Productive ways to spend a lockdown time. 

Wondering what to do with yourself while stuck at home during the pandemic?  

We have been advised to stay at home, self-isolate and social distance from one another. As much as we can go to the shop, pharmacy, or one daily run, we must do our bit to the community and stay at home.  

No point just sitting on the sofa all day long eating yourself fat watching sad new!  

We have been given this very rare opportunity to slow down and relax for a change. The world is pretty much on hold (or at least is heading towards it). But this does not mean we should just do nothing!

This will lead to a negative impact on your physical and mental health!

And now more than ever we have to keep as fit as possible. In case you do happen to contract the virus (of any kind) you are more likely to fight it off if you are at good health.  

And sitting on the sofa will not get you healthy. 

 

But if that’s what you like to do, then this post is not for you and I would not recommend you reading any further.  

 

In this post, I will be exploring ideas on productive ways of spending lockdown.  

The ways you can actually turn this opportunity into something you will benefit from. 

This is really one in a lifetime (hopefully) opportunity to turn your life around if you give it a good thought and I would strongly recommend you to look at it from that perspective. 

NHS staff and rest of the key workers are unfortunately the ones that will have to work very hard during the pandemic crisis. But for the rest of us, what do we do?  

Well, there are so many things you can do and I would love to share them all with you!  

Now it’s time to do things you have been putting off for so long due to the lack of time. 

 

30 Productive Ways to Spend a Lockdown Time! 

This post contains some Amazon Affiliate Links. For more info please read my disclosure.

Regardless of whether you have to carry on working from home, or have kids at home, we all have 24 hours in a day. We all have the same amount of time to utilise.

The ratio between work/ kids/ other activities will vary depending on your circumstances but we will no doubt have more time now than ever before. And this is your chance to do something that can improve your life. 

Ever heard of the equation:

Time= Money?! 

Time is the most precious recourse you have- use it wisely! 

I really hope you can apply some of the below ideas of productive ways to spend a lockdown to your life and benefit from it in some way.

 

1. Keep fit

Definitely do not sit down all day long even if you are spending the time productively, ensure you take at least few breaks in between to have a little walk around and once a day do some kind of exercise.

If you are completely new to this- here is my guide to home exercise for beginners.  

Alternatively, go for a run, or cycle or even a walk if you can. This could be a great opportunity to start getting more into fitness and perhaps even set a goal to lose a few pounds over the next 3 weeks!

 

2. Start a blog

I love writing a blog and I have gained so much confidence from doing so.

It’s also starting to earn some money (not much yet but I have not been on this journey long yet!). I strongly recommend you also look into it.  Especially if this is something that you always wanted to do, but just never quite had a chance to start.

If you think:  

I can’t do it, I am not sure how to set up the website, what to write about, where to start…  

Don’t overthink it! Just do it!  

Trust me: 

I never knew one bit about blogging, online marketing, website designing, SEO and now I could teach you to do it all (contact me for more info though my Work With Me page).  

I have spent hours learning it from various online courses (I used Create and Go– they are pros in the blogging world). 

There is also a lot on YouTube for free- to start with you can learn from the Income School. They will teach you everything there is to know about blogging For FREE

There is a lot to learn- but you never know when this knowledge might come handy! Also, it’s so much fun! 

 

3. Start a YouTube Channel

This is the most popular and least skilled way of making money and so many people had become rich from it. It’s absolutely mind-blowing that some people make millions just whispering to the camera (ASMR) or reviewing toys (Ryan’s toy review). 

All you need is a Camera (it can be your phone), an actor (your child, a pet or yourself) and some really good idea on what to film.

There is so much already on YouTube and you must have come across some badly done videos which are highly successful. You really don’t have to be a perfect cameraman or super pretty. So what are you waiting for? Now that people are sitting home, the demand or video is crazy and this is a perfect time to start. 

You are probably thinking- Agnes- What are You waiting for?  

Well, I might have been working on this in the background so watch this space!  

 

4. Write an E-book

If you have the knowledge or expertise in a particular niche, there’s never been a better time to write an E-book. With so much time on your hands, grab a laptop or a computer and Type Away. 

It doesn’t have to be an expertise book. It can be a children’s book, romance or a cooking book! People love books and you can earn some passive income from one project for many years to come.  

It’s also free to publish a book via Amazon and relatively easy to do.  

 

5. Register with UpWork 

UpWork is a freelancer’s website that initially comes from the US but it’s growing its popularity in the UK.

It’s free to register and all you need to do is to upload your CV and set up your profile listing the skills and expertise you may have. There is so much to choose from in terms of the work and it’s all remote I.e. from home. 

So if you are a website designer, a writer or a good at the data entry there is plenty of work available. You can earn some money as there will be lots of people needing freelancers now to get on with the job online.  

 

6. Open a Pinterest account

Pinterest is a search engine like Google with the difference that ideas are displayed in visual vertical pictures. You can not only learn a few things but also earn some money from affiliate marketing on this platform. 

