Hard and uncomfortable times tend to present great opportunities in disguise. Staying home can be boring and can make you feel like you’re going crazy, but this is a great time to pick up a couple of hobbies during your breaks.
- Let’s Get to Cooking!
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This goes out to you! Yes, YOU reading this article right now and you’ve realized you made New Year’s Resolutions and loads of other empty promises about learning how to cook. It’s finally a great time to try out some recipes and give yourself the chance to improve your skills. It may not be as safe for some folks to order from delivery services and restaurants, so a great way to keep your health in check is buying fresh produce or even getting fresh packages from HelloFresh to skip the grocery stores.
- Listen to More Audiobooks/Podcasts
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It makes sense that a lot of people don’t always have the patience to read a book and they might easily get bored due to the exposure we have to technology all the time. Listening to audiobooks and podcasts while you’re mindlessly doing your laundry or cleaning can help in the long run; this way you’ll get your chores done while gaining knowledge. Challenging your mind to think during this time is important for the long run. Audiobooks can be found on multiple platforms like Audible, Amazon, etc., so here are a few recommendations for podcasts: “Binge Mode” (check out the season for Harry Potter first), “The Cut”, “Glossy”, and “This American Life”. A few of these podcasts are fashion/beauty industry-based, but this list also includes great hosts who know how to engage their listeners with great and inspiring stories.
- Decrease your Screen Time!
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This isn’t necessarily a goal, but definitely something to work towards. Everyone’s on social media now in quarantine because most of us don’t have much to do, and we still want to actively stay connected with friends. The best way to decrease your screen time is to not update or scroll through social media for 5+ hours a day. Alternatives to talking to your friends would include texting, calling, facetiming, a Zoom meeting with your groups and even a Netflix streaming party. You won’t be spending too much time on social media, but will still maximize your interaction by using your laptops with some assistance from your phones.
- Binge BA (Bon Appétit) Test Kitchen!
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This relates to the cooking part of this list and although I’m trying my best to decrease screen time, binging a couple of videos from the Bon Appétit YouTube channel is the best way to kill an hour or two. This serves as great inspiration and learning opportunities if you wanted it to – otherwise, it’s also insanely entertaining to see so many different talented people and personalities in one kitchen making delicious food!
- Snap a picture!
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Who says photography needs to be done outside in a public garden? Practicing taking pictures can also be done in your house, which can help you experiment with different lighting and color tones. It’s okay to go outside or crack open a window for a couple of minutes to get your golden hour pictures of yourself or of the sky during sunset.
All of these and including more ideas that inspire you can be great things to pick up to pass the time, and it may help to experiment and figure out more of your likes/dislikes. This is a bittersweet time with rare opportunities to help you discover more about yourself and help you grow! Let’s keep growing!