What to do in quarantine?Social isolation, adopted as a measure to combat the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19), has caused millions of people around the world to completely change their routines and stay at home throughout the day. Some continue to work in the home office mode, while others have received holidays from their employers. Regardless of what your situation is, know that, as challenging as it all is, it is possible to enjoy this time productively.
Keep in mind that the virus exists and that, at the moment, highly competent professionals are working to resolve the issue. Thus, the best you can do is to take care of yourself and find ways to take advantage of this quarantine to get to know yourself better, learn new things, review your priorities, set goals, in short, transform the lemon into a tasty lemonade.
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40 Activities to do at home during quarantine
Staying at home in quarantine does not have to be synonymous with idleness and boredom. You can, and should, take advantage of this time to carry out interesting and addictive activities, whether bringing self-knowledge, well-being, learning, acquiring new skills and several other benefits. Below are 40 activity suggestions to achieve this.
1 – Determine a routine to follow
First of all, it is extremely important that you determine what your routine will be during your days at home. Do this even if you are not working, as this is a necessary measure to avoid boredom and irritation at not being able to leave. Set a time to wake up, have your meals and do all the activities you want during each day. Believe me, it will make a big difference in your emotional balance and productivity.
2 – Make a list of your qualities and points for improvement
Self-knowledge is, without a doubt, the biggest benefit you can have with these days at home. Take the opportunity to reflect on who you are, what you want for your life, your priorities. To make the process more interesting, create lists with those that you consider your greatest qualities and the points that you think you need to develop. Based on this information, you can outline strategies to use them to your advantage.
3 – Write a diary
Writing a diary is another fantastic exercise in self-knowledge, as it is a way of gaining clarity about what you are thinking and feeling. In addition, because it is a situation that naturally generates uncertainty and anxiety, the act of putting your feelings on paper will make you feel better, as if you were really venting with someone.
4 – Take courses online
Have you ever stopped to think what it would be like to live in a quarantine without access to technology? Certainly things would be much more challenging. So, how about taking advantage of these resources to gain new knowledge? There are a multitude of courses available on the internet , on the most different topics, including some even offered for free. Choose an option that you find interesting and enjoy your free time to dedicate yourself to your studies.
5 – Learn a new language
Still in relation to learning, if you have a type of knowledge that makes all the difference in your career, it is having a second language. If you already have some notion of English, Spanish or another language of interest to you, find ways to get deeper, if you don’t have that base, start building it. Once again the internet is a great way to gain knowledge and go further and further.
6 – Watching movies with a life lesson
Watching movies is a great entertainment option to do at home, especially today when we have access to streaming services. However, instead of choosing titles just for their popularity, try to choose those that have some life lesson. Some productions that follow this line are: A Cabana; Men of Honor; A Life Lesson, Click; Up to the Limit of Honor, among others.
7 – Watch documentaries
Documentaries are yet another entertainment option that have a lot to add, as they show facts and realities that are often unknown to us. To watch, just do a brief search in the catalogs of streaming services, such as Netflix and Amazon, and also on Youtube. Just keep in mind that a documentary expresses someone’s opinion in some way, so watch with critical thinking to draw your own conclusions.
8 – Rearrange the furniture in the house
Since you are spending all day at home, it is important that you do your best to make the environment as comfortable and pleasant as possible. Try moving furniture around, sometimes small changes are able to totally change the space. This is a way of learning to look beyond, not just in relation to furniture, but about life in general.
9 – Separate things you don’t use to donate
In addition to organizing the visual part of the environment, also remember the items that are inside the cabinets, such as clothes, shoes, accessories and utensils in general. Separate everything that you no longer use and donate to those who need it. Keeping too many things at home makes you waste your time every day looking for the pieces you use, so let go of excess to have a more practical life.
10 – Test new recipes in the kitchen
Another good request for quarantine is to review your eating habits and test new recipes. Believe me, learning to cook or perfecting the skills you already have is a way to become more independent. Not to mention that you will know exactly the ingredients you will be using, giving preference to healthy ingredients.
11 – Dance and exercise the body
Few people are in the habit of exercising at home, the vast majority prefer to go to a gym or do something outdoors. However, as health experts recommend that everyone stay at home, alternatives must be found to keep moving without having to leave. Try dancing and practicing other types of exercises through videos and applications, so you will be doing good for the body and also for the mind.
