‘I don’t have enough time‘ – the most common excuse, which, most probably, all of us used at least once in life, isn’t applicable anymore.
Unexpectedly, we got lots of free time and it is simple to fall into the loop of idleness and procrastination.
Of course, you can have some time off, watch movies and simply do nothing; but do not take this time for granted, consider it as a great opportunity, which you might never have again.
So, like any resource, we want you to use this time wisely and delegate some of it on self-education; you can learn something new or improve an existing skill.
Obviously, it is easier said than done, as independent learning requires lots of patience, persistence, and discipline. Nevertheless, it can be executed with the right approach; below you can find useful tips on how to be productive during the quarantine.
Prepare a Study Space
Having a dedicated study space at your home can improve your focus, enhance your productivity and efficiency. Most of us have a habit to study from our couch/bed or dining table, which restricts us from being as efficient as we could be, having a proper study environment.
You have to eliminate all possible triggers, which can distract you; when you try to learn something on a couch, your brain knows that this place is for relaxation and definitely not for focusing.
Once you sit down to study in the specifically dedicated space for it, your brain gets trained, ‘now it is time to concentrate’ and you will be much more productive and will have better results.
Manage your Time
An important tip for effective self-education and productivity overall is creating a schedule. When you are at home it is easy to lose track of time; to avoid this you can use different techniques to control the time you spend on various activities.
For instance, logging your activity is one of them; this might be stressful at the beginning, however, in the long run, it will help you to recalibrate your life and become much more efficient.
Time matrix is one more tool that you can use to identify the level of urgency and importance of the activities; this will help you to understand which activity you have to spend the most time and on which the least.
Another great instrument which you can use is a habit tracker, it is very helpful in adopting new habits into your lifestyle, such as, studying German or working out. It assists you in being consistent, as well as develops self-discipline.
Sources for Online Self-education
Nowadays, the information on any topic can be easily obtained in just a couple of clicks, and most importantly many of the resources are available for free.
However, if we are considering online self-education as a valuable investment, it can be overwhelming to choose the best resource, which will suit your needs.
If you are someone, who is looking to self-educate yourself, check out the resources we have prepared below, and choose the most suitable ones for you.
Improve your English
Despite the level of your English, there is always a room for improvement, especially when it is your second or third language. If you are looking for ways to upgrade it, check out linguamarina, this YouTube blogger and entrepreneur delivers great educational content related to the English language and education overall.
Also, if you are looking to expand your vocabulary, you should try free Magoosh GRE vocabulary flashcards. Especially if you are a student, this resource will be helpful for you, as the words you are going to learn are used in scientific papers and in academia overall; your professors will definitely be impressed.
A small bonus for you, here is the list of literature which is recommended as a reading material; even native speakers find challenging to read some of those pieces, so it will definitely improve your English.
Learn a New Language
Learning a new language has numerous benefits, it allows you not only to watch movies without translation but open new horizons for you, business, traveling; you never know.
One of the most popular resources is Duolingo, a website and mobile application, where you can learn 23 languages for FREE in the form of a game. It can be a great start to the basics of the language, or if you already have some fundamentals, it will definitely uplift your knowledge.
However, for those who are willing to get great results in a short period of time, italki is there for you. The platform connects you with language teachers from all over the world through video chat, and you can learn any language from a professional teacher or community tutor as low as 4$ per hour.
If you want to receive a language certificate you can check out Lingoda, although language offering is limited (English, German, French and Spanish), they offer a course on Business English and they have a sprint, whereby attending all the classes you get a 100% refund; you get to learn a new language and save money 😉
Learn a New Skill
When if not now to learn a new skill, which will not only look impressive in your Resume but most importantly, can enormously influence your career and bring it to the next level. Especially, when there are resources available for free, you cannot miss an opportunity to learn something new.
Khan Academy is a great e-learning website for those who are willing to improve their technical skills and if you’re still a student, their videos might help you to understand some concepts much faster.
At the same time, Coursera has much more to offer in terms of variety of classes, you can learn anything, from how to play the guitar to mastering computer programming, remember, all for free.
One more great source which cannot be ignored is the initiative of the Stanford University – Stanford Online, the platform offers free online courses, as well as professional certificates; one of the classes offered is on Innovation and Entrepreneurship, very hot topic nowadays.
Also, we can see the shift in the business world towards digitalization, especially in the last couple of months. Therefore, if you consider learning the various aspects of web design, now is the best time to do it. Check out W3Schools, it is a specifically dedicated educational website for learning web technologies.
And definitely check out the 450 Ivy League courses you can take right now for free!
Stay tuned, as we might also have something special cooking in our ABC courses factory!
This period can also be taken as an opportunity to improve your mental and physical health. Incorporating simple practices can tremendously change your life and help you to overcome stress.
You can start doing a simple 10 min Morning Yoga routine, which will help you to set a positive tone for the rest of the day; you will notice how your mind became much clearer.
If you are looking for more movement, you can do some workouts, with weights or without, dance cardio or kickboxing; you can keep changing it according to your mood, so you will stay motivated and excited to move your body every day.
However, training your body is important, training your mind is vital; and there are various ways of doing it. You can listen to motivational podcasts, such as The Mindvalley Podcast and The Gary Vee Audio Experience, watch YouTube channels, such as Silicon Valley Girl and Pat Flynn; read blogs, such as Seth’s Blog, Startups.com and Smart Hustle; insights and inspiration are on their way to you;)
Pick up a New Hobby
Always wanted to experiment with cooking, try out SuperCook, you simply choose the ingredients you have in your fridge and the platform generates hundreds of dishes you can cook with those items. However, if you’re an ‘experienced’ chef and pasta bolognese is your second name, you can learn how to make pasta from scratch, for example. If you dreamt of traveling to Greece, you can bring Greece to your table with these amazing dishes. One of the best ways to boost your creativity is to let it go in the kitchen; switch on Ratatouille and have fun!
You also can join an online book club, it will not only encourage you to read but also you will have an insightful discussion with a like-minded community and e-meet people from all over the world.
It is easier than you think, you can find how to sketch, make an origami, knit and many other things just in couple clicks, the sky is the limit 🙂
You might never have this opportunity ever again, so spend this time wisely, be productive and always #hustle!