Working from Home in 2020? Wondering How to Keep Yourself Busy? 10 Simple Activities to Keep Yourself Busy and Not Let Yourself go Idle.

The mind is like a monkey which needs a new branch every few minutes to jump on. Keeping the mind still has been an uphill task for ages, and people try different methods like meditation, yoga, chanting or listening to music to keep their mind calm and composed. If you sit idle, chances are that your mind will engage you in a cycle of negative and useless thoughts. This, in turn, would result in erratic behaviour, anger issues, impatience and if the situation continues, then worse conditions like high BP, depression, frustration and physical violence can be observed in one’s behaviour.

Keeping ourselves busy is a natural process for human beings, which is imbibed in our DNA as a result of millions of years of evolution. Since the stone age, homo sapiens are continuously curious and experimental about nature, surroundings, this body and universe and this thirst to know more have resulted in the modern world as we know it today.

There may be times when you are stuck inside your home due to some unforeseen situation, feeling uneasy with the urge to go out and start your business as usual. However, don’t let this condition let you pull down, instead find out methods to use this time productively; so, let’s check a few ways to keep you busy at home.

If the place where you stay for 24 hours is not clean and organized, then it’s not going to reflect positive vibes. While being stuck inside your home, getting your house in order should be the first thing on your mind. Take out the unnecessary items, clothes and old stuff from the cupboards; you can also rearrange some interiors to give a nice makeover to your house. This way you will not only organize your home, but the new arrangement will also give it a fresh feel, making you less prone to boredom.

You heard about listing your life goals in the MLM seminar or read it somewhere but never took it seriously. Try it now, and not only you’ll feel good, but will also get better clarity and a micro perspective of all the things you want from life or in life. Write down all the goals, short and long, how they can be achieved, your action plan, the challenges, the plan B, everything you can possibly think of about your life goals. These notes will be beneficial when you are back in the rat race and wouldn’t have the time to introspect minutely.

There is no healthy mind without a healthy body, and without a healthy mind, any action wouldn’t be fruitful. Try to get up at your usual time as if you have to go to the office and spare at least half an hour to engage in some sort of physical exercise, yoga etc (you can play related YouTube videos while doing them for reference). Meditate for 10 – 15 minutes to keep your mind calm and stable. A mind whose vibrations are at the right frequency works better than a disturbed mind and a calm mind also has a positive impact on your health and internal organs.

This is a good time to listen to your favourite numbers and enjoy your favourite music. You can use earphones and soak in the beats and bass without disturbing your family members. Also, search for your favourite movies over the internet or binge-watch latest movies on platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime and Zee5 etc. Utilize this opportunity to watch the golden classics which you haven’t watched for a long time and relive the good old days.

Take an online course, learn a new language or watch motivational videos to invest this time judiciously. The things which you learn now may be beneficial in the future decisions of your time. You may refer your life goals and discern the required skills you may need to accomplish your objectives. This is also the time when you can improve your communication skills, study the latest technologies and learn more about your industry and job profile. If you have plans to settle abroad, then you can do the necessary research about getting a work visa and other important aspects.

Keep yourself updated, read newspapers and journals to understand the latest trends, what’s happening around you, which technologies are changing the world, successful startups and business news. You can also put your hands on an interesting novel and it will be good riddance from your smartphone for some time. Read good books to learn something new, get insights about human psychology and behaviour. This will help you to become a better human being and improve your relation with your family members and colleagues.

We all know that around 70% of our body is made of water, but we often ignore this truth in our everyday life by not keeping ourselves hydrated properly. Water is not only important for digestion, but it also acts as a lubricant for our tissues and muscles. If the body doesn’t get an adequate amount of water, then you may face problems like acidity, cramps, upset stomach, feeling lethargic and headache etc. Drink minimum 2 litres of water per day and you would see the difference in your overall health and the glow of your face.

Now is the perfect time to take out that guitar from the cupboard or to download the karaoke app on your mobile. The hobbies which you have kept on the back burner due to your busy routine can be practised now. You may also develop a new hobby which can help you earn some money like blogging, affiliate marketing or opening a dropshipping store.

