Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

By Delicia Warren

It can be frustrating when you feel like you’re not using your downtime to its full potential. Sure, time to relax and recharge after work is important, but when you find yourself sitting around and wishing you were busy, it can be incredibly frustrating to lack any meaningful way to engage yourself. On the other hand, making productive use of your downtime can be incredibly rewarding and a massive boost to your mood, particularly if you enjoy what you are doing during your downtime. This article aims to help highlight a range of potential activities that you can engage in to stay productive and effective, even during your downtime.

Learn to speak another language

From a business and worldly perspective, the ability to speak another language can be incredibly useful, especially if you pick carefully which language you decide to learn. Making an intelligent choice when it comes to your second language can dramatically improve your employability and business effectiveness when it comes to a business standpoint. Here are a few of the best languages to learn:

– Spanish. Spanish is one of the most common languages in the world and is widely regarded as one of the easiest languages to learn as well. This means that this highly versatile language should be relatively easy to add to your repertoire of business skills and could even pave the way to make it easier to learn other languages.

– Mandarin. Over 1 billion people across the globe consider a Chinese dialect to be their native tongue, and Mandarin is one of the most commonly spoken Chinese dialects in business settings, meaning that, in terms of sheer numbers, this number already has the edge over many others. Plus, by taking the time to learn one Chinese dialect, you make yourself far more able to learn others.

– French. Finally, French is a widely spoken language with millions of native speakers. Plus, it is considered the official language of several international organizations, including such powerhouses as the International Olympic Committee, the World Trade Organization, and the United Nations. French is highly regarded by its native speakers too, which makes you more likely to be well received if you can communicate with them in their native tongue.

Figure out how to repair cars

Learning how to repair a damaged vehicle properly is an essential skill in the modern world. Having your own car is all but required to be able to work effectively, and that means you are going to have to, at the very least, engage with a mechanic. Knowing what you’re talking about is particularly important in such a poorly understood field, as it is not uncommon for unscrupulous mechanics to attempt to take advantage of their customer’s ignorance in vehicular matters. Taking the time to learn your stuff when it comes to cars is worthwhile to avoid such treatment, and the best way to engage with such learning is to do it hands-on.

– Finding a car. The first thing you’re going to want to do is to find yourself a very cheap car that you can practice on without worrying about damages. Using a run-down clunker is great, too, because it will have many real issues that you can attempt to deal with.

– Learning the basics. Once you have a vehicle set up for you to practice with, you’ll want to look online or in a library to find useful resources that will teach you exactly how to start repairing your vehicle. Practice as much as you need to to learn the lesson and retain the information.

– What to do with the repaired car. Once you’re done learning, there is every possibility that you might have a functional, repaired car on your hands. In the event that you don’t want to keep it, you could try selling it to a used car dealership, or you could even donate car for tax credit; either way, you’ve learned some valuable skills.

Develop skills with coding

Another brilliant way to spend your downtime in a productive manner would be to start developing skills with coding languages. There are many different coding languages that are used for a variety of functions but learning one will introduce you to many concepts and skills that will be useful across the field, and skill with coding is an incredibly versatile and useful thing. Some of the more useful coding languages to learn are detailed below:

– Python. Widely regarded as one of the easiest coding languages to learn, Python is also one of the most versatile ways to code. Moreover, this language is not only easy to learn but easy to implement too, which means that you can almost immediately start putting what you’ve learned into practice.

– C++. C++ is a similarly versatile programming language that can be used to develop everything from operating systems to web browsers and games, but C++’s real strength comes from its flexibility. C++ supports many ways of programming, including procedural, object-oriented, and functional programming, which means that it is highly useful for a number of specialized tasks.

– HTML5. Finally, HTML5 is fantastic for web development. It is a markup language that allows for effective structuring and presentation of web content and is particularly well suited to the creation of websites and web content. One of the main strengths of HTML5 is that it allows for the inclusion of multimedia content without the use of a specific media player. HTML5 is significantly more specialized than Python or C++, but is ideal if your aim is to develop effective web content.

Start a side business

If you are constantly finding yourself looking for something to do during your downtime, then it is worth considering whether you would enjoy establishing a small side business of your own. By doing so, you would always have something to work on while you are at home, and you would also bring in a small amount of extra revenue, which is always a positive.

Invest your time in exercise

Finally, a brilliant way to spend your excess downtime is to engage with a solid exercise routine. Regular exercise is incredibly beneficial to your general health and a great way to keep you in prime health long past your peers, making it a brilliant way to spend your downtime.

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Freelance writer Delicia Warren is passionate about the environment and the impact humans are having on the world around us. She’s an advocate of holistic approaches to life’s issues, including alternative medicines, as well as having an interest in helping individuals make small changes to their lifestyles to minimize their carbon footprint.