10 Activities to Try During Quarantine (Besides Social Media)
Just take a deep breath in. You’re not the only one binge eating while watching Netflix.
At the start of this quarantine, I felt depressed, lost in a world that became so unfamiliar. Without a routine, without MY organized, and strict routine, my values of life had diminished. I went from lifting 20 kg dumbbells in the gym to eating 20 kg of carrot cake. My schoolwork and studying became staring at a screen until my eyes water. My travel plans – and trust me there were many – turned into dreams upon dreams that will take very long to realize. Yoga, however, is one of the only passions that has kept me moving, breathing, and loving things the way they are.
Here are a few quarantine tips to keep you smiling, keep you creating, and keep you healthy.
1) Baking
Baking is an activity so unique and the experience of mixing ingredients together to create art, and being able to taste it at the end is the cherry on top – literally. You can try to bake different recipes from all different countries. Try your favorite Asian cuisine, or try making the crepes you always wanted to. So many opportunities to cook and put ingredients together.
2) Reading
This activity, which is certainly more than just an activity, is a great pass-time. You will be living through characters from magical or basic, reading is one of the only ways to go “out” during quarantine. By becoming fictional characters and living through them, living their stories and experiencing alternative worlds, especially now when life is paused.
3) Writing
By writing, you will create and liberate yourself, you will be able to express yourself, how you feel, and journal your days. When you look back at it one day, your strength will be appreciated. You will be able to read about the things you overcame during these hard times.
4) Making Music
Making music is an activity that cannot really be explained, I encourage you to just try and fall in love with it. Let your Beethoven out, sing while playing the piano, or the guitar. Who cares if it’s wrong, there’s no right way to create.
5) Gardening
This activity involves giving back to the planet. By planting and taking care of plants, you are creating life, just like how you were created. Honor the planet when it needs it the most. Maybe it’s the beginning of a greener tomorrow and a nice garden to practice yoga in.
6) Making smoothies/ juices
During this pandemic, I think we are all in need of an immune system boost as it is the most important aspect of medicine right now. By consuming healthy homemade smoothies and juices, you will cleanse your stomach, your soul, and your lifestyle.
7) Painting
If you feel like you are not the best of artists, then I recommend trying the fun activity that is painted by numbers. All you have to do is paint on a canvas that is already drawn based on the numbers of the paint, and you will fall in love with the feeling of the softness of the brush against the paper and the final piece will want you craving more. You can even pick the fruits and veggies from your new home-garden.
8) Sleeping
This is not an activity, this is daily life and we should catch up or gain an advantage on all the lost hours during work or school. If you usually get 5 hours of sleep a day; here’s your chance! If you need a nap- take a mat outside and breathe in the fresh air, while your mind rests. Breathe the fresh air and feel the breeze or the sun, depending on where you live, and let yourself relax.
9) Yoga
Practicing yoga will teach you the true values and morals of life by bettering yourself and challenging the norms. Dive into spirituality, pray, or dance. Feel grounded and receive love and light. Yoga is more than sitting, eating, breathing, or even a lifestyle, it’s a way that changes everything within us for the greater good and higher power.
10) Binge all the Netflix
You will never have another chance to just relax and watch all the shows that have been on your waitlist for years. You now have a bunch of free time to watch whatever you want, whenever you want, and however, you want. Maybe, try putting the show in another language, if you are working on learning a new one. Put subtitles to work on your reading/spelling. Listen to podcasts if you are still on the go. Make changes, adapt, and relax your mind and body.
Even though life has seemed to slow down for all of us, it is important to grasp these changes and incorporate them into our lifestyles, personalities, and mindsets. Take time to do the things that our busy schedules don’t allow us to do. Feel every moment and remember it.
Sometimes, we live in such selfish and mindless ways. We become puppets of a system designed to create hate and jealousy. Do the simple things; stay home, learn to control your breathing, sleep all day if that’s what you’re missing, exercise, create, and figure out new ways of living. Become still and listen to the environment and your loved ones more deeply. In the absence of us living in heartless ways, the earth will heal. And when it does, and the danger passes, we will all join together again. We will grieve our losses and make new choices.
Take this time to better yourself, dream new images, and create new ways to live.
The love, passion, strength, and integrity in my heart honors each and every one of you. Stay safe, and remember the importance of acceptance of the present moment.
Thank you for reading, and I encourage you to stay busy and try all the activities that you have always wanted to. Please comment down below any other activities you like to do during these crazy times!
