As the grasp of coronavirus continues to increase exponentially across the globe, people everywhere are forced to stay within the confines of their homes.
Let’s talk about comforting, fun activities you can do if you are looking for some structure in your day during this quarantine. We put together some of our preferred ways to stay entertained when you are practising social distancing.
Things to do that will help you manage health
1. Keep stress at bay
Stress is a major cause of a mental breakdown in troubled times like this. Naturally, you must make it your goal to take control of your mind to keep stress at bay. To do so, you have to engage in physical activities like freehand exercising, yoga, gardening, cooking, and of course, meditation. Also, music is an excellent way to calm down your mind and body.
2. Plan your diet for improved immunity
At a time like this, it is important to take extra care of your health and that of your family members. Eating right is the key to a sound body and mind. Right now, your focus should be to simplify your meals by using minimal ingredients. Cut down on carbs, and incorporate healthy fats, proteins, and vitamins in your diet plan. You can use apps like MyFitnessPal and Fooducate to improve your food habits and plan a wholesome diet.
3. Meditate
When stressed out, meditation is the key to attain inner peace. However, the starting process is not easy, especially if you have a tumultuous mind. This is when you can take the help of platforms like freeMeditation to guide you through the meditation process.
4. Try online yoga classes
Yoga is one of the most effective means to tame the body and mind. Not for nothing has it made a big name in the West! While you will not become a yoga master overnight, but you can start with simple yoga poses and asanas and gradually move on to more challenging ones. Again, YouTube to your rescue for learning yoga.
5. Participate in Social Media Fitness Challenge
As we have already mentioned earlier, being fit and healthy is the call of duty at the moment, and what better than fitness challenges to push you towards this goal! Right now, celebrities and fitness experts are all taking to social media to challenge people to work out and get fit. You, too, could be a part of this productive and exciting chain. Check out these challenges and see how many you can complete.
Things to do to revive childhood memories
6. Go through old photo albums
Take a walk down the memory lane by going through old photo albums of you and the fam. You’ll be surprised and amazed to see how much you’ve grown and changed in all the years. It is bound to put a smile on your face!
7. Learn to draw
Drawing is a fun hobby and a great way to pass the time. It is an inclusive activity that helps to sharpen your creative skills, observation skills, and boost your cognitive acuity, and creativity. No matter if you are bad at drawing, Drawspace will help you hone your drawing skills. Created by Jeff Baur and globally renowned artist Brenda Hoddinott, Drawspace is one of the most acclaimed art education platforms in the world.
8. Immerse yourself in crafts
Learning a new art/craft is always exciting and calming. You can spend your time learning crafts like knitting, crocheting, embroidery, quilting, and so much more. Such eloquent crafts are a great way to explore and engage your visual, tactile, and sensory reflexes while contributing to your creative development. If you are wondering where to start with crafts, LoveCrafts is just what you need for the push.
9. Learn painting
Granted that the outer world is gloomy and depressing right now, that doesn’t mean the inside has to be grim as well! You can add a splash of color and creativity to your home by learning painting. Whether it be on a canvas, or simple household objects (pots, bottles, rocks, etc.), or a blank wall, try a shot at painting, and you’ll see how calming it is. YouTube is the perfect platform to learn painting.
Things to do for better family bonding
10. Engage in a one-on-one convo with your partner.
Relationships are often tested the most in trying times. And at a time like this, when all family members are at home, it can become frustrating not to have the personal space that you once had. Remember, if it is challenging for you, it is difficult for your partner as well. So, instead of getting on each other’s nerves, try to spend more time talking to one another. Watch a movie, play board games, listen to music – basically do things that can strengthen your relationship.
11. Enjoy karaoke night with your family
No, you don’t need to hit the karaoke bar for this! Just download the StarMaker app from the PlayStore or Apple Store, get your family in a room, and let out the singers hidden within!
12. Learn to do household chores
This is the perfect time to learn the tricks of household chores to save time while being productive. There’s always much to do in and around the house like cooking, cleaning, washing dishes, washing clothes, gardening, and the list goes on. Now that we’ve to do all the household chores by ourselves, it is the perfect time to learn how to ace these everyday tasks.
