Quite often we might find ourselves sitting around doing nothing or feeling bored because there doesn't seem to be anything to do. We habitually open social media and fall into the cycle of spending hours mindlessly scrolling, which often leads to no benefit.
Instead, we can use that extra time on our hands by cutting down on screen time and replacing that with beneficial activities that can lead to growth and propel us in life.
There are a few things I've incorporated into my life here and there instead of spending all my free time on social media, and the benefits have accumulated and resulted in huge changes. Below are a few examples of what you can do with extra time if you need a break from doing work or want to build a new hobby or skill.
1. learn a new language
I'm currently learning Spanish as my third language, and there are a few different fun ways that you can learn:
- watching shows or movies in that language - I'm currently watching ‘A Private Affair' or Un Asunto Privado on Prime Video which is cool, and using Spanish subtitles makes it a lot more understandable so that I can follow along with what they're saying.
- using Toucan, a Chrome extension. It automatically translates a handful of words on websites you're on into words in the language you're learning. Over time, it helps you practice more words and sentences, with additional practice methods that you can explore and play around with. It only takes a couple of minutes to add, and then it will automatically show up on your web pages and have you learning without even noticing so you'll never have to worry about forgetting or setting a reminder.
- listening to podcasts to learn basic words and build sentences, even if they're super short. one of the great ones I know is ‘3-minute Spanish' on Spotify, which I started listening to it when I was first learning and would sometimes listen to it in the mornings when getting ready. podcasts are really great ways to learn because you can be doing something like cleaning your room or waiting at a drive-through and still be learning without having to designate a specific time for it.
- reading short stories or parallel texts to practice reading comprehension and growing your vocabulary. I'm currently reading 'Short Stories in Spanish' by Ollie Richards which has some great introductory stories to Spanish. There are a huge number of other books similar to this in any language and you can also get online versions of them as well.
2. build a website about something you love
showcase your knowledge and build web design and practice getting better at what's becoming a more high-demand skill as the years pass. I built my skincare website, 'theskinrescue' a couple of years ago and it's been one of the coolest things to grow over time. especially because it's something I can update whenever I learn something new, it's a great way to keep a timeless project going.
you can explore different website builders like Squarespace, Editor X, Webflow, or Weebly to get going, and there are hundreds of other online resources on YouTube to help you out as well. I've built so many websites since middle school, and seeing the progress is also a really cool part of the process. you can visibly see how much better you get over time, and can end up sharing it with your family and friends or share it online as part of your creative portfolio, resume, or anything along those lines.
3. create a vision/mood board with your goals or aspirations
one important aspect of keeping yourself accountable and reminded of everything you want to achieve is by having a visual reminder that you can look at every day. You can create a digital version with images of specific things you want to achieve in the next couple of months or that you want to work towards achieving this year. and the keyword is specific. if you have images that aren't measurable or somewhat quantifiable, it makes it more difficult to determine when that goal is actually achieved. for example, rather than saying you want to 'grow your following' on social media, decide on a specific number you want to reach like a percentage of followers you want to grow. that way, it eliminates the overwhelmed feeling from the vagueness or ambiguity of the 'grow my following' goal.
personally, I have both digital and physical dream boards that I make every year. one is a massive poster on the wall of my room with pictures of specific things I want to achieve or do this year - some of which have already been checked off. that way, I'm reminded of what I want to work towards every day and it acts like a guide because every single image on there is genuinely something I'm so excited to work towards.
my digital versions on the other hand are slightly more minimalistic and are curated toward the general overview of how I want to spend my time. for example, there are pictures of studying, reading outside, and journalling since those are more short-term, daily habits rather than long-term ambitious goals. I make one on either PicMonkey or Procreate every 6 months to a year, and have it as my wallpaper.
4. pray more
there's nothing better than spending your extra time doing something so beneficial for you to get you closer to God. even if it's just a couple of minutes, every second accumulates and makes such a positive difference in the end.
benefitting everything from the cells in your body, to your mind and your well-being, you can do anything that gets you feeling connected. I often pray to express gratitude and for the things I truly need help or direction with. whether you spend more time reading, praying, asking for guidance, or even expressing gratitude for aspects of your life, worship is a huge aspect of life that can be fulfilling and relieving at the same time.
5. read a novel that interests you
I have a previous post all about this called 'my recent favorite books and the value of reading for fun', so you can go deeper into this because I genuinely think reading has made such an incredible impact on my life. to summarize, there is a multitude of positives that reading can have for you, so it's worth a try to find a book that you genuinely find interesting. I read everything from young-adult novels to nonfiction texts about marine biology which are two super different but super interesting types of things I like to read. you can always read previews online to see whether you're interested in a certain book before you buy it and spend a minute or two reading reviews to get the gist of what it's about as well (try not to get any spoilers though).
6. stretch.
we literally spend countless hours sitting down and constricting our bodies from moving because of things like work, school, or even driving for long periods of time. take 5 minutes to do hip circles for mobility and do a few dynamic stretches here and there throughout the day to reduce the negative effects of staying stationary all day.
if you do one thing from this list today, let it be this. there's nothing more important than staying mobile and keeping your joints and muscles healthy because in the long run, it can accumulate to things like chronic pain which can get in the way of a lot of things.
7. try something new in the kitchen
cooking is a really awesome thing that I got into recently and I've officially perfected my pancake recipe for my family breakfasts during the weekends. trying online recipes feels counter-intuitive to me so I usually end up whipping up some random mixture with ingredients I have already that ends up tasting good because over the years I've become more familiar with flavor combinations thanks to all the videos I've watched. I love making granola since it's something that everyone loves and I can make it in batches - also my house ends up smelling amazing so it's a win-win.
there are some really easy recipes out there that only require a few ingredients, and you can do a lot with versatile ingredients you probably have in your fridge. in the future I might post a couple of my favorite recipes here as well so you can give them a try. it's another skill you can build over time and get better at, with the ability to modify it completely to your preferences which is one of the reasons why it's so awesome.
the takeaway:
we have a lot of free time on our hands if we actually calculate it. so why not do something that'll help us level up when we can? building a skill or spending your time doing a hobby that genuinely fulfills you can be so helpful and relaxing, and it's a way to take a nice break from everything else in life.
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