12 – Do activities that stimulate the brain
Oh, and it’s not just the body that needs exercise, the brain also needs stimulation. There are some hobbies that are great for entertaining at home and exercising your mind , such as: word search, crossword puzzles, sudoku, chess (if you have company), among others. This is a very interesting tip also for the elderly, to keep the brain in full activity.
13 – Assemble a puzzle
Putting puzzles together is an activity that stimulates the brain and is also a lot of fun. The bigger the figure to be assembled, the more challenging the task will be. Take the time to gather family members who are quarantined with you and spend time in a positive way. Then, they can frame the image and keep it as a reminder of the moment they lived together.
14 – Watch inspirational talks
Another way to take advantage of the resources offered by the internet to carry out productive activities at home is by watching inspirational lectures . A very interesting project that conducts conferences with fantastic speeches is TED Talks. With a brief search it is possible to find incredible lectures by names like Tony Robbins, Brené Brown, Daniel Kahneman, Graham Hill, among others.
15 – Visiting museums virtually
Did you know that you can visit museums virtually? That’s right, from the comfort of your home you can see some of the most famous works in the world and see the collection of places like: the Louvre , which is in Paris; the British Museum , London; the MET in New York; the Prado Museum , Spain, among others. Take advantage of this free opportunity to acquire culture!
16 – Caring for plants
If you have a garden at home or some pots you can take care of your plants. Contact with nature is very beneficial, it helps to improve mood and control anxiety, which is very positive during quarantine. If you have a vegetable garden, however small, you can use the food grown to put the tenth item on this list into practice.
17 – Train your writing skills
Writing is a skill ignored by many who erroneously rely on the fact that they are not professional writers. However, it is an activity that is part of the routine of the vast majority of professions, since communication in companies usually takes place by e-mails and text messages. In this sense, take the opportunity to train your writing, read more, expand your vocabulary, this is also a way of adding to your career.
18 – Chatting with family and friends via video calls
Social isolation need not be synonymous with affective isolation. Even if you can’t physically be with your loved ones you can keep in touch with them via video calls. Regardless of whether you already communicate through written messages, being able to see and hear the voice of the people you love will certainly give you more strength to face this moment.
19 – Promote activities that involve everyone in the house
This tip is for those who are at home with their parents, children, spouse or other people. Instead of everyone staying in their corner, doing their own thing, it is interesting that they get together in leisure activities, such as games and games. This can be a great opportunity to get to know better individuals who live with you, but who, due to the hustle and bustle of everyday life, often do not spend quality time together.
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20 – Create an online book club
Reading is a very positive activity and can become even more beneficial if you are part of a book club. Look for one that already exists in forums and social networks or create your own, inviting your friends who also like to read to participate. The group, then, must choose a work and, at the end of the determined period, hold a video conference for them to comment on it.
21 – Produce content for the internet
If you are a user of social networks, you certainly follow the work of several people. Have you thought about starting to produce content to share too? Even if you do not intend to make yourself known, you can do this with your friends, publishing texts, images and videos passing on your knowledge. This is great for gaining self-confidence and strengthening the sense of usefulness during quarantine.
22 – Review your favorite movies
If there is anything comforting, it is being in touch with our affective memory. And you can do this by reviewing films that bring back good memories, whether it was watching with someone special, reminding you of your childhood, in short, anything that does you good. If you have children, you can present these past productions to them, making the experience even more fun.
23 – Taking care of your spirituality
A situation like the one we are living in moves everyone’s spirits, for this reason, it is important that each one takes care of their spirituality , which does not necessarily need to be linked to a religion. It is about finding a meaning for life, which can be related to a higher being, with nature, with your values, in short, with whatever makes sense to you.
24 – Draw, paint and create
Doing crafts encourages creativity and is very good for the mind. Again, if you have children at home, do this activity with them. If not, do it anyway, as adults can also benefit from it, to prove it just remember the success that coloring books made a few years ago.
25 – Update your resume and LinkedIn profile
Even if you are not looking for a new job opportunity, it is important to keep your LinkedIn resume and profile up to date. After all, you never know when a new opportunity may arise. Take the opportunity to interact with people through LinkedIn, make new contacts and strengthen your professional image.
26 – Reassess your financial budget
How long have you been reviewing your finances ? Know that organizing this aspect of your life is a way to value the money you earn through your work. So rethink certain costs, see if you really use all the services you have hired. So you can stay focused on your priorities and achieve financial goals in less time.
