As you are reading this you probably can’t remember when the last time you left your house was. Has it been five days? Seven days? Twelve days? At this point who knows? Being stuck at home can get boring very quickly especially since we’re used to fast-paced, on-the-go lifestyles. Even though many of you are on the verge of having withdrawals do not fear here are some things you can do at home to keep you from going insane.
1. Watch movies and TV shows. This is a good time to watch all the movies and shows you’ve been wanting to watch for a while but never have time to. Netflix and Hulu of course are the most popular subscription services to binge watch your favorite shows and movies; however, if you do not have a subscription to any of those services Vudu and YouTube have a wide variety of films to watch for free with short ads.
2. Take up a new hobby. During this time you can also take up a new hobby that you’ve always wanted to try or you can take up an old hobby that you haven’t had the time for. You can play a musical instrument, draw, paint, read and bake.
3. Practice Mindfulness. Mindfulness would be a great thing to practice during this time since you’re going to be spending so much time with yourself. Even though right now it is not safe to go out to the usual places, you can sit outside and enjoy the nature around you. You can practice meditation, better eating habits and journaling. If you are new to mindfulness some apps that could help get you started are Calm, Headspace, Aloe Bud and Reflectly.
4. Family time. You can spend plenty of quality time with your family. You can play board games, video games, card games or trivia games. You can watch movies or read together.
5. Schoolwork. Although nobody wants to think about it, schoolwork has to be done. You should definitely organize and create a schedule for yourself. Make sure that you are realistic with making your schedule and setting study times to when you focus the best. This will also be a great time to turn your phone into a productivity machine to help you stay organized with all of your work. Apps like Google Calendar and Google Keep can help you stay on track with important dates and reminders. Also be sure to check your school email and Blackboard frequently.
6. Refresh your space. Re-organizing, cleaning and rearranging your room and other spaces can help you re-focus. If your space is cluttered your mind will be cluttered, too. A clean fresh space is essential to being productive.
7. Socializing while practicing social distancing. Lucky for us we have amazing technology that allows us to socialize without having to leave our homes. You can talk with family and friends over video chat using FaceTime, Zoom or Duo by Google. You can also play multiplayer games on game consoles or even on your phones.
Hopefully these tips help make your quarantine a little easier and more enjoyable during this chaotic time.