Five ways to pass the time
In the current social and political uncertainty during the coronavirus outbreak, many businesses are telling their employees to work remotely. Any significant disruption to our daily routine, especially one which limits our freedom in some way, can cause some anxiety. But this doesn’t have to be terrible, nor as boring as it might seem.
While this can feel like a limiting time, it can also be a wonderful opportunity for creativity and to try that thing you’ve always wanted to learn how to do, but felt like you never had the time. Or it could be a time for you to pause, relax and put your feet up. We’ve compiled a list of five things you can do to pass the time.
Start a new hobby
Have you always wanted to try your hand at a new skill? There are so many different activities to choose from, such as learning a new language, painting, playing an instrument, drawing and even growing your own plants. Luckily, you don’t have to go it alone. There are thousands of instructive books out there to hone in your new skill, as well as more passive ways to learn such as watching educational videos on Lynda or YouTube.
Watch a movie
We’ll start with the most obvious, with something that you probably already do in your spare time anyway. These days, there are so many ways we can access great entertainment from our sofa that it’s hard to know where to begin.
Netflix offers a wide variety of TV shows, comedy gigs and movies, including critically acclaimed films such as The King’s Speech, Uncut Gems and The Two Popes, which you can stream from home, starting from their cheapest price plan of £5.99. Amazon Prime Video and Disney+ (launching next week) offer a similar service.
The success of these streaming services is evident in how Netflix frequently create their own features such as Marriage Story, which is multi-award winning, including winning big at the BAFTA and Golden Globes award ceremonies.
More entertainment apps
Entertainment isn’t just limited to video though. If music is more your thing, we’re spoilt for choice. Spotfiy, which boasts over 30 million songs, and Apple Music with over 60 million, now could be a great time to discover a new genre or revisit the songs from your childhood.
If listening to words is more your thing, Spotify also hosts a range of podcasts on a variety of different topics, both fact and fiction. You can also download Apple Podcasts or sign up to the paid app Luminary, which features topics that will get you thinking and make that time fly by. Why not mix the two and listen to your favourite radio channel? Most of them have downloadable apps for your mobile devices too. There are also many other forms of entertainment apps – those for dating – such as Tinder or even, for the more adventurous. Basically, the options with your phone are limitless, just like the forms of entertainment available.
Home workouts
Just because you can’t go to the gym, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t exercise. All you need is a mat, the floor and yourself. There are so many home workouts you can do on YouTube, as well as some amazing apps for your mobile phones. Apps such as Nike, Kayla Istines and lots more allow you to pick a workout based on time, how many calories you want to burn and what part of the body you want to target.
Cooking
All that exercise fuelled your appetite? Why not order some new recipe books to your house and try something new. A lot of celebrity chefs post some recipes on their websites for free and if you kind find any there, check their Instagram or YouTube.
Reading
Last but not least, what better way to pass the time alone than tucked up with a good book? You could challenge yourself to read all the books on your shelf that you haven’t got round to reading yet first, before buying new ones. Try mixing it up and alternate between reading and listening to audio books, which are available from a whole host of services like Audible.
The editorial unit
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