Relight Your Fire: Picking Up Hobbies You Left Off During Lockdown

by Natasha Christou Digital Marketing Consultant

As we negotiate our seventh week of lockdown here in the UK, and the act of ‘stay at home’ has become somewhat of the norm for almost all of us, we have all recognised how much we depend on technology.

The vast majority of the nation now find themselves utilising Microsoft Teams and Google Hangout to complete their work while, similarly, making the most of FaceTime’s capabilities to communicate with family members and friends.

In the same breath, however, many of us our turning to habits we left behind as children, reigniting them and rekindling a love for hobbies once adored.

Northern Irish news outlet, Belfast Live, reported earlier this week on a woman in the north of the city who asked the kids in her area to draw a game of hopscotch on the pavement below their tower block, just to see how people would react.

The results were fantastic, as the resident, Sonya Janty Hughes, videoed people of all ages embracing in the opportunity to relive a little bit of their childhood.

That got us thinking, instead of devoting hours in front of screen, scrolling aimlessly through Netflix, what alternative ways can spend your time in lockdown, reinvigorating a passion left in the past?

Release your inner Nigella

The hustle and bustle of modern life prevents many of us from achieving our true potential in the kitchen. If you’re out of the house for more than half of the day, returning to slave over a hob for three hours is unlikely to be particularly appealing.

Now, however, we are blessed with the beauty of time. Take those hours spent commuting and reinvest them into the kitchen. The internet is littered with tutorials from world-famous chefs such as Marco Pierre White and Lorraine Pascale. But, that’s not to say you can’t go rogue — go a little Heston Blumenthal-esque and come up with your own creations.

Not only has cooking been scientifically proven to alleviate stress and relieve depression, it also provides you with a tasty outcome. Take your time, get to know what works best for you, filter in dietary requirements and your capabilities in the kitchen, and voila.

Ollie-way to happiness today

Tony Hawk brought it to prominence and now you can bring it back. Yes, there is no denying that skating as an adult is considerably more daunting thought than it was a free-minded child.

However, there is few more liberating feelings in the world than gliding down the street on a skateboard.

Why now though?

Whether this is something you used to do as a child, or whether it’s something you’re simply picking up for the very first time, it’s a skill that will always look cool, no matter what age you are.

Use your back garden and the patio to establish a rhythm, calling upon the help of online tutorials, and by the time lockdown is over, you’ll be nailing that half-pipe alongside the rest of the kids listening to Blink 182 at the skate park.

Online skateboard retailer, SkateHut commented:

“Over the past few months we've delivered to those just starting out in the sport, those returning to a sport they love, and those who live and breath Skateboarding every day. To some it can be a hobby to keep you sane while staying safe at home and to others Skateboarding is a way of life. As we prepare for it to become an official Olympic sport in the very near future, we welcome this milestone in the sport's rich history.”

A splash of colour brightens everything up

No, we aren’t suggesting that you go full scale 60-minute makeover, despite the fact home improvements are not only growing in popularity at this present moment but are also a fantastic spend of your time.

We mean brush and canvas or, alternatively, felt tip and colouring-in book.

Again, this is an opportunity to get creative. WowArt is perfect for lockdown. The YouTube channel takes you on a journey of optimisation, picking items from around your house and turning them into fantastic pieces of artwork. You don’t need a plethora of utensils — it’s a simple as using your groceries and household items.

An extension on GCSE French

Okay, so it doesn’t necessarily have to be French, but developing a language that you had previously placed on the backburner could be the perfect addition for your eventual post-lockdown holiday.

We’ve all been in the same position abroad where we want to demonstrate the capabilities we picked up from our GCSE teacher Monsieur Wilson but, when it boils down to it, we struggle to get past “I like to play football with my friends.”

Set aside a small period of time every day and learn one or two additional phrases via the DuoLingo app. Someday, on holiday, you’ll thank us when you can finally ask how to find the pharmacist for after sun.

These are just some of the hobbies that you might have left off as a child, but now have the time to reignite. However, there are so many opportunities. Don’t focus on the gloom and doom of lockdown — think about what you can get out of it.