8 home activities for a more productive day during loadshedding

It’s safe to say that loadshedding can be a massive inconvenience – but it doesn’t have to be! It can be the perfect opportunity to take a break from your screen and update your home office décor or get going on some home DIY projects.  Don’t let loadshedding completely dictate how you spend your time! Rather, use the planned outages to brighten up your space – and your mind. Here are a few ideas to start with.

Guilty of leaving your friends on read?  Or need to catch up with family on video chat? Loadshedding is the best time to respond and reconnect with others – data and battery life permitting, of course. Use the quiet time to   give your friends and family a ring, respond  to emails or schedule all those long-overdue meetings. 

         Now is the time to plan out your meals                and do as much preparation as you can so    that when the power comes back on, you have done the bulk of the work. This can be done while catching up with family and friends or going through your recipe books or magazines and bookmarking potential meals, chopping your ingredients or actually making the meal if you have a gas cooker. 

Need to sweep or mop the floors? Maybe you have a few items you want to handwash? And when last did you give your space a good dusting? By taking care of these tasks during loadshedding, you’ll free up time later in the day or week to focus on something else. It’s a win-win!

Take some time to declutter your space, clean your desk or reorganise your home office décor. If you have any furniture DIYs that don’t require a power tool, this could also be a good time to get going on that project. You’ll be amazed at how much more productive you can be in a clean and tidy environment.

Give stress the boot by getting creative during loadshedding! We’re talking crafting, knitting, crocheting, drawing, decorating or creating canvas wall art… the options are endless. Art is a wonderful distraction and can have a positive effect on your mental well-being – and when the power comes back on, you’ll have something beautiful to show for it!

Do you have a garden – big or small – or a courtyard area with plants? Connect with nature and give your greenery some love by watering them, maintaining the flowerbeds or planting some new herbs, flowers or vegetables. Connecting with nature can be incredibly therapeutic as well as rewarding – and sitting in a space filled with life can be exactly what you need to refocus, re-energise and take on the day.

Read, listen and learn

Our days are loaded with work activities, so take advantage of the downtime and catch up on some knowledge-based tasks, like reading or studying. You can also download podcasts or skills  classes so that when loadshedding hits, you have a few things with which to occupy yourself.

 Loadshedding is the ideal opportunity to incorporate some movement into your day, as well as some reflection. Light stretches, meditation and writing down your thoughts, goals and deadlines can also help calm the mind and improve your productivity when the power comes back on.