The ongoing pandemic has forced many of us to stay inside our homes. While it can be difficult, it also creates a great opportunity for self-improvement.
While binge-watching your favorite series can be fun, you should also focus on your personal growth. If you desire self-improvement during these trying times, that’s great! We have three activities you can do while cooped up in self-quarantine.
Start a passion project
Not everyone is lucky enough to call their current job their passion. A passion project is something that will give you satisfaction, happiness and puts you into a state of flow.
Maybe you want to start a home bakery? Use this time to try new recipes and introduce your new creations to the world. Maybe you’d always want to become a writer? Get on your computer and start typing.
Doing what you love doesn’t just give you satisfaction and happiness, it also reduces stress.
Given today’s stressful environment, cortisol, the stress hormone, is on the rise. A great way to stop this hormone from increasing is by engaging yourself in a pleasurable activity – for example, your passion project.
Learn a new skill
Instead of the pandemic stalling your career, take the time to learn something new to enhance your resume when this unprecedented time passes.
- Coding – Did you know that the average salary difference for a marketer who knows basic JavaScript and HTML is over $10,000? Whether you’re a blogger, a writer or a marketer, being knowledgable in coding will make you more marketable.
- New language – An American who can speak a foreign language can earn an annual bonus of 2 percent. (German results in a 3.8 percent bonus; French results in a 2.3% bonus; and Spanish results in a 1.5% bonus.)
There are a lot of ways to teach yourself, with apps, blogs, and online courses all at your fingertips. With new skills in hand, you can return to what may be a difficult job market with an edge on your competition.
Brainstorm a side hustle
Because of the pandemic, many businesses have closed. If you’re an employee who’s at a high risk of being out of a job, consider a side hustle as early as now. One of the best ways to maintain a steady income is working on a second job.
- Become an online tutor for a tuition agency – Start earning extra cash by teaching students online. Education app downloads spiked in March 2020, increasing by nearly 300 percent. If you’re a teacher and currently don’t have classes to teach.
- Monetize a YouTube channel (aka vlogging) – If you want to become your own boss, this might just be the thing for you. There are many paths you can take, like creating videos about your passion or teaching others about it. All you need is a video camera and an interesting concept, and you can film away! Once you’ve passed the viewer threshold, you can apply for the YouTube Partner Program and begin making money with every view.
Make the most of your time at home with self-improvement. You can learn a new language, start on that passion project, or discover that hidden talent you didn’t know you had (and make money off of it).