You need to register as a business account and for this, you would need a website. It’s free to open a business account and you will need one to be able to see all the analytics and statistics.  

Pinterest is very popular in the US but also all over the world and it’s what people like using when looking for ideas for products they want to buy, hence it is a perfect place to start with your affiliate marketing and earn some extra money. 

Also if you are a blogger this is a great place to start promoting your content and the vast majority of “Pins” on Pinterest are created by bloggers. Here is my account if you would like to check it out. 

 

7. Sort out your email box

Currently, I have over 7k of emails in my inbox unread! A lot of it is spam, adverts, and emails I never wanted to read and I will be spending some time trying to go through it and sort out what I need and delete what I don’t need.

I will also be sorting my work email as I never manage to put them straight into the folders but just leave it in the main box. So I will definitely put this on my To-Do List.  

 

8. Read books (especially those about self-development)

Have few books in your cupboard that you never quite had time to read? I strongly recommend picking the books about self-development. It can really open your eyes on many things and give you a new outlook on them.

If you don’t like reading or just prefer to listen, audiobooks are available too!

Reading is my favourite way of relaxing. If you don’t have any books I strongly recommend these three that I had recently bought and can’t wait to read them.

 

 

9. Have a spring clean

Why not spring cleaning your house now that you have so much time? You can go through every single corner of your house. 

Go through wardrobes and de-clutter them. 

Go through your books and get rid of those that you have read and don’t need anymore. Get the kids involved and clear their cupboards too. Revise their toys.

Prepare everything for the time where you can take it all to the charity shop. This might not be the most fun thing to do but it’s a very good idea to have a spring clean once a while so why not now?

 

10. Do some gardening

Now that the weather is much nicer, we can enjoy some time outside. And if you have a garden, it’s a perfect opportunity to do some gardening.  

Whilst I’m sitting here typing away, my husband and kids are all outside enjoying the weather and gardening together. 

So if you have kids, take them outside, show them how to grow plants and how to care for them. 

My kids have planted a plum tree, sow some herbs seeds, planted smaller plants, mowed the grass and cleared up a garden from the leaves and weed. They loved it! And the garden looks so much better.

 

11. Develop your cooking skills

If you enjoy cooking, why not getting into the kitchen to develop your cooking skills? 

I love following recipes especially on YouTube, where I can actually see how the dish is prepared. I also enjoy baking and my kids love helping me in the kitchen as well.  

When we prepare dishes every day, we usually rush things and make quick easy to prepare meals.

Now you can enjoy the freedom of time and cook more ambitious dishes that you might have never had time to attempt before!

 

12. Have a picnic outside in your garden

You do need a garden for this one and a nice weather too, so if you have both, that’s a great opportunity to have a picnic outside. We had one today. The weather was lovely. We’ve set up some blankets and we enjoyed the afternoon in the garden eating some lovely food. This is really one in a lifetime opportunity to spend quality time with your family without the stress of every day’s life. 

 

13. Reorganise your furniture

If you’re bored of setup in your house, why not changing the layout of your furniture?

Move around the sofas, bed or wardrobe and placed them in different corners of the room. This can really lighten up your mood and get excited about your living space.

If you have kids and small rooms, you will probably need to move the furniture to the side anyway to let them play around.

 

14. Paint/redecorate your house

Order some brave paint colours or some wallpaper and go get decorating. You could start off just your room or living room and carry onto the next rooms.

If you are not sure how to get started, you know where to look for some tutorials? You’ve guessed it! YouTube is my life tutor for everything!

 

15. Become FBA seller

Amazon is still thriving and you don’t need a warehouse or any resources to start trading on Amazon. People make fortunes from this business model and if you would like to find out more about it here is the link from the tutorial guru on Amazon FBA UK. 

 

16. Learn to play an instrument

Did you know that it only takes 20 hours to learn anything in the world you like? I strongly recommend you to watch this short video by Josh Kaufman who proves this point in his TEDx Talks.

So I am sure if you spend an hour a day to learn one instrument, say a guitar- over the course of 20 days you should be able to play it reasonably well! YouTube is a place to start and you can find a first guitar lesson here!

Give it a try! 

 

17. Learn a new language

Can you speak more than one language?

Can you speak more than two languages?

According to Ilanguages.com, over 43% of the population can speak two languages (they are bilingual). If you are bilingual you actually have more chance to learn another language. So following from the above research that you need 20 hours to lean anything– You can learn to speak a foreign language in just 20 hours! There are so many free resources to learn from.

The best place to start is the Duolingo website. 

I can speak 2 languages (Polish and English) and I am planning to spend a bit of time to master my German which I have learned the basics of in the teenage years of my life!  

 

 18. Watch public speakers on YouTube

I have recently come across this video on YouTube where Eric Edmeades was giving a very interesting speech about us humans and the behavioural patterns that I ended up binge-watching his other speeches. I was fascinated by what he had to say. This guy is super intelligent and I loved his outlook on life and human behaviour. It was time well spent!

