If you check on Google for suggestions of any fun-filled activities to do while being ordered to stay at home as the world continues to fight against the Coronavirus, you would see that most of these activities focus on families and kids. What about the rest of us single, employed individuals?
It is several months now that we are stuck at home due to the local government and state mandate for health and safety reasons. By now, you have probably done a deep cleaning of your home more than once, read all of the books or series you have been putting off, or even finished a DIY project or two.
With a work-from-home setup, eventually, your daily home routine gets tiring. However, before all this new normal arrangement drives you crazy, below are six recreational activities you could add to your quarantine to-do list. Not only will they entertain you, but they will also boost your self-betterment.
Focus on Your Fitness
After a couple of months of binge-watching your favorite shows on Netflix and eating junk like when you were a teenager, you start to see that flab around your waist and thighs. Without the long-hour commute from work and traffic jams, maybe you should take this opportunity to focus on your fitness goals.
You may start by simply taking a stroll down your neighborhood area, while, of course, practicing social distancing. Or, if you are the shy type, you may follow simple home routine exercises on YouTube. Cutting back on your carb intake also helps a lot in losing weight. Instead of snacking on junk, you treat yourself instead with keto-friendly products.
Enroll in an Online Class
Who says online classes are only for students? Even if you already have your degree, or if you are planning to take one, this is the most opportune time to do such. Online platforms such as The Open University, FutureLearn, and Edx offer a wide variety of free courses you could choose from.
Spend your free time studying history, business, arts, politics, and law. You could also learn a new language, or even learn sign language. The options are endless. Learning new things or improving your skillset is not only fun, but they also look good on your CVs.
Take Time to Analyze Your Budget
With the sudden shift in the economy brought by the pandemic, it is only high time to reassess your finances and current spending habits. We never know how long will this new normal last, hence it is only prudent to be financially prepared.
During free time, list down all your essential payments—from groceries, utility bills, mortgages, savings, and so on. This process will help you eliminate non-essential expenditures. Making sure you are secured financially during these trying times helps give peace of mind.
Start a Journal
Another brilliant idea you could spend your free time on during home quarantine is starting a journal. Writing down your thoughts, observations, activities, or anything that has happened to you makes you more aware of yourself and your surroundings.
According to studies, journal writing has a significant impact on one’s mental health. With all these social distancing and lockdown regulations, it is not far from reality that you might feel sad, lonely, or even depressed. Thus, for your wellbeing, you replace all those negativities with positive and happy thoughts.
Get into Gardening
If you hate exercising, a productive alternative to that is gardening. With no more hectic schedule keeping you from garden tasks, now you have so much time at hand to tidy up your garden and do basic yard chores. Moreover, with the fall season coming up, you may plant cool-weather crops in your garden or backyard.
However, even if you do not have a space on your property for gardening, you may use your window sill as a growing area for herbs. Not only is it sustainable, but it is more convenient for you to have ready-made garnish at hand for your pasta and salad.
Open Your Artistic Side
Who knows there might be a Frost or Rembrandt hidden beneath you? Another productive and fun activity you could spend time on is getting on your creative side. Get paint on canvases, doodles on your sketch pad, or start by drawing on an adult coloring book. You could also start writing poems and even song lyrics.
You can even step up your game by knitting, cross-stitching, jewelry-making, and candle-making. These activities are not only fun, but they can turn into potential profit with the right preparation.
With all these activities, you can make each day in quarantine less predictable and more exciting.