Break free from your routine - switch it up!

For over a year, the Covid-19 pandemic has been all we talk or think about. All of us are longing for something new - a change. It's time to switch it up - but how? In this article, Global Knowledge gives you some tips. Break free from you routine and switch it up!

Another weekend stuck at home, another Saturday evening spent with the family at the kitchen table playing Settlers of Catan. You already know how it's going to end: your wife will beat you again, which will make your son angry and in response, he will swiftly wipe all the contents of the board game off the table.

Or maybe your weekend is spent like this: a long walk in a nearby forest or park (even when it rains, because you have to get some fresh air every day). Finally, you will join a queue of 20 other pedestrians to get some lukewarm coffee served in a paper cup.

Or no, wait, your weekend might look like this: on the couch, watching another episode of The Office/Queen's Gambit or whatever other binge-worthy series your streaming provider has to offer.

It's time for something new!

At the start of the pandemic, you might have been able to see the positive things lockdown had to to offer. More time with your family, the possibility to enjoy your local parks and forests and you could finally spend some time watching those shows your co-workers had been talking about for years. But that time has well and truly past. We are hungry for something different from our routine.

After a year that was dominated by Covid-19, we have exhausted our creativity. How do you entertain yourself every weekend? What do you do to get out this rut you seem to be stuck in?

At Global Knowledge, we also notice we are ready for something else, especially when we drag ourselves to the supermarket in the weekend, again, contemplating which obscure recipe to cook this time around. That's why we would like to inspire you with some tips: it's about time we get out of this routine together. (Be honest, isn't your life slowly turning into the plotline of Groundhog Day? Six lessons from the movie you can find in this article).

• 1. Take a mini-break
  Most people are working from home during this lockdown. You might be getting bored with your surroundings at this point. That's why we recommend you to take a mini-break. The hotels are still open, so go out and stay somewhere else for a change!
  
  If you don't have the budget to go somewhere at the moment, you can always find a creative solution. Go camping in your own back yard (pro-tip: Make sure your sleeping bag is warm, because it can get pretty cold at night) or build a fortress made of blankets for your kids. Ikea made this list of blanket forts you can make at home. Fun for adults too!
• 2. Be spontaneous
  You can break free from your routine by being spontaneous. Who hasn't thought 'let's go to the beach!' when they noticed it was sunny outside. The next time this thought pops into your head, just go to the beach!
  
  You get an energy boost from making a decision like that. Being spontaneous works refreshing, especially now the days and weeks are so much alike. Don't exaggerate: driving to France isn't a great idea right now, just wait until lockdown is over.
• 3. Bring the party home
  Missing the pub or the dance floor? Bring the party home!
  
  Send your friends a package with things for the party before hand (something to drink, eat, maybe some party hats), make sure you all have a good internet connection, select a DJ, get into a Zoom session together and let's party!
  
  For a party atmosphere you can also hang a disco ball in your living room! Need some inspiration? Spotify has lots of party playlists.
• 4. Exercise with the Nintendo Switch
  Shake off that Covid-19 weight with Ring Fit Adventure - the fitness game for Nintendo Switch. With a bendable ring and leg strap, you can work-out yourself or others can join your work-out. With Ring Fit Adventure, you stay fit and active together, and you end up doing something else than going for a walk or cycling.
  
  By the way: if you book a Virtual Classroom training course of 4 days or more now, you receive a Nintendo Switch. The only thing you still need to get afterwards, is Ring Fit Adventure.
• 5. Learn something new
  And by that we don't just mean baking your own bread, brewing your own beer or a mastering a difficult recipe: nope, learn something new in your area of expertise! Because the routine isn't just present in your private life, in your work life you can get stuck in a rut too. One way to break free from your routine, is by attending a training course about an technology you are interested in. You can learn about a specific technology or decide to increase your personal skills.
  
  Training at Global Knowledge is extra interesting right now because you get a Nintendo Switch if you book a training course that runs for four days or more. You can also combine different training courses to get t o4 training course days.
  
  You won't just train your mind, but your body too. After the training course you can relax by playing Mario Kart or do a work-out with the game we previously named in this article. Learn more about the promotion via the button below.

_{The following sources have been used in the process of writing this article: Gezondnu, Lifetise, Telegraph.}