With schools shutting down, restaurants closing, concerts being canceled and the world going on lockdown, it is hard not to become a little panicked. Although this is a frightening time where people should be cautious and socially distancing, if not to save themselves than to save their loved ones, it is also a time of reflection. Whether you are locked down by yourself or with others, now is the perfect time to relax and appreciate the things in your life that you are grateful for. While it is easy to get lost in a Netflix bubble and quickly bore yourself to tears, there are so many creative ways to make your time on lockdown exciting and even fun. Here is a list of ten things you can do during quarantine to keep yourself entertained.
1) Connect with your friends virtually:
With Houseparty, group Facetime and Zoom, there are now so many options on how to connect with your friends digitally during this time of social distancing. While it is easy to block yourself off and spend all your time alone in your house, making sure you stay in contact with your friends during this time is important. Making that effort to reach out to somebody can help make that person’s day and make everyone feel a little less alone during this time. You can even host virtual dinner parties or happy hours with friends.
2) Meditate or try yoga:
While in the hustle and bustle of daily life it is easy to let your mental well-being take a backseat, there really isn’t any excuse anymore. Now that you have the time to yourself at home, think about taking the time to try daily meditation or yoga. If you don’t know where to start there are countless apps and YouTube videos that can lead the way. Headspace for example is a great and free application that provides daily meditation guides. Also, the YouTube channel Yoga with Adriene has plenty of pre-lead yoga classes to help get you started. Now is a great time to create space in your routine to help get your mind and body ready for the day ahead.
3) Go on a safari:
While most zoos have shut down during this period of quarantine, don’t worry – you will still be able to see all of your favorite animals. Most of the major zoos, including the San Diego and Smithsonian National Zoos, have made livestream pages for their animals. You can now take your family on a virtual safari from the comfort of your living room.
4) Read a book:
When your eyes start hurting from staring at a screen all day, try picking up a new book. Now is the time to finally sit down and get through all those books that you have been meaning to read but never before had the time. Whether it is the classics that you never got the chance to read in school or your favorite niche fiction novel, now is the time to immerse yourself in the stories you have been wanting to explore.
5) Go for a walk:
While social isolationism mainly means having to stay inside your home all day, it is still extremely important to get outside and get some exercise in. Whether its walking your dog or just taking the family for a walk around the block, it is a good idea to try and force yourself to go outside at least once a day to make sure you don’t feel trapped in your house. Also if walking around your block starts to get boring, check out this article about five great hikes to take in the Calabasas area.
6) Play a board game:
Whether it’s an epic game of Monopoly or a secretive game of Clue, now is the time to get everyone in the family off their devices for a bit and break out the old board games. While it is easy to just stick to Television and Movies, you might be surprise at just how much fun these old classics are. Show off your skills and find out who are the competitive ones in your quarantine group are.
7) Start listening to podcasts:
Beyond just being a helpful and easy way to get your news with podcasts like The Daily by the New York Times and the Global News Podcast by the BBC, there is also a developing world of entertainment based podcasts. Whether its comedy, drama, horror, mystery or even musicals, whatever genre you are interested in, there is a podcast for you. Podcast dramas have become increasingly popular recently creating a plethora of exciting new options for viewers to choose from.
8) Pick up a new skill:
Whether it’s learning a new language, perfecting your drawing skills or picking up a new instrument, you now have the perfect opportunity to dedicate the time and try to work on a new hobby. You can learn everything online now a days, so just pick your favorite app, YouTube video or website and start practicing.
9) Do your spring cleaning:
There has never been a better time to do a whole house purge. Go through your closet and get rid of all those clothes you never wear and donate them to people who could really use them. Organize all those drawers and cabinets that are overflowing with miscellaneous items and throw away or donate all the things you don’t need. Especially when you are spending so much time in your house, it is important for your mental health to keep the space that you are in as clean and organized as possible.
10) Learn how to cook a new dish:
Although getting ingredients may be hard during this time, now is the time to get creative. Try making a new dish that you were too scared to try before and just see how it goes. There are countless recipes to choose from and there are even website like SuperCook where you can put in the ingredients that you have and they will give you options for new recipes to try.
While it is easy during this time to get frustrated and bored, there are so many fun and creative options for things to do during quarantine. Rather than letting yourself get sucked into the black whole of isolation, use this time to help relax and better yourself. While most of this situation is out of our control, it is within our control to make the most of this time at home and make the best of a difficult situation.
Also if you are able, now is a great time to give back to those in need who have lost their jobs or have no place to stay during this time of isolation. Check out these charitable organizations: