This may be slightly difficult to believe, but there are hundreds of things you can do in quarantine other than watching TikTok all day. With thousands of events around the world being postponed or canceled, people are instructed to stay home whether or not they show the implication of illness. It’s safe to say that self-quarantining can take a toll on mental health, especially on extroverts and workaholics.
By abiding by the rules and staying indoors, you are not only taking care of your physical health but saving others from contracting the illness. You are preventing the spread of a deadly virus.
In the eyes of many, you are hailed a hero. A hero stuck at home with absolutely nothing to do. That’s ok because the list of things to do is truly never-ending. Someone recommended messaging all your ex’s to get anything off your chest, but I cannot stress enough what a bad idea that is. I understand people are sort of losing it up there, but let’s try to stay civil, you guys.
Here are seven activities to keep your mind sharp, hands busy, and boredom at bay. Most of these activities require movement because writing in a journal and reading a book can only keep you productive for so long.
Loading the Serotonin
A moment, if you please, for all my gym rats who are losing gains because they have no access to equipment and all gyms are closed. I make it sound worse than it actually is, but it’s a loss nonetheless.
Starting your day with a quick thirty-minute workout will provide you with a metabolism boost, better performance throughout your day, sense of accomplishment, less stress, and endorphins endorphins endorphins. God knows we need them right now.
Finding a suitable workout channel on YouTube is like finding pennies in Ralph’s parking lot- it’s definitely there. I’ve said this several times before, but Fitness Blender is undeniably the one workout channel that has changed my perspective on fitness and has helped me reach sustainable weight loss. Find someone that keeps it fun, different, and worthwhile.
Marie Kondo the SH*T out of Your House
My first reaction to hearing about Marie Kondo went something like this: ….uhh, OK? My response to watching Marie Kondo went more like this: YES! OK!
I can’t believe I ever folded clothes the way I did before her. I have evolved, friends- reached a new level of enlightenment to the world of house organization. What better way to spend your day than to clean out your home?
You will not believe the relief and sense of achievement you feel when clearing out your closet. It’s relaxing, keeps you busy, and sparks joy! That simple phrase has changed my outlook on materialism in general. If it doesn’t spark joy, then let it go, be it shirt, pants, jackets, shoes, a husband.
Let. it. Go.
Play out Your Favorite Scenes From Films
Now, if you’re a cinema lover or a lover of fine taste in general, then you’ll probably reach back in time for some of Hollywood’s more superior work (ahem, La Marseillaise scene Casablanca).
While memorizing another language is on this list, you certainly don’t need it to act out your favorite scenes. If you’re living with family, include them in this activity and assign everyone apart. It might involve some yelling, laughter, siblings attacking each other, but hey, at least it’ll give you something to do.
Narrate Your Family’s Actions (Start Some Drama)
“Dad is opening the fridge…he reaches for the milk, but what he doesn’t know is that the carton milk is actually…empty. He looks at me, questionably, and smiles. He throws the carton in the trash and goes to question my mother why we’re out of milk…”
See how annoying that can be? My siblings and I used to do it to each other when we were younger, and let’s be honest, we still do sometimes. Does it lead to hands being thrown? Absolutely. Do we continue to do it despite threats to change the Netflix password? Of course. Go ahead, annoy the hell out of your family members because when this pandemic is entirely over, they’ll probably never want to see you again.
Virtual Tour Redwood National Park
No, it doesn’t have to be Redwood, but it’s a soothing calming experience and worth the time. Search “virtual tours” on YouTube and prepare to be amazed. You can travel the world from the comfort of your couch. I know it’s not as fabulous as the real thing, but it’s a lot cheaper.
There are plenty of tour options, which range from one to two hours. The sights are beautiful, and you can discover something new from every video!
Practice a Second Language
When it comes to language apps, I’m incredibly skeptical. Having too many apps on my phone is a no-no, so every app needs to be worth the download.
I found Duolingo through a friend’s recommendation, who swore it helped with their Arabic. Now, I say practice a second language because this is more of a practice session and not something that can teach you a whole language. You would need other external sources to perfect learning any language, but Duolingo is by far the most useful app in exercising another language through repetition. It helps build essential vocabulary and understanding the structure of a language.
Either way, you will learn something new with this app, and it’s worth a couple of hours of your day on your road to mastering a new language.
Build a Pillow/Blanket Fort + Netflix
Oh, childhood, you’ve flown by, and if it were possible, I’d turn back time and go back to ice cream trucks and trading Pokemon cards.
Here’s a video on how to make the coziest blanket fort ever. Why? Well, for one, you literally have nothing to do, and second, it will bring out your inner child at this time of crisis, and your inner child will understand how to handle the situation.
Duh.
Stay safe, everyone!
