7 tips on the art of keeping busy

Keeping yourself busy can sometimes be harder than it seems, especially if the choice not to work wasn’t yours. There are however a lot of things you can do that make you use your time valuable. And by reading this post, you are off to a good start already!

• Read. There are probably enough books you have always wanted to read, but you never had the time. Plan half an hour each day (if possible the same time every day) to read those books (or blogs you never got around to explore). You can also change between ‘fun’ books and books that are relevant for your study or work.

• Do a course! There are plenty of online or book courses to do. These can be for hobbies, like learning how to knit or paint, but also on more career related subjects, like this one to learn Google Analytics or to learn a new language. Other (some free) websites you could use are Coursera, LinkedIn and Masterclass, or just look on Youtube or listen to podcasts for tips on certain subjects. I, for instance, bought a slackline and I have been trying it every day!

• Start your new good habit! Starting a good habit is awfully hard, especially when you are busy enough as it is. That is why you should start one now! It will be easier to learn it and to maintain it later. You can think of making your bed in the morning, eating healthier (you could make a list of delicious, easy, healthy recipes or good snack swaps) or to design a nice 30 minutes a day fitness plan. For more tips, read this post on habits! Another idea is to look for ways to reduce your waste or to switch your products to cruelty-free products. You don’t have to make the switch right away, but you could write down the switches and where to buy the products from.

• Write a knowledge overview. After I graduated, I found that it was pretty hard to keep using all the theories I learned in my actual job, since I often didn’t have time to look them up again. To keep the knowledge from going to waste, I made an overview on my laptop of the most important theories in just a few words. This really helped me to have access to that knowledge quickly. It takes a lot of time to make it however, so why not do it now?

• DIY your home. Do you also have 100+ DIY ideas saved on Pinterest and Instagram, but you never have the time or the equipment? Do it now! Order the stuff you need online and be your creative self. Not only is it a good way to pass the time, you also get to make your home much more personal. You can also find some additional, budget ideas here!

• Explore your interests. Many people have some interests that just stand on the shelf, waited to be dusted off. Which parts of history interest you? Which cultures attract you? What animal catches your eye? Go and explore the world through these lenses instead of traveling! Dive into the internet and read about cultures that have always make you wonder about. Personally, I bought a book about the freemasons, to learn more about them, but I have also read up on tigers, which is keeping me busy for weeks. The world has so much to offer, so don’t let the walls of your home stop you!

I really hope some of these tips will help you to be productive in boring times. I truly believe that knowing how to keep busy is a form of art and something you have to learn, especially in a world that is normally so driven by entertainment and stimuli coming your way. Do you have tips on how you practice the art of keeping busy? Let me know in the comments below!

Lots of love,

Lisa

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