Maximizing Quiet Time: The 4 things I upskilled in during the holiday period

The last two weeks in December are always fascinating for me. We either totally switch off and take the time off or we work through knowing that in certain industries, it is going to be quiet anyway. The latter has been the case for me the past couple of years.

If you are working in a quiet office or indeed working from home knowing things are a little calmer or quieter because other people aren't around, one may decide to have a proper clear out in readiness for the new year and/or decide to use it for lifelong learning - a key part of developing one's portfolio.

This becomes even more key when you understand that the responsibility for upskilling, reskilling or keeping yourself relevant largely falls to you. If you are fortunate enough to be in an environment where this is encouraged or supported, so much the better. This is a summary of the four things that I spent a bit of time with recently.

1. Diving Into Microsoft Excel

Truth be told, I've never really had to be an excel whizz and probably still don't. I have always managed to delegate/outsource/call on another if needed.

This appeared because it was available briefly through a series of videos in my company's learning management system - and I thought, why not take a look?

For now, I am trying to actually also apply some of the learnings daily for both personal and professional spreadsheets. I am still far from a master here, however playing with formulas and functions is already improving my data handling if I stay consistent over the month ahead, I think I will quietly improve in productivity and confidence.

2. Exploring Microsoft Projects

I could be making project plans in Excel. A slight change in teams and reporting lines in my current project has afforded me access to a licence to play with this tool for the next couple of months.

I am focusing on key features, like scheduling and resource allocation. I will likely map a project plan someone else has created in Excel on to Projects to manage tasks in real work scenarios and as I prepare to exit a contract, it is my aim to hand on a full project plan built in MS Projects to those who remain for go-live and snagging.

3. Embracing Loom for Communication

Ok, ok. I know I am late to the party on this one. I have been aware of the tool for almost 6 years and probably had a first play around 5 years ago. The trigger here was needing to use it to pitch for a role (it is a no for now).

I am reminded that I don't do as much as I used to on video and like anything, you can lose a skill if you don't use it. I decided to take advantage of the free trial and am discovering Loom as a tool for efficient video messaging.

I also must admit, of the four, this is the one I am taken with the most and making and playing with educational videos reminds me of the support I received from two good friends when I first took to camera and started making videos.

Learning Loom is also helping me communicate complex ideas clearly. Will I continue after the trial is over? Well, there are a few days left but this may just be an investment worth making.....

Loom video thumbnail

4. Understanding AI for Blogging

I've never been an early adopter however I recognise that exploring AI is important for content creation. Content ideas typically come easy to me, however I go through peaks and troughs when it comes to writing. The quiet time allowed me to journal more and revisit my scribbles of ideas from 2025.

This time I embraced playing with AI tools to brainstorm and outline blog ideas. Equally I am playing with balancing AI assistance with personal voice and creativity. A win so far is the helping with consistency as the writing process is faster (and yes, a little help from AI accepted for this post)

Concluding thoughts...

Quiet moments are opportunities and not wasted time. We all rest differently. There is and always will be an importance for intentional learning during pauses in work or life. Like any hobby or new activity, we need to set realistic goals for self-improvement. Some things we may go on to master, but not all. I am curious for myself which, if any of the above, I continue to build into my learning portfolio a week, month and year from now....

What else would you recommend?

Share your recent learning in the comments below!