But there are many other public speakers and TEDx Talks is a great place to start if you are interested in motivational speakers and many other very important topics they discuss.

 

19. Rethink your finances

In times like this, it curtails that we think about our financial situation.

The uncertainty around the length of the crisis, the upcoming recession and many other factors will affect our finances. Ken from the Humble Penny has great tips on what to consider. 

 

20. Invest your money

While we talking finances, if you have some spare funds and are not sure whether or not to invest and where to invest, it might be a good time to do it Now.

The market is in crisis now but this does not mean it’s not wise to invest! Quite the opposite!

You just need to know where and how much! Again I will recommend you this video by The Humble Penny TV where Ken talks about how to invest £100 pm in a financial Crisis.

 

21. Create a 5-year plan

One of the most common questions people get asked at the interview is:

“Where do you see yourself in 5 years time? “

Do you know the answer to this question? If not, why not?

Why bother you ask?

Well, it’s a goal you should have in your mind that will drive you forward.

If 5 years seems too long ahead, start off just 1 or 3 years. Let your ambitions drive this answer and come up with the plan of where you want to be and how you want to get there too.

The integral part of this exercise is to come up with a realistic but challenging goal so that it’s achievable. Consider the means to get there. Do you need to study to get new qualifications? Do you need to gain some new skill? This is a really good time to do some deep thinking about your future. And then follow through by taking actions now!

 

22. Start a photography side hustle

If you have a passion for taking photos and a camera (it can be a smartphone) you can actually sell your photos to stock websites.

If you never thought about it or not really sure, you can always try!

You might discover your new passion.

Learn a few tricks on how to take good stock pictures on YouTube or any other website and give it a go!

If you are not sure what kind of photos you would need to take a look at Unsplash, Pixabay, Shutterstock to name a few where you can see what kind of photos are “sellable”.

The majority of the pictures on my website (including the one above) are taken from the above-mentioned stock sites.

 

23. Take up an online course

If you always wanted to learn something specific and you never quite had the time for it, now is your chance. Sign up to that online course you were always wanting to and start learning. Or if you haven’t thought about it I strongly recommend you take some online course especially if there is something that really interests you but you never had a chance to peruse the idea

Knowledge is power.

 

24. Learn a new dance

Dancing is not only a great way of keeping your body fit but also your mind.

Learning a new routine will train your memory and it’s such a fun way of doing it. So if dancing if what you enjoy doing, find some YouTube lessons and hip-hop your way through it!

 

25. Create a Bucket List

If you haven’t yet created one, why not create it now!

There must be a few things that you really want to do in your life. Bungee jumping seems the most popular thing people put on the list but this can be anything to do with Travel, sport, DIY, nature or Love life! Not inspired enough yet?

Here is a great website called “BucketList” with over 4 million ideas of what to put on your list plus how to fulfil those dreams!

 

26. Turn to art

You need to be fairly good at art! Art is not just an easel and paint palette and although it’s a good way to start you might want to discover other ways! Have you ever seen a sand art 

If you think this might be something you like why not watch this video about How to improve your art skills 

 

27. Volunteer 

NHS needs volunteers to help with many side things like delivering medicines, calling those self-isolated and many other small tasks. The nation has responded already and over 500 thousands of people have registered to date (28/3/2020). You can still register here if you want to help others.

 

28. Start IF

Intermittent Fasting is a type of a diet but not the sort we all know. It’s not what you eat, but when you eat that matters. I began my IF journey nearly 2 years ago and have written about my journey and how it all works here.

It is a great way of keeping your weight under control and now seems like a perfect time to talk about this bearing in mind we might be more prone to it sitting at home all the time.

 

 

 29. Have a party at home

Despite social distancing rule we can all still party together thanks to the power of the internet. Zoom, Skype or other software have allowed us to connect with many people at once. Play some nice music in the background and party together! It is crucial for our sanity we stay in touch with the family and friends.

 

30. Have a date with your partner

You might think, this is not a very productive way of spending time… Well, think again… Good mood + good food + good movie + romance = Happy couple.

Happy couple = Happy you.

Happy you is always more productive than sad you!

Whether single or in a relationship try to stay as positive as possible and do everything that makes you happy as this will always lead to a clearer mind and more productivity!

If you are short on ideas of date at home, you might find my Valentine’s post helpful

 

To conclude it all

Now that I have covered all of the points, I would strongly recommend you take a pen and a paper and draw down a big “ToDo List”

You must have found some ideas on the list of productive ways to spend a lockdown that suits your interest, so prepare a plan of what you want to achieve in this space of time.

Keeping a focus on completing this list. Ticking the boxes of the things done will give you a real sense of achievement and also will keep you sane during these extremely challenging times.

Here are more articles I have published about the whole lockdown situation you might want to check out:

How to stay sane during a lockdown situation as a family – 10 tips

How should a parent work from home during a lockdown period? 5 Top Tips

 

Let me know in the comments below which of the above list were your favourite ideas.

Your only limit is your mind!

 

Good luck and thank you for sticking to the end of this long list.

Stay safe x