20 Interesting Things To Do At Home Other Than Television & Netflix (COVID-19 Pandemic)

With the world under no condition to travel, and people stuck in their homes, I think most of us are either glued to their phones, laptops or television sets.

As Singapore is on a ‘Circuit Breaker’ where residents are asked to stay at home, unless absolutely essential to go outside (groceries, health care etc), my feet are itching to go outside and wander. In fact, I am always bitten by the travel bug and not being able to just have a casual walk around the city is really bugging me and I know it is bugging you too, wherever you are! We all are waiting for things to return to normal, aren’t we?

Nevertheless, we all know by now, the importance of social distancing & staying at home. We can beat the virus by just staying at home and that is as easy as it gets, isn’t it?

Ever since I am spending time at home, I am doing by best to keep myself busy and do something productive or creative.

Keeping our minds busy and engaged at this time is the ultimate challenge, since our minds constantly lookout for something to do. Watching news and television or netflix, amazon prime and the likes is the easiest way, and I love to do that too! (Yes, I am watching Money Heist! :D), but after a point, it’s best to take a break from watching your favourite series, because doing the television & netflix thing for long periods of time can be damaging to our psyche and make us feel dull and after a point.

So here are a few things which you can do at home, other than TV & Netflix.

I am sure you must be already doing some of them; Here’s the list:

1. GROW A PLANT

Gardening is a great way to spend your time. You can grow few plants using seeds in your kitchen pantry. E.g.: flax seeds plant, mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, cumin seeds, ginger, turmeric, basil seeds, seet potato, carrot tops, capsicum seeds, chilli seeds etc.

2. READ A BOOK

Reading not only keeps you entertained, but helps in improving your memory power as well as enhances your vocabulary. In today’s times of technology, many people don’t read or are alien to the beauty of it. It doesn’t matter what genre of books you read, there are multiple benefits of reading. Like the famous quote goes- ” A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies.. The man who never reads lives only one. “- R. R. Martin

3. PRACTICE YOGA & MEDITATION

As the world goes through tough times and our anxiety levels are high, practicing yoga & meditation are the ultimate ways to deal with it as well as learn something new.

I have already spoken about it in my previous article on dealing with anxiety during COVID-19 have a look.

4. LEARN ONLINE

Whether it is taking up an online course in your profession or learning a language online, now is a good time for self-growth and learning something new.

5. REASSESS YOUR FINANCE MANAGEMENT

The best time to reflect upon your earnings, savings and financial goals is now. Are you spending too much? How much money would you need to attain a certain goal for yourself or your family? Ask yourself such questions & reassess the way you manage your finance.

6. START A BLOG

I think I don’t need to explain this one! My blog is my source of happiness in current times and I am sure it will be yours too, so go ahead and start one. Identify your niche, take the leap and start blogging!

7. COOK & BAKE

I think many people are already doing this! I see so many delicious pictures on my Instagram & Facebook feed! Now is the best time to update our culinary skills & chef in style!

If you need any ideas, take a look at the food & recipes section of this blog!

8. DECLUTTER YOUR SPACE

Now cleaning and dusting isn’t really my forte & those who know me well can testify to that. Nevertheless, I am looking forward to declutter a few things in my closet & I remember how good I felt after decluttering my dressing table. 😀

Decluttering & organizing our spaces enhances the positive vibes in our home and makes us feel light & cheerful.

9. LISTEN TO MUSIC & DANCE

Now is the time to listen to all the lastest & trending songs and go back to listening to your favourite ones as well. Dancing is another way to keep yourself busy and happy and as a Dance Movement Therapist, I can say that it definitely helps you relieve your stress and pent up emotions.

So what are you waiting for?

10. DIY ACTIVITES & ART

YouTube and Pinterest have a lot of ideas related to Do-It-Yourself Activites & art related stuff. Painting, drawing, sketching, craft, etc; so many options to choose from. So go ahead & get creative.

11. TOUR FAMOUS MUSEUMS ONLINE

Sitting at home doesn’t mean you cannot visit museums. Certain museums like the British Museum, London, Guggenheim Museum, New York, Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam and many others can be toured from the comfort of your couch. A simple google search will give you a list of such museums and you can enjoy viewing them & learn more about art, history & culture!

12. FACETIME WITH FAMILY & FRIENDS

I have already mentioned this in my previous post. It is vital to stay connected with the people close to us, to reduce anxiety and feelings of loneliness & depression. Now is the time to rely on the virtual world in keeping us closer.

13. START A YOUTUBE CHANNEL

I started my own YouTube Channel & took quite a big leap of faith in doing so. Ever since I have started it, I am having a lot of fun & learning quite a few things. It’s a great way to share what you know, with the world. Give it a try & you may be surprised on how much you enjoy it!

14. WRITE A STORY OR A BOOK

If you have been contemplating on writing a story or a book, now is the best time! I wrote a fiction novel in 2015 and although I didn’t have a lot of funds at that time, I managed to self-publish it (it’s extremely easy & cheap) and it was a great feeling!

So don’t wait for the ‘right time’ to start writing something you have been wanting to. The right time is ‘Now’!

15. LEARN ABOUT THE STOCK MARKET

If you wish to invest your savings, the stock markets and mutual funds are an excellent option. The main thing is sound financial knowledge of investing your funds wisely and you can utilise this period to upgrade yourself on these topics so that you are better equipped in handling your finances.

16. MAKE A BUCKET LIST

It could be crazy whimsical list and can include bizzare things to do or places to travel to. Even though the things you wish to do may not be possible right now, it could give you perspective on what things you enjoy and what makes you happy.

17. START A GRATITUDE JOURNAL

Gratitude makes you value the things which you already have. Starting a gratitude journal is the best way to pen down the things you are grateful about and that will make you happy and feel upbeat about your life.

18. UPDATE YOUR RESUME

If you are looking for a career change, you can utilise this time to update your resume and linkedin profile and stay ahead of your peers in the job hunting game. This will help you once the world starts returning to normal. (Hope it happens soon!)

19. DECLUTTER YOUR EMAIL INBOX

Clear the spam & unwanted promotional emails & focus only on what is significant for you. A clean inbox is a productive on!

20. BE A MENTOR FOR SOMEONE

You can always share what you know with others. This helps us feel good about ourselves & also helps other people. Whether it is cooking, business, marketing, life-skills or anything else, we all have talents and can share them with the world via blogs, facebook, instagram and other social media platforms. If not, simply encouraging other people in this time of crisis is a great way to be of use to someone. Mentoring someone in the smallest of the ways is extremely satisfying.

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That’s it!

These are 20 ways in which you can spend your time at home.

There is so much to do at home, we just need to explore! If you have any more ideas, feel free to share them in the comment section below!

Keep a watch for my next post!

Till then,

Dream, Imagin, Be Crazy , Be You.