Has staying at home started taking a toll on you? Is the uncertainty around the spread of COVID-19 and the duration of the lockdown causing you anxiety? Do you feel heavy-headed, unmotivated and fed-up from not having anything to do indoors apart from following the regular routine; eat, work, sleep and repeat? Well, if you are, then remember that you’re not alone. The lockdown has seriously affected people’s day-to-day lives, but it is essential to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus. However, social distancing doesn’t necessarily have to mean that you give in to boredom. From learning a new skill to realising your hidden talents, there are several things you can do to keep yourself entertained and energised, in the comfort of your  home! Here are a few:

1. Learn a new language:
   Learning a new language is an excellent way to use the extra time on your hands. Apart from being a skill that may definitely come in handy someday, research has shown that being able to speak multiple languages improves your cognitive abilities. It helps to keep the mind sharper, enhances the ability of multi-tasking and decision making. It improves our memory and boosts our brain power. Furthermore, learning an international language – like French, German or Spanish – may also help boost your career opportunities.

2. Enroll in some online courses:
   Be it coding or cooking, now is the best time to learn something new. Many prestigious universities – like the Massachusetts Institute of Technology – have course material, including assignments and lecture notes, that are made freely available for anyone to access from their homes in any part of the globe. There are many interesting websites, videos on Youtube that you can use to learn new skills and explore various domains. You could also enroll in online certifications courses, but these may come with a fee.

3. Read more books:
   You finally have time to read all those books that you had always wished to read but didn’t find the time for it in your busy schedule. Reading is one of the best ways to spend your time during the lockdown, and it will surely enrich your perspective on life. So whether it is a novel or nonfiction, use this lockdown to finish all the books on your list; and once you do find more! This benefits you in many ways, like it strengthens your brain, improves knowledge, builds vocabulary, alleviates depression, lengthens lifespan and reduces stress.

4. Explore your creative side:
   A well rounded investor knows that creativity is an extremely important factor when it comes to smart decision making in finance. In fact, exploring your creative side helps activate the right hemisphere of your brain, which is responsible for maintaining a holistic construction of the world around you. So use the time you have now to paint a picture, write poetry or a novel, make a collage and explore any other creative ideas you have. In addition to being extremely fun, it brings about new insights, going about problems, finding solutions and allowing the creative juices to flow and revive your inner curious child that will enhance several other aspects of your life.

5. Start a home garden:
   What better way is there to get the freshest produce than growing your own! You can also add more colour to your home by planting some flowers. Gardening is a great way to use spare time on your hands, and it can also be extremely rewarding in terms of our health and wellbeing. It’s very relatable to finance, where you sow the seeds of your hard earned savings and regularly nurturing it by investing and tracking, your money starts growing for you. Involvement in the activity along with some hard work, and by being patient, we get the best possible outcomes.

6. Try at-home workouts:
   Never before have the nation’s exercise routines been so visible, with streets, parks and public spaces regularly dotted with walkers, joggers and cyclists huffing and puffing their way through their permitted daily exercise earlier looks deserted now. But while it’s well established that being physically active is good for physical and mental health, now with lockdown, we can make good of the time by exercising at our homes by doing Yoga, Aerobics, Zumba  and such other effective workouts that you can do to break a sweat. Just because your gym is closed, it doesn’t mean you need to give up your fitness regimen. There are several at-home workouts that you can do to break a sweat. There are many fitness videos available on Youtube to guide you in doing the exercises, Many fitness instructors are posting fun and effective workouts on Instagram and Facebook that you can do with everyday items that can be found around the house. So why not try these exercises to keep yourself in shape during the lockdown.

7. Indulge in meditation and yoga:
   It is widely known that yoga and meditation can help reduce your stress and anxiety levels. This makes them ideal activities to indulge in during the lockdown. You can find several apps online that offer guided meditation and there are many free instructional videos to guide you to start practicing yoga. So what are you waiting for, improve your flexibility and concentration to keep a healthy body and a sound  mind!

You should definitely try the above things suggested to keep yourself entertained, engaged and don’t let the lockdown get the better of you. This will help you stay positive, focused and utilise your quality extra time to heighten your capabilities as an individual while the situation around you remains uncertain,