If you’re feeling the agonizing boredom that has accompanied all the current social distancing rules, take comfort in knowing you’re not alone. We’re all starting to get pretty antsy, and some of us are just about ready to start punching holes in the walls!
Since there’s no end in sight to our current isolation, check out this list of everything you can do to avoid boredom and stay busy during quarantine!
You can spend hours—or even days—working on a complex jigsaw puzzle. This activity keeps your brain constantly engaged, and the finished product is so satisfying that you’ll be hooked. The best thing about puzzles is that you can glue, frame, and mount them on the wall so that you can admire your hard work and perserverance forever!
A creative and rewarding way to kill time, writing stimulates the brain and can really help you open up. Being stuck in quarantine can make us feel trapped and frustrated, and writing is an outlet where you can vent your frustrations or just turn your negativity into a creative short story, poem, online forum, or even a novel! Because let’s face it—we have the time.
If you’re anything like me, then you’re no stranger to starting books that you never finish. Well, put an end to that cycle by investing time in what interests you and find a few books that will titillate your soul. Reading makes the clock tick and your neurons spark, but don’t forget to take frequent breaks to give your eyes a rest!
There are so many board games being released right now that it’s difficult to tell which ones are the best for the long term. “Undaunted: Normandy” is definitely one of the best board games to stay busy during quarantine because it’s a two-player game that involves war tactics, deck building, and a campaign that features multiple different scenarios—all of which recreate real battles that went down at Normandy during World War II!
The best part about this game is that you don’t have to know a thing about history or war; all you need is a brain and the desire to bring either the Germans or the Americans to victory by out-thinking your opponent in this addicting game of strategy!
With the internet at our fingertips, DIY projects of literally every kind have video tutorials, WikiHow pages, or narrated audio recordings available at online resources such as Pinterest, Instagram, and YouTube, to name a few.
Put your creativity—and your patience—to the ultimate test by starting and finishing a DIY project. Then, when you’re done, start and finish another! You’ll feel accomplished and productive, and you’ll actually have something original and special to show for yourself during all this downtime!
Streaming services offer a wide range of documentaries, including historical accounts of the minority experience in America, every war in history, and health/wellness insights. You can become a functional expert in nearly any subject just by sitting on the couch and choosing a documentary instead of another Friends rerun. You might even be pleasantly surprised by what you learn!
Now is the perfect time to de-clutter. Go through all your drawers, your closet, your bathroom, and every other compartment where you keep stuff you probably don’t need. Designate a box for throw-aways and a box for donations, and then give your room a much-needed detail clean. At least then you won’t be trapped in a pigpen anymore!
You can learn pretty much anything just by typing in “how to do…” on Google, so think of something you’ve been itching to try and give it a shot!
One thing I personally recommend is watching Bob Ross on Netflix, Hulu, YouTube, or Amazon Prime Video and following along as he paints! Do this with a buddy if you’re not quarantined alone and turn it into a competition: who’s painting looks most like Bob’s?
Don’t forget that your friends are probably just as bored as you are. Don’t neglect them just because you’re spiraling into a state of constantly napping and eating Doritos! It’s good for your mental health to socialize and avoid total isolation, so encourage your friends to video chat with you at least once a week.
Ever wonder why some movies were nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards? Well, now you can find out! YouTube, Vudu, and several other streaming services offer cheap rentals for movies that aren’t available for free, so kill some serious time by stepping into the shoes of a movie critic to see whether or not you agree with their critiques!
It’s very important that you keep moving. Lying around all day will start to impact your overall well-being, so don’t become a full-time couch potato! Instead, dedicate one hour every day to taking a walk outside and trying a new exercise, such as yoga, jump rope, or kettle ball cardio. Invite your friends to join you and hold a virtual workout sesh every day!
If you’re a self-appointed chef like me, try some new recipes that challenge your ability. If you don’t cook, there’s no better time to start than right now! Pinterest is an excellent resource for finding recipes for exactly what sounds good to you at any moment throughout the day, and there are many useful tips for beginners. So, stop napping and get to chopping!
Use all this free time to get your resume and cover letter ready to go once everything opens back up! There are countless free resources available online to help you structure an organized resume and a strong cover letter. Learning how to sell your skills now will help you get interviews for the jobs you want in the future!
This is a stressful time for everyone, and we all need to take a step back and make sure our mental health is taken care of. Listen to some ambient music and meditate for 5 to 10 minutes every day to keep your chi centered.
Now’s also a great time to catch up on any body care we’ve been neglecting lately. Do a face mask and hair mask once a week, give yourself a mani/pedi once a month, and if you’re quarantined with someone, exchange foot rubs every once in a while!
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