Having free time on your hands is a great blessing, but letting it all go to waste on endless social media scrolling or Netflix bingeing will likely only leave you feeling unfulfilled and frustrated.
If you have a little extra time this year in your hours after work or in between classes, consider finding something productive and creative to fill it with. Having something to work on that doesn’t put any pressure on your like work or school is incredibly motivating and could become your new favourite form of relaxation. Keep reading for 5 fun skills to learn.
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Making Your Own Clothes
An incredible skill to learn is making clothing. For this hobby, cover stitch machines are really useful and you’ll be able to work quickly and effectively. You’ll find plenty of free sewing patterns online to practice with and in time, you’ll be able to create your own designs.
This is a great option for creative folk who like to work with their hands. You’ll be able to wear your own creations and even make gifts for those you love.
Making Music
Learning a musical instrument is a great way to fill your time, and this is another easy skill to learn with the power of the internet at your disposal.
Of course, buying an instrument can be expensive, but if you’re serious about learning, it will be worth the investment. You could enrol in lessons or teach yourself at home in your spare time, and if you get really good, you could offer to play at events, markets, or restaurants to earn a little extra cash.
Become a Pro Baker
If you love cakes and pastries (and let’s be honest, who doesn’t?), you might try your hand at creating them yourself. Baking is a therapeutic hobby, even though it takes time and serious skill to perfect some recipes.
If you love a challenge, try baking something new each week to share with your friends and family. Try out some beginner’s baking recipes to get started, and gradually move on to some harder desserts as your skills improve.
Practice Your Photography
All you really need for this is a smartphone and a keen eye, but if you have a camera, even better. Starting an Instagram page for your photography is a great way to keep track of your progress as you’re developing your skills. You could do landscape photography, portraits of your friends, or try your hand at food photography to match with your new baking habits.
While a photography qualification will be great for going professional, there are plenty of free resources to help you learn online.
Develop a Green Thumb
Gardening is more than maintaining a pristine lawn. Getting to know different plants, how they behave and how to make them thrive takes time and effort, and there’s no greater reward than nurturing something and watching it grow.
You don’t even have to have a garden for this – try your hand at taking care of a few indoor plants, and you might find yourself with a jungle in your home soon enough.
