[AD] Overcome Lockdown Boredom With This Productive To-Do List
Lovers of the movie Groundhog Day will be living out that film for themselves at the moment. Every day seems to be the same, and while more time at home was an interesting novelty for some of us at first, it is now getting to the stage where tedium and monotony are setting in.
Are you relating to what we are saying? Are you waking up to the same routine day in and day out? Especially if you’re not working at the moment, then you very well might be.
If so, here are a few things to add to your daily to-do list, as not only will you spend your time productively if you follow some of our suggestions, but you will be less bored to.
#1: Use your free time to declutter your home
This isn’t the most interesting thing to do at home, but it could be one of the more profitable. If you can dig through your drawers and wardrobes, you might find items that you can sell online to boost your income during the lockdown. You could get cash for old mobile phones that have long since past their trend-setting days. You could make money from the books you have read a hundred times before (probably while you have been in lockdown). And there could be other items that are no longer needed in your life, so say goodbye to them and hello to more money! Schedule an hour a day to cover each room in your house, and then fill another hour researching places to sell your unwanted possessions.
#2: Get on top of your odd jobs
You know that creaky floorboard you didn’t have time to fix before? Well, now is the perfect time to do it. You could crack on with the wallpapering too, and you could paint those flaky sideboards. You could clean your carpet too, wash your windows, fix the treehouse, mow the lawn, and do all of those other things that you have had on your to-do list for the last twelve months or so. Schedule a household job a day, and finally get your house looking the way you want it to again. Not only will you appreciate your home more, but you will do much to improve your fitness levels too if you keep yourself busy.
#3: Make a post-lockdown bucket list
Lockdown sucks, and this is because we can’t do those things that we might have expected to this year. We can’t travel, we can’t see certain people, we can’t eat at our favourite restaurants, and we can’t enjoy some of those leisure activities that we used to take for granted. Still, lockdown won’t last forever (we’re hoping), so rather than dwell on what you can’t do right now, sit down with a pen and paper, and perhaps with your family, create a list of all those things you want to do after lockdown is over.
#4: Learn something new
Break through the routine of your day by learning something new. You could download an app to learn a new language. You could finally pick up the guitar you were gifted with at Christmas and make attempts to get better at playing it. You could order or download a few books, and educate yourself on whatever floats your boat (you could even read a book on how to make a floatable boat). And you could learn a skill that will help you in your career, as when employment restrictions are lifted, you might be in a prime position for a promotion or a new job opportunity if you have honed and increased your talents.
#5: Keep yourself fit and healthy
Sure, you could slouch in front of the television all day, and you could spend longer hours in bed. However, you won’t be doing your physical or your mental health any favours if you do, so be good to your body and mind, and spend time each day keeping fit. Schedule in walks and bike rides. Spend time pottering around your garden. Play active games with your kids. And if you have a home gym, spend some time lifting your weights and building your body strength. You’ll fit a lot better in yourself if you do, and you might be in a better frame of mind to cope with the stresses of lockdown.
#6: Spend quality time with your kids
Your kids are probably as bored as you are, which will be obvious to you if they are manically running around the house causing havoc. So, use the time you have at home to spend more time with them. As we suggested previously, play rough and tumble games with them in the garden. Dig out any old board games you have hidden within your house. Have movie nights together. Let them thrash you at the latest video games. And do anything else that might be enjoyed by all of you, because let’s face it, now is the perfect time to connect and bond with them, as time will be limited when they’re back at school and you’re back at work.
#7: Find ways to streamline your bills
More time at home means more expense where your household bills are concerned, so now is the time to get on top of them. Spend a day comparing utility sites, and make the switch when you find a better deal. And then, high on the rush of your money-saving efforts, do the same when it comes to your various insurances too, and any other household bills, including those that pertain to your credit cards. Compare prices, look for fairer rates, call the relevant companies to discuss the discounts you have found, and secure those savings. Then get your finances under control with a budgeting app, and create a list of energy-saving do’s and don’ts that your family should follow. By the end of your day managing your bills and finances, you might be a better financial position, despite the lockdown crisis.
So, lot’s to do then, above and beyond sitting on the sofa and scrolling through Netflix. Add our ideas to your to-do list, and escape the Groundhog Day nature of lockdow
