4 Productive Pastimes

Looking for a fun hobby that isn’t Netflix or YouTube? Look no further! As a mild workaholic who is always looking for ways to fill up the day, I have found more than a few hobbies that are both fun and great for the mind.

Origami

This may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think “productive pastime”, but origami is excellent brain exercise! A Psychology Today article writes that origami is a good way to practice calmness and let go of perfectionism and harsh self-judgments. In addition, kids that practice origami have been found to have above-average spatial visualization and math skills. On top of it, you have a pretty, finished paper decoration that you can display in a shadow box or give to the young ones to play with.

Online classes

Sites like Udemy and MasterClass are great ways for adults to learn. These platforms have classes covering everything from cooking to digital marketing to interior design. The instructors on these sites are experienced in their field and offer high-quality content. Need to learn more about copywriting? You can find courses by former Wall Street Journal writers or tutors from Cambridge University. Need to learn more about the film and TV industry? Huge names like Martin Scorsese and Jodie Foster have lectures available.

If there were something you wanted to learn or a skill you wanted to perfect, now’s the time to do it!

Creative projects

Whether it’s writing poetry, composing music, drawing, jewelry making or something else, now is the perfect time to get your creative juices flowing.

And if you don’t think you’re a creative person, think again! We all have a creative streak in us, and now is the perfect time to find it. Outdoor walks, reading books and appreciating art online are some ways to find inspiration and

Sudoku

Sudoku was an addition of mine in middle school, and I’m excited to be picking it up again. Just like crosswords and other written puzzles, sudoku is both fun and productive. LifeHack.org points out that solving sudoku puzzles exercises your memory, your concentration and even reduces your chances of developing Alzheimer’s.

So get to writing, get to learning, get to puzzling and get to folding!