Many of us will find ourselves at a loss at some point in our lives. It might be the evenings, when you have finished work. It could be at the weekends or you may be lucky enough to have time off during the week or only work a set amount of hours. Having a hobby or filling up that spare time with things we enjoy doing or gain something from can be great for your mindset. We can’t function on empty, so giving ourselves something that we enjoy and feel passionate about can actually help us to feel happier and content in other aspects of our lives. So if you are struggling for some ideas then don’t despair, here are our suggestions to inspire you.
Get a pet
One of the first things you could consider would be a pet. They can be great for you in terms of mental health and wellbeing as well as giving you something to enjoy during your spare time. It could be anything. The obvious might be a dog. Where you can walk them each day and spend time training them. Cats are also great companions but more recently people are enjoying other pets like koi carp. Where you can concentrate on breeding them and take enjoyment out of watching them swim around in their pond. A lot of people enjoy having pets, and it can be the easiest way to fill up your spare time doing something you love and enjoy.
Start a blog
Many people are considering digital hobbies as a way to use up their free time and one of the things to try might be a blog. A few years ago, no one would have known what you were talking about, but these days more people have blogs than ever before. You could use it as a creative outlet, sharing your experiences on particular subjects or perhaps wanting to share with people your tips and hacks. You could blog about anything, just make sure it is something that interests you and that you are passionate about as this will be portrayed in the content that you share. If you are not sure how to start, there are many companies that offer help in getting started. Some may even do all the technical work for you.
Take up exercise
Some people like to use the time to do something for themselves and so you may want to use your spare time to exercise. You don’t need to do this in a boring way anymore, you could actually try new things or join a local gym. There may even be classes that you can do locally that do different types of exercises. From dancing, aerobics, even things like hiking to yoga and Pilates. Exercise is something that is really good for you, so it is the ideal thing to do if your dog have some spare time to kill.
Read a book
Not everyone enjoys reading, but that might be because you feel you just don’t have the time to dedicate to it. If you do have some spare time then why not create a mini reading list t get you going. You can then work your way through titles and genuinely remain interested in what your next book is going to be. Reading is a very relaxing thing to do but you can also learn a great deal in terms of language as well as knowledge, so you are gaining something from it as well as the enjoyment.
Learn a language
Maybe you could use your spare time for good and learn a language. It may sound crazy but actually another language could help you in other aspects of your life. Of course, obviously it may help you communicate on your next holiday adventure. But it could also open up opportunities for new workplace ventures, or promotions where a second language is needed. It could open a lot of doors for you.
Gain new qualifications for work or a change of career
On the subject of work it might be that you are able to gain new qualifications in your spare time, which could lead on to a change of career or progression in your current job. Sometimes you need the push to go for the ambitions and goals you have set, and using your time wisely could help you achieve that.
Consider things like creative writing or photography
Maybe you are a creative person, so why not let that part of you shine by using your spare time to work on creative writing or your photography skills. You could also combine this with other hobbies like blogs or creating social media accounts where you can share the things that you create. Videos, images, articles shared on blogs and online can very much end up becoming your thing after a while.
Cook or learn to cook
Using your spare time to learn things can actually be a great thing for you, and one of the things people always say they would like to improve o, but feel they don’t have the time to do it, is cooking or baking. Getting yourself a new recipe book to feel inspired, as well as trying out different meals or bakes can reignite a passion for cooking ad have you creating culinary classics or even working on your own recipes. Cooking isa life skill that we all need to do, so improving it can only be a good thing for you.
Make money in your spare time
Finally, maybe you could use your time and put it to good use by making some extra income for you ad the family. This could be decluttering your home and selling things online on websites like eBay. It might be that you need use your spare time on your laptop or iPad and fill out online surveys, do some website testing or perform mystery shops. There are plenty of things you could do online to earn yourself some extra money, and it could be the ideal hobby ad way to spend that spare time you have.
I hope that this has given you some inspiration on what you could be doing in your spare time.