Stuck at Home? Spend Your Time Productively
posted
January 6, 2022
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Articles
It’s almost the weekend. Got plans? Or are you like many of us, stuck at home because of winter cold or #coronavirus?
While it may, at first, sound like a dream come true, sitting at home without much to do can quickly get old. If you’re one of us in Iowa hanging out at home to stay out of the cold or the stores, be proactive about spending your time productively instead of binge-watching six seasons of your favorite sitcom (done that already!) while eating your way through the holiday sweets leftovers. We have some ideas to get you through it. Here are some ideas to get you started:
- Learn a new language. Why not use the extra time at home to learn a second or third language? There are many free language apps, like Duolingo, that make mastering a new language almost effortless.
- Call an old friend. Socializing in person may be out, but the old-fashioned phone still works just fine. A leisurely chat with an old friend can be a wonderful way to pass the time.
- Get fit. Gyms can be a fertile breeding ground for all kinds of germs and bacteria, but an at-home workout can burn all those calories without the fear of being exposed to COVID-19. There are many exercises you can do without any equipment, like lunges, squats, planks, sit-ups, and more. If you’re missing the support and camaraderie you get from your exercise classes at the gym, pop a workout DVD into your entertainment center or turn on one of the many fitness classes on YouTube for a similar experience.
- Rekindle an old hobby. It’s time to dust off that guitar or pull out the modeling wood and pick up the hobbies you never have time for during your busy working schedule. To keep yourself focused, commit to completing a specific project or reaching a goal while you wait out the outbreak at home.
- Tend to neglected household repairs you’ve been putting off all winter. Why not use this time to get stuff done around the house? If you’re missing some important tools and supplies, it’s best to order them online instead of running out to pick them up to minimize possible exposure to the virus.
- Brush up on your financial knowledge. With the plethora of personal finance blogs and websites available today, beefing up your financial knowledge so you can make the best, informed decisions about managing your money is ridiculously easy. Visit blogs like Thefinancialdiet.com, MoneyNing.com, or Mr.MoneyMustache.com for interesting reads on a wide range of money topics that can help you broaden your financial knowledge.
- Declutter. You don’t have to go Full Kondo, but a little decluttering can’t hurt. Carve out some time to get started on spring-cleaning your home. Clearing out clutter takes lots of time, and you likely have more time than you know what to do with right now. You can make piles for throwaways, giveaways, and keepers. Give your cleared-out closets and drawers a thorough scrubbing while you’re at it.
- Review your budget. Budgets tend to need frequent adjusting. Use the spare time you have now to review your monthly spending of the past few months to see if your budget needs tweaking.
- File your taxes. The government has postponed the deadline for paying tax bills, but tax returns still need to be filed by April 15 unless an extension is requested. Filing taxes is nobody’s idea of a good time, but taking care of this necessary chore will make the future you glad that you did when this is all over.
- Keep stress levels down. Staying cooped up inside when a pandemic is sweeping through the world can really spike up stress levels. Keep calm by ensuring you’re getting enough sleep and minimizing stress triggers as much as possible. This can mean limiting the number of times you check the news. Try instead practiceing yoga or meditation. Apps like Headspace can help you achieve complete mindfulness to further reduce stress levels.