13. Keep your children occupied
Children can be a handful during the lockdown, what will all the pent up energy they have inside. This is why you must try different ways to keep them occupied now. For instance, if your kids are very young, you can engage them in creative activities like drawing, crafting, abacus, board games, and so on. However, if they are in middle school or high school, you can engage them in books and other activities like baking and gardening.
14. Indulge in virtual house party
Although we cannot host house parties now, nobody said anything about virtual house parties! It is perfect for unwinding and chilling after a long and tiring week while maintaining the norms of social distancing. Try Houseparty, a face to face social network where you can get together with your loved ones, and create a virtual house party atmosphere.
15. Make a family dance video
With everyone sharing their homemade TikTok videos, why should you be left out of the equation? Making videos with your fam can be loads of fun and even therapeutic in a way because it’ll be something you do together. So, go ahead, make one!
Things to do you that you always wanted to do (Hobbies)
16. Learn to cook
Watching all those delicious food posts on Facebook and Instagram, making you hungry? Stop pining and get yourself to the task. Go to YouTube and search for the recipes you wish to create and start cooking! There are plenty of awesome YouTubers to follow for lip-smacking recipes.
17. Learn Photography
If you’ve always wanted to learn photography but never really found the time to do it, now is the time! It is a super fun hobby that can turn into a skill, provided you are dedicated and committed to acing it. Fstoppers is a photography blog that you must check out.
18. Learn To Play Guitar
As we said before, there’s never been a better time to accomplish new skills and also brush up on new ones. So, get off your comfortable spot and get started on practicing those guitar chords and fill your home with the sound of music. JustinGuitar is an excellent place to start, plus, there’s always YouTube.
19. Learn Origami
Origami is a brilliant art – turning paper into so many different shapes is nothing but amazing. Although it will not add value to your resume, it is a creative skill worth learning. Head to YouTube and check out Jo Nakishima’s origami tutorials.
20. Lose yourself to dance
Dancing is not only a great form of self-expression, but it is also a fantastic workout. Put on your favorite pop songs, and learn how to move to the beats. You don’t need to be a professional dancer – you only need to enjoy it! Check out Sadler’s Wells Digital Stage for some inspiration.
21. Watch documentaries
Documentaries are incredibly educational and informative. There are plenty of documentaries on important historical events, political events, world affairs, science, and much more. Watching documentaries is a great way to spend your time and a productive thing to do in this quarantine.
22. Create a quirky home office
Since many of us are now working from our homes, we often fall prey to the home environment and start to get lazy. So, why not utilize this time to create a working environment in your home? There are plenty of home office ideas on YouTube for you to browse through.
23. Listen to audiobooks
Isn’t it soothing to listen to someone narrating an incident or story? If you love to listen stories, it is a fun thing to do in this quarantine. If you’re someone who loves hearing stories, you can try Audible. It has a vast collection of inspiring books, stories, talk shows, and life lessons (just what we need at this moment).
24. Stock up on the “stock” knowledge
Remember the Great Recession of 2008? Remember that despite the stocks falling hard, those who invested in the right stocks and assets got their returns in due time? This is something like that. Take your time to gather as much information as you can about the stock market and learn about low-risk investments. It’ll help you invest in the right places in the future.
25. Deep clean your home
Cleaning your home is one thing, and deep cleaning it is to take it to the next level. By deep cleaning, we mean that you will not only clean the outer surface of things and places, but you will also get rid of all the unwanted and unnecessary stuff from your house. The idea behind deep cleaning is to create more space in your home by making it clutter-free. Here’s a deep clean guide for you!
26. Learn songwriting
This is something you can try for fun. FutureLearn even has a songwriting course that you can join for free. Many of us have always wanted to write songs, hell, we even have all the thoughts ready but are missing a sense of direction. This course is just the right guidebook that will guide you through the a-z of songwriting.
Conclusion
These are a few easy & productive things to do in quarantine to help lighten the mood at your home. Every cloud has a silver lining, and remember, this too shall pass!
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