Being unemployed is a terrible situation to find yourself in Nigeria as unemployment rises to 33% in the country. No matter the reason, we want you to know that there are fun things to do while unemployed without spending money with a little bit of creativity.

7 Things You Could do Without Spending Money That Will Improve Your Mental Health

1. Picnic With Family and/or Friends

Spending time with family or your friends could expand your lifespan up to 50% according to Dr. Thatcher. Spending time with your family or friends on a picnic should not cost you a lot of money if you plan. Pick a location close by or you can search on Google maps the nearest garden to your house. If you are in Abuja, you can take your family to Jabi Lake or Capital Hub, or Central Park for a picnic. You can bring your utensils, water, and drinks from home.

You can make dessert and bring or cook a dish at home and take it to the picnic. Make sure you keep it simple, don’t frit. Enjoy your picnic and family time, don’t stress yourself. What a better fun way to improve your lifespan without spending money and in the company of loved ones!

2. Looking for Fun Things to Do While Unemployted? Try Photography

If you ever wondered what having a photography skill is like, now is the best time to venture into it. You can write a list of things and places you want to take pictures of and have a brief tour on your own. This will hone your skills without spending money.

Be patient if you want to try photography. You would not want all your pictures looking blurry. Slowing down and being patient is one way to getting, clearer, and better pictures. Choose a specific time in a day to take pictures. Ask your family and friend to criticize your snapshots to explore and have fun. You can use this in the future if you choose photography as your career in the future.

3. Reading is a Fun Act to do While Unemployed

If you enjoyed reading and had little time to read more books in the past, now is the time when you have no job. Reading books is soothing to the mind especially if you can’t afford to buy new books on your own. Reading has several benefits as stated by Heidi Moawad. You can join a book club within your community or read e-books from a different site for free. You can get audiobooks for free or subscribe if you can afford them.

My favorite is Blinkist. If you prefer hard copies, you can read the books from your local library or from a friend’s library. You can also exchange your books for new ones if you can’t afford them in local bookstores. You can buy new ones if it is not out of your budget. Also, you can be a beta reader in one of the freelance sites if you enjoy reading books whenever you decide to earn a living.

4. Do More of Voluntary Service

I know many people will not think of volunteering as a fun thing to do while unemployed. Trust me, it is so much fun! You could make new friends, visit places you could not afford, help put a smile on someone’s face. You could be a change agent as well as develop new skills that could help you in the future when you land a job. Also, you don’t have to be rich to care about the less privileged.

You can offer Pro Bono services to NGOs within your community, give items you longer need to those in need. In addition, give books that you no longer need, offer to help in community outreach. Also, you could join a fundraising project they are always fun.

Make sure that what you are volunteering in is something lively and worth your time. You are adding value to yourself and helping those in need.

5. Learn to Code

Picking up a new skill that is a high-income skill and in demand like coding is one way to enjoy your unemployment. You can teach yourself programming at no cost, start a new career with something you are passionate about.

There are tons of sites to learn coding for free and I happen to love this site the most. Choose the type of coding language you wish to learn, you should read a book or two about coding. As you are learning, try making it practical, build a kid’s toy-like those they learn from a STEM class. Watch YouTube videos, practice with personal projects and reward yourself. Have fun playing with codes using reverse engineering, you will learn. Join a Bootcamp, make new friends, socialize and enjoy your time.

6. Dancing

Losing weight does not come easy when you have no money to pay for gym classes or buy equipment to exercise at home or follow a strict diet. Dancing is a fun way to increase heart rate, blood circulation, improve core muscles while still losing weight. The best part is you do not have to spend a dime! All you need is music to dance to either on your phone or TV and your dancing outfit in the comfort of your room.

7. Engage in Painting

When you are unemployed, you have nothing but time. What better fun things to do while unemployed than painting to your heart’s content! To have fun painting, try focusing and enjoy the process. Don’t look forward to the result. Painting a good piece is all about details. Enjoy each stroke, take your time. Sip your favorite tea or juice while painting. If you are like me, put on your headphones and paint while dancing, let it flow. Remember, you are not trying to please anyone, so take your time to destress. Try painting different art, choose a place and time to paint, and have fun that’s the goal!

Conclusion

No matter the situation you find yourself in while being jobless, it’s always best to have fun things to do while unemployed for your health and sanity. Being unemployed in Nigeria can be a blessing in disguise or a curse when you have responsibilities. Regardless of your situation, know that you can have fun without spending money.

What are the fun things you would do if you are jobless in Nigeria? Kindly leave your comments below and also share with your loved ones let us know what you all think.

Go have fun, ciao!