My meal planner! I like having everything on one piece of paper for ease, so I try to make all my planners as simple as possible to allow for that. I used to have two other sections on a separate paper for brainstorming and planning what to prepare ahead of time, but decided that those two sections were unnecessary. However, having an extra paper for those might be something helpful for you!
Something else I highly recommend is ordering groceries online for pickup. It can help you save time, and in my case save money. It curbs my need for impulse purchases, keeps me on my budget, and gives me more free time to do other things, like cleaning.
I'm currently trying to compile a digital pantry for my apartment, as well as a digital cookbook full of recipes for people living on their own, ranging from simple and easy (bagel pizza!) to more complex (homemade cheese and bread!) Overall, I'm hoping by documenting all of these things I'm doing to improve myself, I can help someone else who feels like me.
I've posted these templates on my personal blog, but I decided that posting them here would be better! I use these as a sort of journal/goal tracker, as well as planning out my days. Having everything laid out in a little worksheet like this is, oddly enough, one of the best ways I've kept myself on track with my goals!
The other big thing has been accepting that progress =/= perfection, but I feel as though that's a post for another time.
We've all been there - usually at work, or at school, but either way we're bored. We've finished our assignment or project, and now have some time to kill. (Or maybe we're just procrastinating - who am I to judge?)
However, that knot in our stomach won't go away. We still want to feel productive, but how do we fill our time? Solitaire or mahjong are obviously games, online shopping is a trap, and most forms of personal communications are cut off by school or work internets. So, how can we productively waste time?
1. Typing Test
Testing your typing speed and accuracy is one of the most fun ways to challenge yourself while still being (or at least looking) productive! Bonus, a fast typing speed and high accuracy are actually incredibly useful, both in the education and professional sphere.
Monkeytype | A minimalistic, customizable typing test is the perfect website for this. You're able to customize the tests in a wide variety of difficulties and modes. My personal favorite is typing out random Wikipedia articles to practice everything, from words to punctuation. And if you want to save your settings and compare scores, you can create an account to keep track of it all.
2. Research and News
Want to keep up with news, find out what happened in history today, and read about the most random subject you never thought to look up on your own? Then Wikipedia is your site! Everyone is familiar with the online encyclopedia, but usually you're already looking for something specific.
Wikipedia's Main Page is an amazing resource on it's own, full of many random fun facts right away. Just scroll through and something is bound to snag your interest. In the news section, you can see a wide array of articles already summarized for you, with the source listed so you can read more on your own. My favorite is finding out what happened in history on a specific day.
3. Random Reading
There are more books in the world than you probably realize, and plenty of places that offer them for free! Digital libraries are an incredible resource for finding new information, but sometimes you just don't know where to start.
Free eBooks | Project Gutenberg is my go-to. There's a huge selection of old books and classics, and lots of different ways to sort them. Still don't know what you want? The search bar has a randomizer that gives you 20 random books to look through! Cycle through until you find one that sparks your interest.
If summaries are more your style, Littler Books has summaries written for and by humans, and an incredible array of self help books.
4. Mathematician
I have a confession - I should have failed high school. My math scores were so abysmal that the only reason I passed with a D- is because my teachers didn't want to make me suffer anymore. I tried too, believe me! But just because we're not good at something when we're younger doesn't mean we shouldn't try again.
Enter Khan Academy. They have far more than just math, and their lesson format is easy to follow and fun to complete. You can do just about any course, from simple biology to complex equations, all for free!
5. Color Guess
The last on this list is one I found just recently, but it entertains me a lot! Sometimes, you find a color that's name just... makes no sense. Like, why is vermillion not green? It irritates me.
Either way, we can get distracted with this! ColorGuesser.com gives you the name of a color, and it's up to you to guess the hue. It will give you 5 names to do, and a final score. I find it to be a really fun and short game to pass the time, without looking too off topic.
And there you have it! 5 ways to get totally off topic while still looking like you're busy, and they're as generative-AI free as possible. Now, I don't encourage being off task all the time, but you know sometimes you just need a little break. (I mean, I wrote this whole post while I was at work, so I don't have much room to talk.)
