Attention Stay at Home Moms!
We all have those days where we do nothing but sit around and watch tv. Maybe take a day nap and grab some snack food. We’ll joke with our friends that at least we kept our young children safe for the day and that we feel accomplished.
Does any of this sound familiar?
No one is 100% productive 100% of the time. As I am sure, no one claims to be. However, that doesn’t mean that we can’t takes some of that do nothing time and turn it into something profitable for ourselves or our household.
So, I have come up with a list of things you can do while you’re around your home doing nothing.
Start a Vlog. — It doesn’t have to be fancy or professionally edited. Just your thoughts and feelings for that day, and if you’re feeling extra spontaneous, you could post those vlogs onto YouTube. (Possible earning opportunity)
Stream on Twitch. — If you’re one of those parents that fills your day with a huge amount of gaming. Why not start streaming you're playing onto the Twitch platform. Gaining a following there just for doing what you would already do anyway could start to earn you a substantial income.
Start your own blog website. — Sure, Medium is nice. All of us love the connection and communication, but there’s something about running your own site and it being 100% your work that can make you feel alive. You can create one at no cost at wix.com.
Create an account on Fiverr. — Here me out. Yes, it could potentially feel like work if done incorrectly, but if you create a gig for something you already do then it’s pretty fun. I have a gig for creating YouTube Thumbnails. (See photo above) I do this for my own channel, so I have no issues doing it for someone else. And in some cases, it only takes a few minutes.
Write a book. — If you are a writer, chances are you enjoy writing. What a coincidence, so do I! Anyway, if you enjoy writing and you’ve got so much time on your hands, you could begin working on a book. There are some who spend years creating and editing novels and you could do so too. Then, one day when you are ready to share that story with the world you can share it with a publisher OR you can self-publish the book on Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) through Amazon.
Sell things on Facebook. — Are you an artist, do you have a Cricut or are you pretty good with a crochet hook? If you’re anything like me, I bet you have a large number of projects just sitting around your house somewhere. Why not take those creations and offer them for sale? It’s no extra work for you if you’ve been creating them anyway. Plus, someone will get a handmade creation they can put to good use.
Create a TikTok Account. — Okay, I’m aware that many people are probably already doing this, but it’s worth mentioning. If you reach 10,000 followers on TikTok then you can start earning for the views of your videos and even have the opportunity for companies to sponsor your work. The great part is, TikTok can be done from the couch that you're watching tv from! It’s a win win. Tell stories, sing songs, make jokes or just be real in each video and post consistently. You don’t even have to put on pants! Just… make sure no one can see that in your video.
Gain a following on Spotify. — Chances are, if you’re doing nothing, that you’re probably listening to music during those times. Well, if you are, have I got some news for you. Did you know that if you have 400 followers on Spotify, they will pay you to listen to music from their platform?! Yup, they will. Once you reach the follower requirement you just apply stating you would like to participate and BAM now you’re earning income while you hear your favorite tunes.
Make Reels on Facebook. — This one reminds me of TikTok. Of course, Facebook is looking to get some of that short form video traffic that is spilling into TikTok right now so they’re now paying individuals making reels. This will take some time, since there are stipulations. You must be over 18, have at least 5 reels created in 30 days and 100,000 views within the last 30 days. Listen, that sounds like a lot… it’s really not.
Create Notebooks. — Yes, from your computer… no purchase necessary. There is a website called Canva.com and KDP.com. Both are free to use. Canva.com has a monthly paid option but it is not required to do this. What you can do is create 50 to 100 sheets of lined paper on Canva for the inside of your notebook. Then, save it as a PDF file. Go back to Canva and create the cover. It can be anything you want. It can be white with the word Notebook in the middle. SUPER SIMPLE. Then, save that as a PDF. Next… head over to KDP.com and create a free account. Click the CREATE button and choose paperback and upload both your cover and interior (manuscript). Then choose how much you would like to charge for the book. It will take 72 hours to upload to Amazon.com and then your book will be available for purchase. School is around the corner, so share your new creation with your friends with little ones.
Do surveys. — This is by far the least fun of the options, but it’s still an option so I’m going to throw it in. Apps on your phone like Qmee, User Testing, Survey Junkie and more… allow you to take surveys and earn income for each survey you complete. It’s an easy $15 a day for just giving your opinion. $15 is better than $0 for watching Young Sheldon. Right?
Each of these options take very little time, do not require time restrains and can all be done from your couch or bed. (Supposing you have a laptop computer, tablet or cell phone.) The key point here is, if we have time to lay around and chill most of the day, there’s no reason why we can’t earn income while doing so. Or start something that may one day earn income.
If you are like me and consistently worrying about what you did or did not do during the day….. you could choose one of these options to do once a day at first to see how it goes.
Over time, you’ll find what works for you and before you know it, you’ll feel more fulfilled.
However, if you enjoy watching television and eating bonbons… Go for it. If it works for you, who am I to change your happy routine.
🧡Shine Bright, Kayla
Originally published on Medium.com in July 2022