Top 10 Things To Do During the Quarantine

by Balthazar M.

It's so easy to lose grasp of life when we're stuck indoors. Normalcy leaves as we stay in our rooms wondering what we should do with our empty time. But, time is never empty in the hands of a person with the right attitude! Here's a list of what you can do while you're stuck in lockdown.

10. Read A Good Book

In a world of screens and the internet, it's so easy to ignore the books in the bookshelf collecting dust. There's a really magical feeling when opening an actual book. To have an open book in one's hands, and to read without any radiation glaring back-- a dream.

Do you remember the feeling of completing a really good book while snuggled up in bed?

But if you don't have any physical books at home, don't worry! Some major eBook companies like Scribd are giving free access to their books for a limited time for us people under quarantine. You can start reading for free online now!

9. Keep Fit!

Try out some free bodyweight exercises! A lot of sources on YouTube are really effective in making you sweat. From cardio to strength training exercises, they have it all. All you need is a room with a floor, self-discipline, and in some cases, the confidence to dance around!

What about getting fit without all those explosive movements? Try out yoga! Yoga is not just about poses; you can really tone your body while checking your flexibility and balance. A peaceful perspective afterward is just a sweet, sweet bonus. A healthy mind and a healthy spirit are more possible to achieve with a healthy body.

Also, try to cut the junk food. It's easy to make eight trips to your fridge in an hour when you have nowhere else to go. A little tip: Don't buy the junk in the first place! Stop the munchies. You're on quarantine, not a breakup!

8. Learn Something New

The brain also needs exercise. Challenge yourself by learning something new!

The guitar inside your closet is not just a prop. Why not learn to play it, finally? With all the free tutorials online, try learning to play an instrument you always wanted to master.

Or you can actually use this time to learn some marketable skills. Learning how to use Photoshop, coding, or the intricacies of Microsoft Office is a great use of time. Who knows? When you get back to work, you might actually use these newly acquired skills to gain an edge in your career.

One can also use this time to learn a new language! Your vacation plans might have been postponed because of the pandemic, but you can still continue your plan to learn the language. By the time your rescheduled vacation takes place, you would already be a pro with the language of the land.

Or what about learning sign language, or braille? Honestly, with all the apps and videos online, the possibilities are endless!

"When you get back to work, you might actually use these newly acquired skills to gain an edge in your career."

7. Netflix Binge

When was the last time you binged a show? With Netflix, Hulu, YouTube, HBO, and a number of other large video streaming platforms, you can start watching the phenomenal shows your friends keep on talking about.

Who has time to finish all six seasons of Lost anyway? Well... you!

So, go ahead, get snuggly and comfy under your covers and start binging.

6. Rediscover Hobbies

Remember those baking classes you took that one summer two years ago? Well, isn't this the perfect time to revisit the hobby that you always wanted to do but never did because it was just too time-consuming?

Bake a cake, beautify your garden, sew a customized shirt, knit a sweater, scrapbook with materials you find at home, create lovely crafts!

Maybe even open up the canisters of paint in the basement and paint a vase of flowers, or even your roommate. Or, you can just pull out the good old pen and paper and start writing again. Write a story, a poem, or even your musings on what's happening in the world right now. (How do you think this blog started in the first place?)

You can do a lot of things. Creation is one of the best things you can contribute to the world, especially at a time like this.

5. Limit Social Media

With nothing to do inside while alone or separated from friends we miss, it's so easy to lose time endlessly scrolling through social media.

It would actually be a great idea to control our screen time. With all the news circulating around, it's so easy to get worried, panicked, angry, disappointed, or to feel a plethora of other messed up feelings. What's more, your news feed is not really the best source of legitimate and verifiable news.

Don't forget to check the sources of the articles you read; and again, try to control your screen time!

4. Household Errands

Being stuck in your house really makes you notice all that clutter in the basement, in the attic, or in your own closet, right? Now is the right time to clean and organize your things! You can even find items you can donate to the people who might need them now more than ever.

Also, the leaky pipes you've been meaning to fix but keep on skipping because you were "too busy" are looking at you right now. You have the tools and equipment, time to go around your house to get your hands dirty!

3. Have Fun With Family

It's very likely that you're currently stuck inside your house with your family. Turn this empty time into great memories!

Play indoor games (Jenga, cards, or Twister!), talk and catch up, or even do chores together. With all of you free, you can even have meals together. Don't pass up this rare opportunity.

Special note: Try to check up on your friends by giving them a call. A kind word from a friend can turn someone's experience of this lockdown around.

2. Maintain A Daily Schedule

It's so easy to be in vacation mode when we're just staying at home, chilling. And, it's also so easy to lose time and lose control of life. You might be experiencing long bouts of sleep without doing anything productive for the whole day.

One helpful way of not getting lost in the endless pit of laziness is to set a schedule that you can adhere to every day. An effective way to implement this is to set time for activities: set a standard time for waking up, for being productive, for lazing around, for sleeping, etc.

Setting a schedule for you to follow until the lockdown is lifted will surely help you manage your life a little better during the quarantine. A bonus is that you won't even need to drastically adjust once work or school starts again because your body clock's already well and working.

Setting a schedule for you to follow until the lockdown is lifted will surely help you manage your life a little better during the quarantine.

1. Rest

Back in our normal lives with our daily hustles and bustles, we often neglect one thing: We don't pause. We seldom unpack and reflect on what our life has become, what it is now, and where it's heading. Now that we're on quarantine, take advantage of the forced peace.

Pause physically and mentally.

Rest and catch up on sleep. Remember all those extra shifts, the overtime, and the sleepless nights. You need and deserve this!

And, while you're at it, be sure to allot a certain amount of time to quietly contemplate and meditate (maybe even pray). With all the panic happening in the world outside your walls, it's good to find a little bit of peace within.

Bonus: Try To Volunteer

Yes, we should adhere to social distancing. But, it's also during these hard times that we can help the most. Why not help with local volunteer efforts like doing grocery-runs for the older or frailer residents of your community? Or, if you don't want to risk it but still want to help, you can send donations for equipment for our front liners in the battle against COVID-19.

Whatever you do, every bit of help counts in not only defeating this disease, but also helping others survive through it. Take care! 🌸

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