27 – Being part of virtual communities
The human being is a social being who is currently unable to relate to people physically. One way to meet this need is through virtual communities, such as Reddit and Facebook groups. Search to find communities with people who have a common interest in you, so they can exchange information and, who knows, make new friends.
28 – Observe the landscape from your window
Could you describe in detail the landscape that can be seen through the windows of your house? If in doubt, take some time to observe, focusing entirely on this activity. If you wish, use your cell phone to take pictures of everything you see. This is a very positive exercise of mindfulness that will help you to focus on the present moment.
29 – Read books that are standing on the shelf
Have you read all the books you have at home? Even the most voracious readers usually have works never read on their shelves, either for lack of time or for putting others in front. Now that time is running out, take the time to catch up on this reading. It may be that you have fantastic publications saved without realizing it.
30 – Call friends and family who haven’t spoken in a while
In addition to keeping in touch with the people who are part of your circle, also remember to call friends and family that you haven’t seen in a while. Even if you always see your posts on social networks, the fact of stopping to make a call to see if the other is doing well can transform his day and yours too.
31 – Learning new skills
Theoretical knowledge is very important, however, it is also good to remember to learn new skills. Here, the most varied activities come in, like tinkering with some software that you don’t know, playing an instrument you have at home, crocheting, painting pictures, options abound. Once again the internet can be your great ally.
32 – Listening to music and singing together
As the saying goes, whoever sings their evils is astonished! Whenever you want to feel more excited during the quarantine, put on your favorite songs to play and release your voice. If you have a videokê at home you can have even more fun. You will certainly feel lighter after some singing time.
33 – Carry out minor repairs at home
Your home is your home, your shelter, so caring for it with care is a way of doing yourself good. So, take advantage of your free time to carry out small repairs that you have been postponing for some time because of the rush. But, of course, do things that are safe and that you know you can fix yourself.
34 – See old photos and remember special moments
Nowadays, rarely does anyone reveal photographs, since they are all stored virtually. However, every house has at least one album with old photos in the closet, from the time of analog cameras. Take the opportunity to review these images and remember moments that are part of your history.
35 – Make a gratitude list
As challenging as the reality is due to the pandemic, it is important to remember that you still have many reasons to be thankful. You have to force your mind on these things to prevent it from going into automatic mode and focusing only on problems. To do this, write a list of all the reasons for which you are grateful and complete it every day.
36 – Write letters to loved ones
We are constantly communicating via written messages, but they are short and in no way resemble letters that were sent in the past. A very interesting activity to do involves writing letters to those you love and that, due to the quarantine, you haven’t seen for some time. Write by hand, photograph the sheet of paper and send it to the recipient, who will certainly be surprised by your gesture.
37 – Listen to podcasts
Podcasts are becoming increasingly popular in Brazil and are great for getting informed and learning new things without having to stop and watch a video, for example. The vast majority of them can be found in streaming music apps, such as Spotify. Listen while you exercise, perform household chores or whenever you prefer.
38 – Search on topics of interest
As stated in several topics in this article, the internet is a wonderful tool that, if used well, can provide us with fantastic benefits. Instead of just being on social media, start using search engines to search for topics that interest you and that do not necessarily need to be related to your work. Broaden your horizons, dare to go further!
39 – Create a project
Do you know that idea that has been in your head for a long time? Stop putting it off and start planning to put it into practice. Even if it depends on things getting back to normal in your city and in our country, there are certainly measures you can start now and do at home. Use your time in a useful way, in the future you will thank yourself for taking this action.
40 – Make plans for when the quarantine is over
Focusing on the present moment to avoid anxious thoughts is essential, but that does not mean that you cannot make plans for the future. As much as we don’t have clear answers about when the quarantine will end, you can think about what you will do when it happens. Consider both professional and personal plans, analyze the steps you need to take and get organized to get there!
Roberto Shinyashiki, author of a great success book, has a quote that teaches us a lot about the phase we are going through. He said that in life we have three great teachers, which are: the happy moment, the sad moment and the difficult moment. The first shows everything that we don’t need to change; the second, what we need to change; the third, shows everything that we are capable of supporting. Think about it!
Take the opportunity to send this article to your friends and encourage them to take advantage of the quarantine to carry out productive and uplifting activities!
