In our current culture of constant movement and instant gratification, being forced to stay at home and wait for things to get better sounds like hell. With schools, workplaces, cinemas, restaurants, and most other services closing you might not know how to distract yourself. Now that most of us are in self-quarantine due to the coronavirus outbreak, you might be wondering what we can do with all this sudden and abundant free time to avoid losing our sanity or dying of boredom.
If you are like me, one of your main concerns during this time is boredom. With an increase in free time you might not know where to start or what to do to entertain yourself. If you are interested in gaming, you could look forward to some new releases that can keep you busy for hours on end, such as Animal Crossing: New Horizons, a life simulation game that could provide you with a sense of escapism as you create your own personal island paradise. On the other hand, you might have a slew of games that you meant to play, but never got around to. If that is the case, then now is a good time to finally catch up on some potential gems that you may have missed.
Maybe you are the type of person that loves to binge watch shows with others, which is a bit difficult at the moment considering the quarantine. Luckily there’s a browser extension for Google Chrome that you can use with Netflix, called Netflix Party. This app synchronizes your video and adds a group chat so that you can invite others and watch your favorite shows and movies together. However, this currently only supports messaging, so you cannot see or hear others.
This time is not only good to catch up on shows, movies, or games you have missed, but you can also use this time to improve your skills or discover some new hobbies. You might have been meaning to work on your cooking skills. Well, now is the time to do so, provided you managed to get some groceries before hoarders have snatched them all. We actually have a post that can give you some tips on how to cook, which you can find here.
Just because you are basically under house arrest, gyms are closed, and you don’t have a home gym, it does not mean that you cannot stay in shape. Body weight exercises are a great way to do exercise without needing equipment or leaving the house. Simple exercises that you can easily do at home include but are not limited to squats, push-ups, lunges, and jumping jacks. Just make sure to warm-up beforehand, and don’t forget to stretch. However, if creating your own workout routine is not your thing, there are a variety of resources online. There are websites out there that can provide you with a specific routine, or maybe you want to follow an actual trainer. Some coaches teach online classes that you can follow at home, or if you don’t want to worry about being seen during your workout you can find fitness videos online to help keep you in shape. Such as Sports Fitness Advisor, Fitness Blender, Turbulence Training, or DoYogaWithMe
Finally, you should also take a break and relax during this time. It is a stressful and difficult situation for many, so it’s also important to take time for yourself. Sometimes, even if you have a lot of free time it is also good to do nothing. Maybe meditate or take a well-deserved nap. This is just a short list of things that you could be doing instead of going insane. I am sure that there are many other activities that I have not covered here. If you have any suggestions for a potential follow-up to this you can either send them to dominik.wachter@outlook.com, or leave a comment below.