I quit my job last year right before the holidays and moved to a different state. It all happened pretty fast, but that’s kind of how I like it. Moving quickly keeps me from feeling too sad about what I’m leaving behind.

What was I leaving behind? A great job, a community of friends, and the beautiful fresh snow and frozen lakes that come with a Wisconsin winter. It was hard, but I wanted to be closer to my family and my husband found a great job (that he now loves).

Over the holidays it was really nice to have a break from work, but now I’m feeling restless. The only problem is it takes a while to find a job. So, while I have the time, I’m trying to focus on things I can get done at home.

Make a Schedule

When you are home all day it can be hard to stick to a schedule. Mainly because you know you have the whole day to get things done, until, of course, 4pm rolls around and you realize nothing has been fully accomplished.

I like to use the Day Designer daily/weekly planner to give my day some structure. The night before I’ll write out a to-do list of things I want to get done the next day and I’ll create little blocks of time to work on things. I try not to pack in too much, but it gives me a good reference of what to do next when I get bored halfway through the day. The planner also helps me visualize how time is passing and allows me to spread out my tasks so I can easily see when I need to do to accomplish them. It’s really a no-brainer that a planner would help you stay organized, but sometimes the reminder helps.

Plan for Time Outside the House

I’ve worked really hard to make my home feel as cozy as possible, but sometimes that makes it really hard to leave. While it is difficult to find the motivation to go outside, I know I will enjoy experiencing something different and exploring a new place. My favorite outing right now is to go to the library and pick up a good book, then head to a new coffee shop and read for a bit. After that, I might go for a walk before I head home. Of course, bringing a friend along can make this outing more social, but it’s a also a great way to spend solo time.

Learn Something New

If you’re ambitious you could study for a certificate or another resume booster, or you can take advantage of one of the many free courses online to learn a new hobby. If you don’t want to be online, there are plenty of books in the library that cater to any hobby or subject area. My two main projects have been learning to code in Python and learning to use a new video editing software!

Cook Something Delicious

One of the best ways I’ve been using my time at home is learning to cook more interesting dishes. When I was working full-time, cooking dinner felt exhausting and anything that would take more that 30 minutes to prepare was off the table. Now, I feel like I have the mental energy to plan a little further in advance. I try to cook something new once a week and take my time planning out the ingredients, and the method for cooking. It’s fun and hopefully will make it easier for me to cook more diverse dishes when I’m back to working full time.

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These are just a few of the things I’ve been doing to stay productive. Check out my recent Youtube video, where I share a day in my life!