Where to learn if you have time on your hands
You’re stuck at home with nothing to do, and you’ve watched every season of The Crown on Netflix twice already. How you will pass the rest of your free time without going absolutely insane? This could be just the opportunity you have been looking for to learn a new skill – and we have ideas on where to get started.
Learn to code with Treehouse
Coding is a useful skill, even if you don’t have to use it for your job. Knowing a little bit about coding can you take you far in both hobbies and your professional life alike. So why not try out Treehouse? You can sign up for a week’s worth of classes to see if it suits you, and go from there. Do it alone or try it with a friend to encourage each other as you both learn a new skill.
Fine tune your fine motor skills with crocheting or knitting
A lot of people enjoy crocheting or knitting, both as a stress reliever and as a way to occupy their time. If this is a skill you are interested in honing, there are plenty of tutorials on YouTube – and you can even watch Emily Blunt teach you how to make snakes from finger weaving. This is an activity that even young kids can learn, and it’s a great way to keep those fine motor skills fresh.
Learn some new lingo
Have you always dreamed of being bilingual? This is the perfect time to get a head start. Sign up with a program like Duolingo to begin learning Spanish, or to tune up that rusty French you remember from high school. Or check out this list from Mashable that gives you great tips and resources for learning American Sign Language. By the time life goes back to normal, you will be a true expert.
Start a project – and finish it
Organize your pantry. Clean out your linen closet. Get rid of the pile of clothes that you have been meaning to throw out for months. You can even take it a step further and repaint an old room, or spice up your décor with some new pillows. You have been given a unique opportunity to devote extra time to all of the house projects you started and never completed, so make a list and get moving.
Become a famous chef… or at least learn to make dessert
If you’re going to have to cook at home all the time, why not branch out and try some new dishes? This tutorial features over 40 recipes that take only three ingredients to make – sounds doable, right? Take a look and then see if you can recreate some of these delicious snacks for your family. Don’t worry – they’ll let you know if you get it wrong.
Get certified
At many workplaces, employees are required to complete continuing education credits, or to take courses that allow them to be certified in a skill or become licensed through a manufacturer. Even if it isn’t a requirement, this is an ideal circumstance for you to seek out information on how to get certified, and to complete the steps necessary.
You can even ask your HR department for ideas, and once you’ve done the work, you will have gained some knowledge and will be in a great position to find a new job later down the road.
Go back to school
You probably can’t complete an entire semester before things begin to go back to normal, but you can certainly get a head start on working towards a new degree. Do some research on online schooling options and figure out how you could continue your education once everything is back in full swing. This is your chance to get that degree that no one said you would ever use but that you always wished you had.
Improve your mile time
Running isn’t everyone’s favorite pastime, but why not see how fast you can go? You can try out apps like Couch to 5K to ease yourself into a new running routine, and, before you know it, you’ll be unstoppable. Even if you don’t want to enter a marathon anytime soon, getting outside and taking a brisk walk will do wonders for your body and your mind.
You may be ready to rejoin the world, but it’s important to take advantage of the extra time on our hands. You’re stuck at home, so you may as well make the most of it and come out on the other side with a brand new skill to brag about. Happy learning!