10 Useful Things to Do While Stuck at Home
The keyword to these troubling days we’re living is time. Most of us have much more free time than we used to, so it’s very important that we use it wisely. Here are 10 ideas that will fill your days and help you achieve new goals from the comfort of your own home.
1. Start a vegetable and herb garden
Growing our own vegetables and herbs is a dream many of us have, even if we don’t all have the necessary space to do it. Maybe we don’t even have a yard for that, but this shouldn’t stop us. Growing plants in pots is also totally possible and it could result in great satisfaction and some tasty cherry tomatoes, chilli peppers, and basil. Here’s some inspiration on how you can create your balcony garden.
2. Read & watch something you’ve always wanted to
This one is a no brainer. With so much time on your hands, you can definitely check a few books and films off your list. Don’t just idly watch what TV networks are feeding you. Pick educational programs or series you’ve always planned on watching but never had the time. Until now. Check out the latest Oscar winners, find documentaries that interest you, the options are endless when it comes to watching material.
3. Ensure some screen-free time every day
With so much Netflix, social media, and news these days, it would be a lifesaver if you could carve out some screen-free time every day. Enjoying a cup of coffee and chatting with your loved ones, coloring (yes, even for adults), or tending to the above mentioned garden are easy and pleasant ways to release stress while staying away from all the screens surrounding you.
4. Develop your cooking skills
Boy, how necessary this has turned out to be right now! There is even a funny meme that goes like this: The real reason people are hoarding toilet paper is because they’re eating their own cooking for the first time. Whether you enjoyed cooking before or you didn’t even know how to start the oven, whether you’re a chef in your day to day life or you always eat out, we all have to do our fair share of cooking these days.
Practice makes perfect and experience is the best teacher. So, you’ll definitely come out a better cook when this trying time is over. Take this opportunity to try all the recipes you’ve always dreamed of. You’ll likely never have so much time at your disposal again.
5. Explore an area/skill you’re interested in
Learning new things is probably the best thing you can do during these times. No pressure, though! You don’t need to change your profession or get a certificate for your newly acquired knowledge. Taking some time to look into something you’re interested in is good enough. Watching documentaries, reading articles, taking online courses, or using educational apps can definitely help you develop in new areas, such as learning a new language.
If you prefer a more practical approach, you can try your hand at crafts, knitting, painting, scrapbooking, journaling, or even writing fiction. What better time than the present to actually start working on your novel? ;)
6. Get in touch with people you haven’t talked to in a long time
You’re probably in touch with your close friends and family almost on a daily basis through calls, video, and texts. But this is a good time to also reconnect with people you care about that you may have lost touch with. Childhood friends, school classmates, coworkers you used to get along great with, old business contacts… Check how they’re doing, you’ll both love catching up and resuming your relationship. It’s not like you don’t have the time… ;)
7. Do some serious cleaning, organizing, and repairing
Two reasons here: it’s spring and you have no more reasons to postpone taking care of your house. You can deep clean everything that’s been on your mind over the past couple of years: the couch, the tiles in the kitchen, the doors, the pans that you never have time to polish properly… You know best.
You can also take up little projects like painting the fence or a few walls that need repainting. Or you can rearrange the furniture, organize your desk, or go through your wardrobe and see what you should keep and what can go.
8. Start or keep working out
While you can’t go to the gym or the swimming pool like you used to, this doesn’t mean you have to become a couch potato. There are so many types of training available online, on YouTube or on dedicated apps. Just pick your favorite or try something you’ve never done before.
Try to maintain the routine you used to have before, so if for instance you used to go to the gym 3 times a week, you can now workout in your bedroom 3 times a week. Or if you never had time to go to the gym, now is a good opportunity to start working out.
9. Spend some time outside
Being outside in the sunlight and fresh air is so beneficial to our mind and body. A break of only a few minutes when you stretch or have a cup of coffee outside can reset your entire day. If you have a yard, you’re all set. You can spend as much time outside as you like, working, playing with your kids, or just chilling. If you’re not so fortunate right now, just sitting on the balcony is a nice change of pace and it will surely make you feel refreshed.
10. Spend quality time with your loved ones
I bet you used to complain about not having enough time to be with your loved ones and do things together. Well, now you do. Unfortunately, you can’t take trips or go out, but you can find activities that will make you happy staying in. Listening to old songs that bring back memories, browsing photo albums or scrapbooks, playing board games, cooking, watching movies, or just chatting… Basically doing anything you all enjoy together.
It might be frustrating to be stuck at home for so long, but if you spend your time in meaningful ways you’ll feel you’ve achieved something and these weeks were not lost. Look at the positives in this whole situation and take advantage of what you have right now.
