13 Positive & Productive Things to Do With Your Time in Lockdown

Bored of quarantine and lockdown?

Join the club! However, try one *or all!* of these productive things to do and help time move faster.

If you’re struggling to occupy yourself during lockdowns, curfews, or general times when you have nothing to do with yourself, let’s check out these productive things to do, that not only benefit your mental and physical health, but might give you a head start in your career and life overall.

Because, until a vaccine arrives, lockdowns and other curfews are likely to be part of our lives. That means we all have a lot more time on our hands. It’s ironic that we wish for more hours in a day, but when we actually get it, we have no clue what to do with that time!

13 productive things to do with your time during lockdown

Let’s be honest, none of us ever dreamed that we’d be living in the midst of a pandemic, complete with lockdowns and drastic restrictions to our normal lives. However, here we are, living the nightmare.

#1 Learn a language.
I know, I know! Everyone says they will and nobody actually does, but with the huge range of language learning resources available these days, you have no excuse! Having a second or even third language under your belt can be hugely beneficial in your career. It’s also useful for when you travel and want to order a glass of wine!

Without a doubt, this is one of the most productive things to do when you have extra time on your hands and something you’ll never regret doing.

#2 Learn how to cook.
If you don’t cook already, it’s time to learn. Even if you do cook, it’s time to branch out and learn new things. This year we’ve all made some banana bread, but you can go far beyond that.

Learn how to make delicious and healthy meals with fresh and organic produce. You’ll save cash over the long-term, because let’s face it, takeouts are expensive!

#3 Spend some time thinking about your career.
Are you happy in your job? Do you enjoy your career? Be honest with yourself because now is the best time to figure it out. You’ve got time right now and that means if you want to retreat or change direction, this is the perfect opportunity.

Jump online and do some personality tests, identifying some of the best career options for your personality type and see if anything jumps out. If that’s not one of the most productive things to do, I don’t know what is!

#4 Learn how to meditate.
Meditation takes time and practice, but guess what? You have the time now! Meditation brings a huge number of benefits to your health and well-being, while also helping to cut anxiety and stress – there’s plenty of that around at the moment. Download an app and start working on it daily; you’ll never look back.

#5 Declutter your home and devices.
When everything gets messy, it’s hard to focus for long. When you declutter, you’re clearing out not only physical space, but psychological space too. Take a room at a time and sort things out, have a change around if you want and redesign the area.

It’s one of the most productive things to do when you have more time on your hands. The same goes for your electronic devices, which often become clogged up with unnecessary selfies and downloads!

#6 Do a little gardening.
Do you have a garden? If not, can you have some outdoor plants that you care for? Being in nature is great for your mental health, and once you start with a little gardening, you’ll soon realize why so many people become addicted! Gardening is the new in fashion thing, so it’s time to buy some gardening gloves and get busy!

#7 Move your body more.
Exercise is key to physical and mental health. Choose your exercise and get moving! You can enjoy dance, walking, running, the gym, swimming, you can even increase the amount of sex you’re having because that certainly counts as exercise!

Whatever you do, focus on your overall health and know that when you exercise, you’re going to notice benefits coming your way.

#8 Clean our your closet and donate to those in need.
I mentioned decluttering earlier, but I’m pretty sure that there are plenty of things in your wardrobe that you no longer need! Be ruthless. Put aside anything that no longer fits, you no longer wear, or that hasn’t seen the light of day for the last year. Those things can be bagged up and taken to the charity shop or donated to those in need.

#9 Download a productivity app.
You probably have no clue how much time you waste during the space of a day, so it’s time to find out! One of the most productive things to do is learn how to be more productive!

Download a quality productivity app and learn how to use it. The information you get will be invaluable, and you’ll find that you have a clearer mind as a result.

#10 Learn something new.
I mentioned languages and cooking earlier, but how about a craft? Doing things with your hands is calming and helps you to destress, while also helping to boost your general creativity. You can learn how to make jewelry, furniture, clothing, paint, draw, write, or sew. Whatever it is, you’ll find it addictive, for sure.

#11 Revamp your old resume.
When was the last time you updated your resume? This is something we put to the back of the pile, until the time comes to apply for a new job. Dust it off and revamp it. Change the layout and make it super-impressive for new roles you’re likely to apply for. Even if you’re not thinking of changing your job, it’s one of the most productive things to do!

#12 Learn to set goals.
We all need something to work towards, but identifying those goals takes time and effort. Use this time wisely and figure out what you want to achieve in your life. Then, make an action plan to go out and get it!

Set small, achievable goals for the coming weeks, months, and years, and break them down into milestones that help you achieve your biggest aims in life. What could be more productive than that?

#13 Earn some cash online.
There are actually many ways you can earn a little extra money online, you just need the time to do it. Voila! Start a blog and use affiliate marketing to monetize it, make something and sell it on Etsy, do a few paid surveys while you’re watching TV at night.

The list goes on. There are plenty of ways you can line your bank account a little. Let’s face it, with the current economic climate, it’s something many of us need.

There are many productive things to do if you focus your mind on the right areas. Sure, having extra time to do nothing is good sometimes, because it’s part of self-care. But, sometimes we all need to focus on achieving small aims and working towards our goals in life. Having extra time to do that right now mean you can find a positive in a huge stack of negatives that has been 2020.

How many of these productive things to do will you try? You could try them all or pick a few to focus on at one time.