Bored of Netflix? Here’s What to Do Instead

So. You work from home, and there’s no end in sight to the stress caused by the pandemic, election cycle, racial injustice, climate change…(should I continue?). You’ve been through your entire Netflix queue at least twice, and there’s nothing new for you to binge watch. You’re bored and ready for this mess to be finished.

Sound relatable?

I’ve written before about separating work time from play time, but it bears repeating. When working from home, it is so easy to forget about work life balance. I am not going to say that instead of watching TV you should be working instead. And there’s nothing wrong with finding a little escapism in a show or movie. But we should be injecting our routines with a little something new.

The sun sets earlier each day and it’s getting quite cold here in England. I’m still going outside for my daily walks (courtesy of my pup), but it’s no longer that enjoyable to have picnics in the park. New lockdown restrictions were also announced this past week, so some of my summer activities are no longer possible. As we fully immerse ourselves into fall (and then winter), I’ve been looking at other activities to do when I’m not working.

Skills and Hobbies

Work breaks or time off can be divided into two categories: things that teach/improve a skill, or things that are a hobby/relaxing. Both are equally important.

Skills

Learning new skills is great for your career, and there are loads of workshops and online courses you can take for career progression (think SEO, marketing, leadership courses, etc). Chances are you already know what skills you should brush up on, but if you’re stuck for ideas check out the job descriptions for the role above yours (or for your ideal role). What skills do they look for?

Online courses are not just for work! Have you been wanting to learn a new language? Or did you really enjoy your art history classes in university? Open University (and right now, lots of other universities) offers free online courses in a large variety of subjects.

Other sites to check out for classes are Skillshare and Udemy. You can take photography, art, photoshop, and pretty much whatever you think of. Which leads us to -

Hobbies

What have you done lately purely for its own sake? In our society, we tend to forget that we can do things without being good at them. Not every activity needs to turn into a side hustle or business (not that there’s anything wrong with that), and it’s ok to not be very good at something. For example, I love to knit! I’ve been knitting during lockdown, and will probably start buying too much yarn now that it’s getting colder. You can also try painting or photography, or something else crafty.

DIY not for you? Try mixology! Craft fun cocktails and treat yourself. Or try out new recipes in the kitchen. Looking to change up your space? Take up gardening! Your green thumb can add some new life to your living room.

Hobbies allow us to do something just for ourselves without the pressure of being an expert. I think we can all use a little more lighthearted fun, don’t you?