In a way, I feel like we're all sheep. Wondering around aimlessly in our field, surrounded by predators and lethal, dangerous things. One wrong move and everything goes BOOM! In this difficult time I think it's important to take it easy on ourselves and learn that it's quite alright to not be doing the most 24/7 and allow ourselves time to be simple, much like our sheep equivalents. Here's a list of things that you can do with your time that don't involve life-changing awakenings or hiking up Glastonbury tour at 5am every day.
Create a blog
I love reading what people are passionate about and don't believe that I'm alone in this! The beauty of having your own blog is that you can write about whatever you want, there's no limit or pathway you have to follow. You can express exactly what you're feeling or what you're passionate about in your own way and it can be a great release for any emotions that are bubbling away inside. I write for my own blog also and am finding it quite useful for me when I feel alone, you can use your posts to gather an audience and help help others who are struggling to cope in this time.
Practice a new craft
Whether it's baking, painting or sewing, crafts are a great way to let off steam and relax into your day whilst presenting a small challenge to keep your brain ticking over. With online retailers stocking most, if not all, things craft everything is available to you to try. What do you fancy?
Build a website/portfolio
Useful for us who are looking to further our education or career, a website allows you to create your own professional identity, even if you haven't quite established yourself yet! I use mine to market my makeup and hair skills as well as to document my educational growth. I loved creating my website as I could really make it my own and was able to show off my work in the best possible way. Platforms like Wix make it super easy to create your brand and promote yourself whilst helping you up your computer skills.
Read a book
A long lost hobby of mine, reading used to be my whole world. Life just seems to get in the way sometimes which is why I think now is a great opportunity to get back into it! We're all different, some prefer paper in their hands whilst others prefer to be emerged in a story through sound, either way books can help us find an escape from this dreary and depressing time.
Bullet Journaling
Not a favourite of mine but a favourite for many others, bullet journalling is basically a funky version of a diary where you can be as creative or minimalistic as you want to be. You can add memories, calendars, photos and really put your stamp on this little book. This is an affordable activity that can help you put your thoughts to paper and allow you to offload what's on your mind.
Home DIYs
Did you know that you can use instant noodles to fix almost anything? Well I did thanks to my research into home DIYs. As we're all stuck at home you have no excuse but to fix that leaky tap or finally decide on a colour for the spare room. With platforms such as YouTube and TikTok being updated every second with new content, why not explore and improve your skills?
Make Video Content
Whether its a how-to tutorial or just a silly dance you made up with your mate over FaceTime, its good to share your knowledge and experiences with others and show people that lockdown doesn't mean that no fun can be had. there are many different streaming services that you can upload your content to, my personal favourite is TikTok, and an audience for just about anything. Who knows, maybe you'll be the next viral sensation and make a bit of money from it.
Online Classes/Webinars
As we're live in the 21st century, we're quite lucky to have all the resources we could ever need at just the click of a button. This includes educational resources also! Now I know what you're thinking, "Holly, school was not the lockdown hobby I was looking for" and my answer to that would be "why not?". There's a class for just about anything and a lot of them are free. For instance, I attended a webinar produced by Pantone and Heuritech the other day that informed me on the latest colour palette trends in fashion and I found it invaluable towards my new project for university! Platforms such as YouTube, Eventbrite, Vimeo, TikTok and many other online schools can present you with a plethora of opportunities to broaden your mind.
Talk
There's one sure-fire way you can get through this lockdown- talking with those you love. Although separated by miles and mortar, its important to reach out to your loved ones and keep up the communication. Talking is proven to better our mental health and whether it's through a quiz or just a five minute chat, you can really brighten up someone's day.
I really hope this list helps you get through this unpredictable time!