Before the pandemic hit the world we were actively engaged in work and hobbies on a daily basis. Thanks to social distancing, our new reality has changed bustling cities into desolate ones and the lack of social interaction and consecutive months of lockdown has inevitably led to feelings of loneliness and boredom. Here are six handy tips to help you make this new found time meaningful and boost your energy. 

1. Reading 

Have you ever been determined to read a book within a fixed period of time, but then became distracted by other tasks? Now might be an ideal opportunity to lose yourself in a new, or old favourite, book. There are plenty of websites or apps providing access to millions of books at your fingertips. Reading not only helps to gain valuable knowledge but also encourages innovative ideas. Let’s be active readers and expand our horizons. 

2. Enrolling on online courses  

You can easily find a number of online courses, including fee-free and fee-paying, from the most prestigious universities in the world on websites such as Coursera, Udemy, edX, Academic Earth, etc. These courses furnish us with foundation-level knowledge in areas of interest and to keep up with today’s ever-changing world, we really need to continue learning so we stand out, are challenged and continuously developing ourselves. 

It is also helpful to join soft-skill courses related to communication, teamwork, leadership or other interpersonal skills that are key to increasing our productivity at work. For example, if you feel a bit insecure about striking up conversation, why not take a course in communication skills and pick up practical tips to effectively communicate with your friends and colleagues.  

3. Learning new languages 

With rapid development in technology, it is much easier and simpler to learn a new language through a website or applications such as Duolingo, Busuu, Memrise, Digital Dialects, etc. English is known as the “international language” which considerably benefits our career progression so how about making full use of this time to take more courses or join webinars and events to improve your English. Studying a different language means having a different perspective on life, so take advantage of this social distancing period and experience different cultures around the world. 

4. Taking part in webinars related to your interests 

Participating in webinars is an effective way to gain valuable insights from experts or specialists in fields that we are interested in. Attending webinars offers us a wonderful opportunity to obtain new knowledge and meet people with shared interests, bringing great benefits of mutual learning and the establishment of social relationships. 

5. Doing yoga, meditation and home workouts 

Health is the greatest wealth of human life, so we certainly need to take care of it through doing yoga, meditation or home workouts regularly. These forms of exercise help us to relieve stress and achieve a feeling of serenity and mindfulness in both mind and spirit, as well as build muscular strength and fitness. There are a vast number of websites, applications and YouTube videos that teach home workouts, meditation and yoga from beginner to advanced such as Yoga Journal, Simply Yoga, Happify, Omvana, Fitness Blender etc. Why not try to spend 30 – 45 minutes per day on exercise for a healthier life. 

6. Keeping in touch with family, friends and colleagues 

These days, it is relatively easy for us to stay connected with our friends, workmates, and family via email, phone, text and video. Mutual communication helps us to cope with pressure and feel deep relief in our mind. Let’s be open about sharing our problems as well as listening to others’ problems and look for solutions together, helping to turn “big” problems into “small” ones that can be resolved. Keeping in contact with each other ensures that we are doing well, even if it is just chit chat for fun and pleasure. We all need each other to live our lives to the fullest, and it is important to stay in touch with our family, co-workers and friends under any circumstances. 

Although the pandemic has brought a lot of tedium and solitude, we can still make the most of the time we have with the above suggested tips.