Assuming you’re following the recommended guidelines, you’ve been staying at home as much as possible lately, to stifle the spread and long-term effects of COVID-19. You’re working from home, avoiding social meetups, and limiting your trips to the grocery store. Accordingly, you’ve got a lot more time on your hands. 

This is the perfect time to start a new hobby, but what should you choose, and how can you start while mostly confined to your own home? 

One of the best hobbies to take on is cooking. Depending on where you live, restaurants and bars in your area might be completely closed down, or might only offer takeout options. If you’re used to relying on restaurant food for your nutrition, cooking might be something entirely new to you. 

There are several advantages to taking up cooking as a hobby. For starters, you’ll be able to eat and enjoy your finished works. You’ll also learn more about nutrition in the process, including how different ingredients work together in your favorite dishes, and will have something to share with your loved ones. On top of that, the skills you learn will sustain you for far longer than this pandemic will last, saving you money and providing you with amazing food. 

First, you’ll need to make sure you have the right kitchen appliances. You may already have the basics, like a range stove, an oven, and a refrigerator, but now may be the perfect time for an upgrade. For example, a smart refrigerator could help you keep track of the groceries you have (so you can shop more efficiently when it’s time to go out), and simultaneously provide you with recipes to try out. And a better, more efficient range stove might be exactly what you need as motivation to experiment with that new stir fry dish. 

From there, you’ll be free to experiment with different cooking techniques and recipes. There are a variety of resources available online to help you learn everything—from the basics to the most advanced techniques. 

This is also a good time to learn more about a specific craft. There are hundreds of individual skills you can learn in the crafting world, and because you can combine techniques in new ways, the only real limit is your own creativity. 

For example, you could learn something like knitting or crocheting if you’re interested in making your own clothes or textiles from raw materials. You could learn woodworking if you want to build furniture. Or you could try something like pottery or jewelry making if you want to create smaller physical goods. 

Once you begin to master your skills, you can tinker with more advanced techniques and add your own spin to what you create. If you begin to feel proud of what you’re making, or if you’re interested in funding your hobby further, you can sell your goods on an online marketplace like Etsy, or open an online store of your own. 

Do you have an old guitar that hasn’t been tuned or played in years? Or do you have a piano that you never really learned to play? This could be the perfect opportunity to hone your skills as a musician. Learning the basics of music theory can be challenging if you haven’t had any experience learning music before, but the more time you spend with it, the more it will start to make sense. 

Whatever instrument you choose, don’t be surprised if you experience a challenging learning curve; you’ll need to practice at least 15 minutes a day (preferably every day) for weeks, if not months, before you start to feel competent. Again, there are a variety of online guides and communities to help you. 

If you like the concept of games, this is a great time to get more involved in playing them. Video game systems like the Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and of course, PCs offer you the option to game with people around the world. 

If you don’t like video games, or if you’re looking for something different, you could also consider taking up board gaming; surprisingly, there are plenty of websites that offer digital versions of board games you can play with your friends.  

There’s no shortage of available hobbies you can start from the comfort of your home—especially in an age with practically limitless video guides and online communities. While there are a number of hobbies that can provide you with skills that can serve you for years, what’s most important is that you find something you enjoy. Experiment with a wide range of different hobbies—including some you might not have otherwise considered—and stick with what works for you.