How are you utilising your lockdown time?

[DollyDaydream70]

Hi everyone

I am interested to know how those of you who are furloughed are utilising the extra time at home. I know those of you with young children will be kept very busy btw. I'm just interested to know what new hobbies and interests you are all pursuing?

I'm not furloughed as I'm NHS, but I do have more time on my hands than usual, as I'm not doing my usual socialising and visiting. I'm currently considering trying to learn how to speak Xhosa, it's a Zulu language that involves using 'clicking' sounds when you speak, it sounds quite incredible and my first attempt to speak it was dire!

What are you all up to Mumsneters? I'm genuinely interested :-)

Anyone? 😂

Er... Trying to stay sane while doing home pre School and look after a baby and keep the house semi organised when we're all at home all day every day... 😳

Well I'm not furloughed as have my own business but I'm lucky that it's the sort of business that I can work through more or less as normal

I decided to use the time to get fitter. So that's what I've done. I walk 10-12k a day and lift weights. I've lost 23lbs in six weeks (started the diet a little before lockdown!) and I eat lots of fruit and veg - before I was basically eating junk.

My kids are 21 and 13 so although I have to do 'stuff' it's not like entertaining toddlers so I'm lucky in that respect

@EspressoPatronum I take my hat off to you, I'm so glad mine are grown now, it must be hard to be juggling all of those plates.

@LatteLarrys I've been walking a lot and trying to stay healthy too. I usually get the Metrolink in to work but I'm staying at My Brother's house during lockdown, which is nearer to work, so I've taken to walking to and from work, 30 min's each day. It really energises me.

I'm drinking more wine than usual though, I need to knock that on the head!!

I’m still FT WFH and trying to keep teen DD from driving us all daft. My spare time has been spent trying to reorganize my Cub Scout programme and Junior Sailing programme, (neither sorted yet) and sew a set of face masks for our family to use when out. So no, new skills are way down my list (I have lots of abandoned craft projects and raw materials to make use of first).

I've spring cleaned my home and am cooking more at home. Also trying to teach myself how to touch type but my goodness it's hard !!

I’ve bought a cross stitch kit (never done anything like this before!)...it’s still sat unopened whilst I choose to watch crap on tv instead 😩

Same as @EspressoPatronum. I realised today that the baby is used to me being around 23 hours a day.

@schoolcook I learned to touch type at school, I'm so glad I did, it's so much quicker. Stick with it :-)

@BiddyPop So glad my Sons are past the teen phase, they were both would have been nightmares during lockdown. You sound like you have a busy life, no time for boredom for you!

@DollyDaydream70 I intend to but I really feel so disjointed 🤣

I am still at around 85% accuracy and 12-14 wpm so very early days !

@schoolcook It's well worth the perseverance, just keep practising. I can't do the number row without looking, but the rest of it is second nature now. Having said that, I left school in '86, so I've been practising for 34 years 😂

Wow that's a lot of practice !
I'm determined so will get there eventually

I feel as though I want to do something different- I do have extra time, but I can’t quite think what to do. I’m usually very easily motivated. I don’t have a problem filling the day, have lots of little jobs, cooking , walking , hobbies etc. don’t watch tv until the evening, if at all, but want to do something substantial with this time, because I appreciate very much that I’m in a position where I’m not a key worker, am still getting paid, aren’t rushed off my feet.

I am teaching my 8 year old how to touch type and using the time to teach her some road safety whilst out on our bikes. Can't pretend to be a teacher and do the hard stuff so am thinking life skills are the way forward for us!

But am using the time to lose weight (9lbs so far!) And come off medication l have been on for 5 years whilst l can cope with the side effects as not working.

I've am building a garden sofa out of pallets.. so I can enjoy company when it returns

I've started researching my family tree.
I'm also indulging in my gardening passion.

I have deep cleaned every room in the house, weeded both gardens so now just maintaining them. Baking, reading, learning French, cross stitch and crochet aswell as school work and our daily walk/cycle

I have started a duolingo course in Welsh (I am Welsh but never studied it before, took French and German at school). Also started using my cross trainer for its intended purpose rather than an expensive clothes hanger

Mostly trying to work on the house a bit. We have a lot of decluttering to do!

Trying to be a bit more creative in activities too especially for the toddler which is keeping me entertained too as I like making them. We’ve been in a total rut for years as a family TBH, too much screen time and spending money instead of having time together.

I've taught myself how to crochet and am making DD a blanket. I've started doing yoga again in the evenings and am actually sorting out all the cupboards in the house!

I have been sorting out cupboards/rooms and cooking new recipes. DW and I have started doing Joe Wicks exercises and doing online quizzes.
It is surprisingly hard to get motivated to do things though and we watch a lot of tv and on our phones.