Maybe you are not good with finances and have not planned anything separately apart from the usual income tax savings scheme. But, this is the time when you can learn a bit about investments, maybe opening a separate account, start investing with small money in the share market, start tracking your finances on a Google spreadsheet (so that it can be accessed from anywhere) and track it on weekly basis. This will help you to have a better understanding of your expenses and you can plan your short and long term financial goals.

Get the eye mask and earplugs out of your travel box and use them now to get a good nap in the afternoon. But remember, its a nap not sleep. You can set an alarm for 40 – 45 minutes and get a power nap in the afternoon to reboot your mind. Try not to sleep right after having your lunch as that would have an adverse impact and may cause bloating and heaviness in the stomach. Keep a gap of a minimum of 1.5 – 2 hours between meal and nap/sleep.

Being unemployed can be depressing and nightmarish, but believe that you are not alone; there are thousands who are either in the same condition or have been in this situation but have successfully sailed through. So be firm, stay calm and try to practice the below points to keep yourself busy when unemployed.

While you are looking for a full-time job, don’t let the empty time kill your creativity, knowledge and skills. Take a temporary assignment even if it’s not paying well as the purpose is to keep you engaged, updated and busy. Look for assignments which match your skillset and knowledge. If you are a creative person, then search online for logo designing, creative writing and video editing work on websites like fiver, Upwork and Truelancer etc. Similarly, lots of technical and specialized assignments are also available on these sites.

While you are being unemployed, improving your skills is one of the best things to do. Use this time to improve your communication skills, technical skills, managerial skills and the skills required in your area of specialization. You can take online courses (there are various free courses available online), invest in good books, and watch videos to enhance your understanding of the different line of businesses in your domain. Also, read newspapers and magazines to improve your language skills.

Gone are the days when your CV was just a few lines about your personal information and qualification etc. Video CV is the new trend and if you already don’t know about it, then it’s time to understand the benefits and how to create a video resume. Make a regular soft copy of the resume along with a video resume, check for the latest formats available online. Take help from your seniors to check the important pointers which you must include to have an attractive CV.

LinkedIn is a powerful platform to connect with professionals and grow your network. Not only this, but it also has a separate section for jobs. Connect with seniors, professionals in your field, HR professionals (both agencies and companies) and don’t hesitate to reach out and ask for a job. Log in regularly to check the latest jobs and trends in your sector and just don’t be a peek a boo member, rather participate and be active in the conversations.

Physical appearance also plays a vital role in an interview and a lethargic body can’t be hidden even in formals. So, spare some time towards your body and exercise regularly. Spend half an hour and engage yourself in yoga, aerobics, swimming etc. Also, even if you are at home, pretend yourself that you have to go for an interview and groom properly so that you look fresh and active.

Make a daily schedule and divide the time from morning till night with all the to-do activities. Creating a timetable is the easy part, but the real challenge lies in following and implementing the schedule. To overcome this challenge, the first and most important point is to get up early in the morning. This will give you ample time to complete all your planned tasks on time. Secondly, don't procrastinate and try to finish one job at a time.

Look for small assignments and start working online as it will keep you up to date and sharpen your skills. Try to get different types of work related-to-your-forte, make your own work corner at home so that you can work with minimal interruption. Keep on interacting with your seniors who are working in different companies; this way, you’ll get a fair idea of the real-time challenges being faced by employees in a corporate.

Why be dependent on someone for a job? Try to do a mindset shift from job to business. No, you don’t need the fortune to start a business. There are examples of hundreds of people who started their business from scratch and finally made it big. Read about startups, small businesses, Govt. funding for SMEs and try to gather all the information related to the business which you plan to start.

Sharing, caring and giving to the less privileged of society offers happiness and peace, which can’t be measured in monetary terms. If you can take out time, then try joining an NGO or teach the nearby poor children and don’t have access to a good education. The act of good deeds goes a long way.

If you think that learning a new language won’t help you, as you specialize in a particular domain like finance or IT; then think again as you never know when an opportunity comes knocking your door and you can welcome her only in her language. If possible join classes or learn online the languages like Russian, German, French or Japanese. Learning a language other than English would give you an edge over your competitors.