Everyone needs time to recharge after a hectic week at work. There are plenty of ways that people choose to spend their free time - they can hang out with their loved ones or catch up on television. You can also choose to engage in creative activities like playing a musical instrument or colouring to de-stress yourself.
Creative activities have scores of other benefits as well – according to a recent paper published in the Journal of Occupational and Organisational Psychology, engaging in creative activities can also improve your cognitive ability and overall productivity, as well as being a therapeutic exercise.
While there are hundreds of ways to showcase your creativity, some may cost a lot of money while others might require enormous time and effort. If you are looking for creative activities that can be easily engaged in at home, this blog will help you out. Read on to learn four interesting things you can do in your spare time.
Music
Creating music is a great way to express yourself and unleash your creativity. If you know how to play a musical instrument, but haven’t practiced in a while, you can pick up right where you started with your old instrument or a borrowed one. You can also invite your friends over for a musical jam session or karaoke night and create some funky music.
If you are new to the world of music, you can book an online lesson and get started. You can even curate a playlist of songs catering to different moods and share them with your friends and family.
Perform
Performing on stage, in front of your friends and family, or even online has many advantages. As well as providing a platform for your untapped creativity, it can boost your confidence, improve your speech and help you overcome stage fear.
There are different ways of getting into the performance mode - you can participate in open mic events for story telling or slam poetry, you can learn a dance form online or participate in a theatre class. If you are a budding comedian, you can even try your luck at stand-up comedy.
Create art
Art is a great way to express your emotions and creativity. So, if you’re looking for something to do at home, you can produce your own artistic masterpiece. If you have no idea where to begin, get a blank sketchbook and start drawing whatever you feel like!
You can also try your hand at pottery or sculpture with easily available materials like paper and glue. You can take inspiration from creative arts magazines or creative graphic design on social media sites.
There are many ways to create art. Adding colours and patterns to your furniture, re-upholstering worn-out ottomans in colourful fabrics or redesigning your room are just some artistic ways of using your free time.
Write
Beautiful literature is capable of invoking the same feeling of joy and satisfaction that you might feel after creating art. If you are good with words and languages, you can express your creativity through your penmanship skills.
Start a journal, write reviews of recently read books or movies you have seen, write a novel or even start a club with your friends and organise brainstorming sessions on what to write.
The more you explore different creative fields, the more you’ll be acquainted with the limitless possibilities of a career in one of them. There are a variety of skills to be gained from a creative career; you are forced to become innovative as you’re constantly coming up with new ideas and you’ll also be able to practice patience - an essential skill in all areas of your life to excel in creative arts courses if you wish to pursue a career in this area.
If you are exploring courses catering to different creative practices that can provide you with a head-start in the art world, you should check out the creative arts courses offered by the London College of Contemporary Arts (LCCA). Located in the heart of central London, LCCA’s School of Visual Media and Fashion offers career-focused creative courses in London to help you excel in areas such as graphic design and illustration. Click here to get a consolidated list of the creative arts and design courses available at LCCA.
This article was written by Sweha Hazari and edited by Anisa C.