Owing to Internet technology, people from different parts of the world can connect with one another, know what's happening on the other side of the globe, within seconds, and gain access to information about any and everything in the world. Most of us equate spending time online with playing games, chatting with friends, sharing pictures on social networking websites and downloading songs, games, movies, and what not! A very few of us make real good use of the Internet. It is a huge information base, with so many good sites hosting informative and educational content. There are so many avenues online that can help us earn money and there are so many websites where we can learn something new. Let's use the Internet to our advantage, lets use it to discover ideas, gain knowledge, and enrich our lives, by doing something productive online. ✦ Take academic courses and enhance your skill set. These online courses are convenient as they don't require you to go out to attend classes. They can be done from the comfort of your home. So choose courses that interest you and upgrade your skills and knowledge. Online certifications also add to your resume. ✦ Download ebooks or audio books from the Internet or read them online. Reading is one of the most productive ways to spend time on the Internet. ✦ And not just read; use the Internet to find good books too. Know what's best for your age and interests and know about the books that have newly entered the market. Know about the most popular as well as budding authors, stay updated about the upcoming publications, and know which books to buy and which not to. ✦ Use the Internet to find answers for questions related to daily living. From home decor and repair to fashion and relationships, there are numerous sources that give you good advice. ✦ The Internet is a good source to find how the world works. Right from how the government works and how economies rise and fall, to how the universe was created and how man plans to explore space, there are many websites that tell you how the world works. ✦ If you are a DIY person, you should check for online resources that help you with this stuff. For questions like how to get rid of stains from clothes or how to paint a room, to questions like how to fix a problem with your computer or how to repair a broken car engine, all the answers are available online. ✦ The Internet gives you a good platform to learn a new language. Starting from the basics, you can go to advanced levels by taking online language courses and tutorials. ✦ Take online quizzes that test your general knowledge. There are many IQ tests available online. Plus, there are tests to check your typing speed, language skills, general awareness, and even your aptitude and personality type. Take these tests and quizzes; they are a productive way to spend time on the web. ✦ Use social networking to not just share images and post status messages on what's going on in your life. Use these websites to connect with like-minded people. Join groups, communities, or forums on subjects of your interest, share your knowledge and ideas on these platforms and know what experts have to say. ✦ Follow blogs or twitter pages of people who inspire you. Follow influential figures on their social pages and know their views on the current political and social issues. Use online sources to become more aware of the world around. ✦ Refer to online dictionaries or websites like Vocabulary and learn a few new words everyday. ✦ There are websites which allow users to exercise their cognitive abilities. Use these sources and exercise your brain. ✦ Seek investment advice from finance experts and know about the best ways to invest money and manage your finances from authentic websites dedicated to finance and investment advice. ✦ Watch cooking videos on websites like YouTube to learn new recipes. ✦ Follow websites on self-help and those which host inspirational content. Read through them to motivate yourself after a bad day at work, during a rough phase in life, or to help you approach life more positively. Acts of courage or kindness of common people, and inspirational stories of famous people in various fields, can give you new hope. ✦ Write a blog and express yourself. Write on what you know and what interests you. Contribute to the knowledge on the web by posting informative content. Or use your blog to entertain readers with fun stuff or anything creative. ✦ Shop smart by looking for some good deals and discounts online. Internet shopping saves you the effort of visiting malls or stores and all the shopping can be done sitting at home. Plus, there are many lucrative offers that help you save money. ✦ Take a virtual tour to any part of the world by using sources like Google Maps and Google Street View. These sources can help you plan an actual tour too. ✦ Indulge in your hobby online. Find information on what you like to do, find the latest information on things of your interest and engage in fun activities that interest you. The web hosts many good sources that allow you to engage in your hobbies, and even earn out of them. ✦ Make a Skype call to a friend you have not spoken to, since a long time. Or use email to write to your dear ones. ✦ Connecting with new people can help you with your career. Make connections with people whose profiles interest you and who can introduce you to others in the field. Sites like LinkedIn are good to build an online repute by sharing things related to your profession. ✦ Websites related to physical exercises can help you stay fit. They give you easy exercises, fitness tips, and nutritional advice. ✦ Play educational games or those that help you in some way (simulation games for example). Choose games like Sudoku, solve crosswords, play Math games or solve puzzles online. ✦ There are many non-profit organizations that have their presence online. Browse through these, know about their programs and take part in the ones you can. Contribute to a social cause in your own small way by participating in their campaigns. ✦ Spend time with your kids having them learn to draw online, or play an online game together. Take an online course with your partner. Or help your grandparents access websites that might interest them. This way, you will be spending time with your near ones, while online. ✦ Use cloud services or your mail account to back up important data if you need to. The Internet can be used to save space on your hard drive and have your data stored online. ✦ You can sell off old stuff using websites like eBay and others. Look for people who might be interested in buying those things, compare prices, and make a profitable sale. ✦ Carry out bank transactions online. Though not a productive activity in itself, it is time-effective and thus leaves you with more time for fruitful things. ✦ Listen to your favorite songs, watch your favorite movies, or listen to speeches by motivational speakers. Songs can help you feel relaxed, movies can give you that much-needed break, and listening to motivational speeches can make you feel good about yourself and optimistic about life. ✦ With the help of websites like BBC News and Reuters, get to know about the latest happenings across the globe. Know what's in the news and stay updated about the recent developments in every field. So, what type of productive thing would you like to do online?