With the UK and many parts of the world on lockdown to slow the spread of the coronavirus, the chances are that you’re sat at home wondering what to do with your spare time.
Though many of us love nothing more than to relax at home with a glass of wine and a Netflix boxset on the go, the prospect of being cooped up with our families for months can be daunting – so below, we’ve put together some useful tips on keeping busy during this highly unusual time.
Start your own blog
Whether you’re still working from home or you’ve retired, the chances are that you’ve never had so much free time on your hands. There are no coffee mornings, no popping in to see friends and no grandchildren to keep occupied; every minute of the day is yours to play with.
If you’ve always wanted to put pen to paper and share some of your wisdom with the world, why not start your own blog? You don’t need a Shakesperean vocabulary or an explosive homelife – just a passion for writing and a story to tell. Blog about work, your hobbies, your diet and fitness regime, or even your mental health and ways you’re coping during lockdown.
Blogging is not only cathartic, but it allows you to document your life and look back in years to come. And whether you blog under your own name or a pseudonym, you’ll also get to join a growing community of female bloggers, with women of all ages and backgrounds there to chat and support you on your journey. Use WordPress and give this a read before starting.
Get green-fingered
With the stresses of modern life, our gardens often take a backseat. Now is your chance to don your gloves, mow the lawn, and give your bedding plants some TLC.
Though garden centres don’t fall under the essential businesses category, there are online garden centres that sell everything from shears and shrubs through to rare and exotic trees, so get shopping and stock up to transform your back patio and give the bees somewhere new to hang out.
Now is a great opportunity to perform some essential garden maintenance, like mulching your shrub bed, raking the lawn to remove any thatch, and starting off some half-hardy annual seeds indoors.
Weather-dependent, you might even want to sow outdoor, growing some beans, beetroot and lettuce, and prune your flowering clematis and shrub roses.
Become an online tutor
If your income has fallen during the coronavirus pandemic, taking to the internet to offer your expertise is a great way to unlock a new revenue stream.
You could run an online cookery class, music course, or one-on-one counselling, which is in high demand as people struggle to get to grips with the fast-paced changes to our everyday lives.
Tutoring schoolchildren is also an option to consider, as you can command anywhere up to £50 an hour for your time.
If you don’t want to profiteer during a crisis, consider setting up a social media account and sharing your knowledge for free.
You could create workbooks and resources for those who want to learn and run live streams where you can answer questions and share advice.
Giving back and keeping other people occupied will give you a sense of purpose and keep your brain active. What’s more, it will work wonders for your personal brand should you want to offer personal coaching or tutoring in the future, so hold onto people’s email addresses.
Try our anti-ageing device
With nail bars, hairdressers, clothing stores and beauty salons forced to close during the pandemic, the chances are that you won’t be feeling your best.
You can still stock up on your essential beauty supplies online and at the supermarket, but if you want to try something new and turn back the clock, why not give our anti-ageing device a chance during lockdown?
Oralift is a mouthguard that is worn for short periods of time, designed to reverse the harmful effects of ageing and rejuvenate your face. Many wear the device whilst they do the ironing, watch TV, or read a book – so now is an ideal time to get started.
Find out more about how Oralift works on our blog, and please feel free to get in touch if you have any questions.
Work out from the sofa
Exercise is guaranteed to lift your spirits and help you stay fighting fit during the coronavirus outbreak, but with the government advising against all but essential travel, you might be getting fed up of the same walk around your estate every day.
Turn to YouTube and watch a workout video from the comfort of your sofa, joining in (with the curtains closed, of course!).
Although aimed at children, Body Coach Joe Wicks’ daily workouts are proving immensely popular on YouTube, whilst Natacha Océane posts regular video tutorials that require no equipment and can be performed in silence; ideal if the rest of the family are asleep upstairs!
There’s no denying that we’re living through a period of huge uncertainty and anxiety, but if you keep your mind occupied, you’re more likely to stay positive and find isolation easier. Do you have any tips and tricks on keeping busy in lockdown? Share them with us on Twitter using @Oralift and check back regularly for more advice on looking and feeling your best.