7 Productive & Fun Ways to Use Your Time During the Pandemic

The world has hit “pause” due to COVID-19. This is causing fear and panic for some. Others are unfazed and at peace. Either way, within every challenge is an equal and opposite blessing. I could hunker down and panic, but I’m having fun asking myself: “What are the blessings and the opportunities laced within this pandemic?” I believe one of the greatest gifts it’s giving many of us is TIME. That might be time with your children, your spouse, or for yourself.

The question is: what will you do with this time?

Instead of binge-watching Netflix, why not do something more worthwhile? Here are a few ideas to get you started.

Meditate

Meditation is one of the best ways to de-stress and calm down. I use music when I meditate and love to create guided meditations to find peace and connect with the outcomes I desire. In fact, I’ve made a free Heal and Protect Your Body guided meditation for anyone who wants it. The music and meditation are designed to bring you into alignment with optimal healing and protection for ever cell of your body. You can download that for free here.

Get outside in the fresh air

Fresh air and sunshine are healing and rejuvenating. According to historical records from the 1918 Influenza pandemic, “medics found that severely ill flu patients nursed outdoors recovered better than those treated indoors. A combination of fresh air and sunlight seems to have prevented deaths among patients; and infections among medical staff.” (Coronovirus & The Sun) This could be because of the healing properties of vitamin D, which is best produced by sun exposure. Most Americans do not get enough vitamin D.

Have a picnic in your yard or walk in a park that isn’t crowded with people. For example, my husband and I have been getting outdoors and clearing invasive Chinese privet so we have more sitting spots and are making room for desirable plants, trees and shrubs. Yard work is a good replacement for my gym membership, and we’re getting lots of fresh air, sunshine and together time.

Start a garden

Now is the time to get some seedlings started indoors. Or you can plant root vegetables like beets, carrots, radishes, potatoes, onions, and parsnips directly in the ground. Other vegetables you can plant in the ground include broccoli, lettuce, greens, spinach, cabbage, cauliflower. Check your local gardening zone for best planting dates. (See Gardening By The Month)

Explore the arts

Now is a great time to enjoy the arts. Chattanooga, for example, has a free Sculpture Field. With all the events shut down, you could feasibly be the only person walking around in the Sculpture Field. It’s a great way to get fresh air, sunshine and enjoy the arts.

Take an art class online

Scottish artist, John Morris, shared this about using this time to improve your art skills:

“Many will be scared at this time but… what if this could be a positive time in your life? How often do you get to spend quality time at home with your family or to do something just for you? As of today, I am putting out a special offer on all my online art teaching. Amazon will still be delivering so don’t worry about getting art supplies delivered. This could be the chance to learn something brand new, online, from the comfort of your own home.”

John teaches art courses for all levels and abilities and his teaching style is like having him in the room with you. Also, should you run into difficulty, he will be right there to provide student support. Learn more here.

Learn a musical instrument

There are all kinds of free and reasonable music lessons online. Do a YouTube search for the instrument you wish to learn. I’ve found piano, saxophone, guitar and ukulele lessons on YouTube for free. For piano, I really like the courses available through Piano Breaks and Best Piano Class.  Both Mark and Zach are excellent instructors. I’ve learned an immense amount from both of them.

Catch up on your reading

I just noticed Amazon is giving 2 Free months of their Kindle Unlimited service that lets you download unlimited Kindle and audio books, plus current magazines on any device. You don’t need an actual Kindle. You just need the free Kindle app for your tablet, phone, computer, etc. Learn more about that here. *

Finally & Most Importantly…

Do that thing the Spirit’s been leading you to do!

Have you been feeling led to create a book, course, or a business? Perhaps it hasn’t seemed like the right time or you simply didn’t have enough time. This world-pause could be the best thing that ever happened to you AND for the people you’re here to serve!

If you’re someone with a liberating message, process or system to share with the world (aka a Light Bearer), my husband David and I help Light Bearers start and/or expand their businesses fast! It doesn’t have to take months or years to ramp up a business, get a web site up, smooth out your product funnel, create a marketing plan for expansion, or even get a book published. We help people do all this fast!

First, get my new book, Trust Your Heart: Spirit-Led Business in Kindle or Paperback format or free via Kindle Unlimited. In it, I share what I’ve learned over 30-years of business as a Christian work-at-home mom. It’s a guide for anyone who wants to build a Spirit-led business. It also comes with a free course to help you dive deeper into the material. You’ll find the link for the course on the page about the book.

Next, stop by my calendar and book a free 20-minute consult with me. Let’s talk about your idea and the next steps you could take to get going fast.

*This is my Amazon affiliate link.