By now, I am sure we are all looking for different things to do while practicing social distancing and following our state’s “Stay at Home” orders. Days can become monotonous real fast when you are used to being on the go or if your current routine needs pepped up and refueled. Here are a few ideas of things you can do to add to the mix.
- Fresh air helps everything. Having a bad day? Go outside! Getting out of the house is a huge priority, even if you don’t go anywhere. Walk around the neighborhood. If there are parks or trails open, hit them up for a break. Go on a hike if possible. My family has added a little learning to our hikes when my daughter notices things she is learning in science class like weathering and erosion. To make it more fun and interesting, you can turn your walk into a scavenger hunt.
- Whether you miss going to the gym or if you are just starting your exercise routine but don’t have a home gym, there are multiple free trials you can sign up for to help burn those calories!
- Do you like to cook or bake? Challenge yourself to try new recipes, or if you have a favorite restaurant meal, try to make a copycat version of it. Plan at least one new recipe a week and make sure the ingredients are on your shopping list. I am an out of the box baker (and sometimes have trouble with it), so I am going to challenge myself to make something from scratch!
- Get together with friends and family…wait, what?? Set up a Zoom call or a group FaceTime call if you have the capability. My family meets at least once a week on Zoom. Depending on the day, it might be a Happy Hour call.
- How do you like to unwind after a long day? If you are anything like me, I like to either relax and watch TV or read a book. Are you all caught up on your favorite cable shows? If you are looking for a new show to watch (or binge) all streaming services offer a free trial if you don’t have any of them now. There is Netflix, Hulu, Prime Video, and Disney+. Through Amazon, you can get the following free trials: HBO – 7 days; Showtime – 30 days; Starz – 30 days; Cinemax – 30 days; CBS All Access – 30 days. While I love TV, my most favorite way to relax and unwind is reading a book. And while I used to love having an actual book in my hands and feeling the pages between my fingers, I realized that reading e-books is much easier for me. Each year I challenge myself to read 72 books – 6 a month. During quarantine, it has become easier for me to reach that goal. If you have a tablet or smartphone, the Kindle app is a free app to download. To get started reading, if you don’t already, both Kindle Unlimited and Scribd offer a 30-day free trial, which include both digital and audio books.
I hope you can find a way to fuel your quarantined life and challenge yourself to do things that you typically may not have tried. We all need something to look forward to in these trying time. Please stay safe and healthy, both physically and mentally.
