Many people have been working from home and unable to leave their houses except for necessities for at least a month. Recently, French citizens were told that they have (at least) four more weeks of lockdown to go. Instead of thinking about how terrible or boring another month at home is going to be, think of all the new skills you could pick up or goals you could accomplish in just a month!
If you had started at the beginning of quarantine, where would you be now? Well, now is your second chance! You have at least a month— how do you want to be a better person at the end of it? Here are some ideas to get you started.
Take a course in a skill that will help your career
Photoshop, web development, graphic design, Google ads, conversational Spanish, typing speed— the list goes on. Udemy has thousands of great, very cheap courses that you can take in under a month. When you’re done, you’ll have a new skill (and a certificate) to add to your LinkedIn profile to give it a boost!
Learn CPR
Have you always wondered what you’d do in an emergency if someone wasn’t breathing or their heart stopped? No matter who you are, knowing how to respond in an emergency can save lives and it takes just a few hours to get certified in CPR online.
Dream about your next home exchange
While now isn't a good time to be booking flights or making definite plans, planning a vacation can take a lot of time and effort! So get a head start and start dreaming of your next trip. Check out some of our featured destinations and recommendations, browse HomeExchanges in regions you've always wanted to visit, and even make a list of the attractions and restaurants you want to visit!
You can also join the HomeExchange community on Facebook (here is our private group for members and our private group for non-members) to reminisce about past exchanges and ask questions as you plan for new ones. You'll meet thousands of home exchangers who have a wealth of travel knowledge to share!
When travel restrictions are lifted, you'll be ready to hit the ground running. Planning for a fun future event can give you something to look forward to during this time.
Teach your pet a new trick
I always mean to get around to teaching my dog to be more obedient, but I never seem to have the time. Now that you’re home and around your cat, dog or parrot constantly, you can be consistent with training. Teach them a new command— your future self will thank you! If you don’t have a pet, now might be a good time to adopt one since you will have plenty of one-on-one training time as they get adjusted to your home.
Get in the habit of meditation
Some experts say it takes about a month to form a new habit. Whether your habit is practicing mindfulness and meditation for a few minutes each day or something else (reading every day, drinking more water, practicing your ukulele, a 30 days of yoga challenge), now is a good time to focus on making that practice a habit. I recommend using the free app Headspace to begin learning meditation and getting the benefits: better sleep, less stress, and a happier, healthier life overall.
Make an extra $500
What would you do with an extra $500?? It’s possible to make that this month! Pick up a side hustle using skills you already have, sell your old clothes online, start a blog or YouTube channel, pick up some odd jobs on Fiverr or Upwork, walk dogs, take online surveys, give music lessons via Zoom, transcribe audio — the possibilities are endless! Why not use your spare time to make some extra cash in the next month?
Spring clean
Take this opportunity to deep-clean your house, beautiful your garden, get rid of the clutter, and even dust of your HomeExchange profile! Update your home photos, make sure your calendar of availability is current, and get verified (you'll even receive an extra 100 GuestPoints once verified!). These steps will make sure you’re ready to travel and that your HomeExchange profile is looking its best.
