one of these days. Travel back in time and connect with simpler days. Hit two birds with one stone – boost your happy hormones and productivity!
If going through old photo albums can bring us unbidden joy, try organizing new ones as well. Your phone’s camera roll is probably filled with pictures you took and then promptly forgot about. Print them, organize those photos into an album, scrapbook or memory box! You’re not only spending your time wisely; you’re also having fun preserving memories.
Admit it, things that can happen at any time often happen at no time. Calling long-distance loved ones and friends is one of the things that often end up on that list of things. During the quarantine period, reach out to a friend or family member you haven’t talked to in a while. You can do this one daily.
Pampering seems mild and easygoing, but it’s a productive thing to do. After a day or even only an hour of pampering, you will be able to go back to your to-do list feeling super refreshed and ready to deal with anything. So take a nice long bath and do your skincare – pamper yourself!
What better time than a lockdown to think of all the places you always wanted to visit! Be productive while having fun and feeling excited! Plan a detailed itinerary of the vacation you’re going to take when this is finally all over and done with. Start working on your next trip. If you have a dream destination, research on the must-see, and the hidden gems. Note the places where you want to eat and where you want to shop.
Instead of waiting until you’ve saved up the money to start planning your vacation, plan out everything you want to do. This way, you’ll be motivated and excited to start saving!
If you’ve been very busy and occupied before the COVID19 crisis, this is the perfect time to make it up to your loved ones. Prepare your all-time favorite family meal and have a nice dinner with your family. Engage in meaningful conversations and enjoy the time with your family.
If you’re not staying at home with your family, you can also do this virtually. Oh, thank goodness for the technology and double yes to wholesome productivity!
Kindness is magic. It is contagious too. And what the world needs now is plenty of kindness. You can do a random act of kindness and make the world a better place in your simple way. Perhaps sharing your favorite pastry with your neighbor, handing out simple notes of appreciation, or even posting a positive message on your social media timeline will do! That is a fantastic and productive thing to do in your free time.
Before this crisis, we were all sleep-deprived. Now you can catch up on your zzz’s by going to sleep early. Sounds pretty indulgent but if you do this, you are doing your physical and mental health a favor.
We all have indulged in comfort eating especially during the start of lockdown. It’s understandable, but it won’t help you be happier and healthier.
So learning about nutrition and how food affects your body, health, and mood is a good idea. It will help you make better decisions for your overall well-being. You can even use your current food cupboard better.
Food as Medicine course is a popular online course and has helped many people better understand how what they eat affects them.
Most of us have probably made mental notes of projects we want to accomplish, without ever actually making a move to start them. Well, now is a great time to follow through on those things you said you were going to do! Whether it’s a painting, knitting project, or other DIY stuff – you can start them now!
We can all agree that this crisis changed the world. It changed us all too in various aspects. What better and more productive way to spend the downtime caused by COVID19 than to reflect on your life; How’s your personal development? What would you like to do after all this? Are there any characteristics you’d like to change? What are your qualities you’d like to improve?
This is a good time to re-evaluate what you should consider essential or important. Not just commodities and material things, but also things that cannot be bought by money. Most of us have acquired or possessed too many things that life complicated. These things can be stressful.
Try and figure out what you need and what you don’t. Again, not just on commodities and material things. Do some “purging” and lighten up. Surely, this will help you develop a completely different standpoint. You will see the things you take for granted in your daily life, and the few that you need. And I see that as productivity at its finest.
It’s good to have something to remind you about your past – how you worked hard for your dreams and aspirations, your heartbreaks and setbacks, and of course, your comeback. You can do this by writing a letter or sending an email to your future self.
There’s nothing wrong with preparing for the next emergency or crisis. We need to stay alert. Be productive, consult a financial advisor on how can you respond to a crisis of this scale the next time. Know how much money to save as an emergency fund. Revisit your medical insurance.
How well prepared are you at home? Consider your daily essentials, medicines, and others but avoid ‘panic-buying’ and hoarding. Be prepared for the next crisis, while hoping that it never comes.
You’ve probably been in quarantine for a long time, but this too shall pass. So make a list of all the things you want to do once the quarantine is eased — selling your belongings, visiting the doctor or dentist, meeting friends over coffee, starting a new business, taking your parents out for dinner, or just going back to walking in the park!
There are so many productive things to do in times of crisis while staying at home and without spending so much money. Keep in mind that we are all living in uncertain times and it’s an ideal time to learn not to dwell on the past or be consumed about the future. Just enjoy here and now, because living in the moment is a great opportunity too!
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