Now that we all have an abundance of time on our hands it can seem like our days are just wasting away. How can we combat this feeling? With new hobbies to keep us busy! It is good to have downtime and enjoy the opportunity to rest, but when rest takes over your whole schedule, that is when you know a new hobby is in order! Not only do new hobbies create nice time fillers but they can also help us to learn and grow!

1. Start that journal you’ve always wanted to have!

Starting a journal could be a way to decompress a lot of the new fears and anxieties that come along with this stressful time. Not only is journaling a fun way to keep your brain active, but it also is a nice way to use some of the pent up energy we all may be feeling right now. 

2. Learn a new style of dance.

Now is the perfect time to clean up your two step so you can be ready for Oplin when it opens back up. If you are already a pro at two stepping, maybe it’s time to break into some other styles of dance such as salsa, jazz, or tap!

3. Start doing some yoga or meditation!

Yoga is yet another way to calm the chaos-induced nerves, and if flexibility is not your strong suit, other forms of meditation will do the trick!

4. Watch the films nominated for the 2020 Academy Awards!

Cuddling up on the couch with a blanket and some popcorn is a fantastic way to spend an afternoon. From JoJo Rabbit to Parasite, all the films are definitely worth a watch!

5. Interview your loved ones.

Get out a pen and paper or even your voice memos app, and ask a few questions to the important people in your life. Interviewing a young child, a sibling, or even a grandparent can be a lovely way to memorialize your loved ones and their personalities.

6. Try watercolor painting!

Watercolor painting is an amazing way to get creative and make some beautiful art. Watercolor is a great starter-paint because it is both super pretty and very forgiving! If you mess up, just throw some more water on and the mistake practically fades away! 

6. Try your hand at baking!

Even if you are a seasoned baker, throwing on an apron and dragging out the flour can be a really fun way to spend your time! Turn on a few episodes of The Great British Bake Off, and get out an old family recipe! Baking is super fun, and it also has a tasty pay off.

7. Try to learn something new!

You can pick up a new instrument or start learning a new language! There are lots of amazing apps to help you become a great instrumentalist, like Yousician or Justin Guitar, and many other apps to help become fluent in whatever language you want, like Doulingo or Rosetta Stone!

While this is a time of major stress and uncertainty, it can also be a time of growth, to slow down and appreciate those around you. Use this time to learn, grow, and care for your family and neighbors. In the words of Kitty O’Meara;

“The people stayed home. And read books, and listened, and rested, and exercised, and made art, and played games, and learned new ways of being, and were still. And listened more deeply. Some meditated, some prayed, some danced. Some met their shadows. And the people began to think differently.

And the people healed. And, in the absence of people living in ignorant, dangerous, mindless, and heartless ways, the earth began to heal.

And when the danger passed, and the people joined together again, they grieved their losses, and made new choices, and dreamed new images, and created new ways to live and heal the earth fully, as they had been healed.” 

Stay safe, and stay inside.