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Lockdowns, shelter in place orders and full quarantines have forced most of us to spend all of our time at home. And people are spending more time than ever now watching TV, posting to social media, and playing games on their phones and tablets.
And as tempting as it may be to turn to our screens when we’re so limited in what we can do, it’s important to give our eyes a break. Sure, there is a whole world out there easy to access through our devices, but there are plenty of things we can do at home to occupy ourselves.
Need a break from your TV, phone, laptop, and tablet? Here are 9 things to do during quarantine that don’t involve screens.
Read a Book
Remember books? Before Kindle tablets and eReaders and audiobooks, we relied on actual paper books to fill our brains with knowledge and spark imagination. It’s time books make a comeback.
If you have a collection of actual books in your home, grab a favorite and re-read it. There’s something really satisfying about flipping the pages and seeing your progress as you read chapter after chapter.
If you don’t have any books at home, order a few online and have them shipped to your door while you can still get packages delivered.
You might also be interested in: 15 Ways To Start Reading More Books Right Now
Play Games
No, we’re not talking about video games. We’re talking board games, trivia games and card games. If you don’t have any board games at home, play a game of charades or grab a piece of paper (or a chalkboard or a whiteboard) and play a few rounds of Hangman.
Not in the mood for a competitive game? Jigsaw puzzles are a great way to pass the time. The more pieces it has, the more challenging it will be and the more time it will take to complete it.
Learn a New Skill
Have you always wanted to learn how to cook? Would you love to know how to sew, knit, or crochet? Interested in learning to play an instrument?
If someone in your house has a skill that you don’t, have them teach you during quarantine.
This is a great way to pass on knowledge to your kids, and a fun way to share some of your skills with your spouse, significant other or roommates.
Related: How to Make Candles at Home [In 8 Easy Steps]
Exercise
Staying indoors all day is making a lot of us want to eat and snack more. At some point, the quarantine will be over, and you’ll want to look and feel your best when it’s time to venture back out into the world.
Keep yourself in shape with some good aerobic exercise at home. Put on some music, do some jumping jacks or squats and have fun with it! This is the perfect way to pass the time alone or with your entire family by your side.
Related: A Guide to Practicing Yoga at Home
Sing and Dance
Crank up some music, have a singalong or throw a mini dance party in your living room!
Dancing and singing is uplifting, and that is definitely necessary at a time like this. Plus, it’s a great way to take your mind off why we’re all under quarantine in the first place.
You get an extra bonus if you do this one because dancing is also a great exercise!
When you do decide it’s time to turn the TV back on, put on your favorite music videos and try to dance along with them. That’s always good for a laugh, especially if you’re in the company of people who can’t dance!
Write Letters
When was the last time you received an actual handwritten letter in the mail? It’s probably been years, if not decades.
Grab a pen and a few sheets of paper and write letters to your family and friends. Make them funny or make them heartfelt – it’s totally up to you. If you send someone a letter now while they’re feeling trapped and alone in their house, you can be sure they’ll never forget it!
Pamper Yourself
With so much extra time at home (and hair salons, spas and nail salons shut down) why not take a few hours to pamper yourself?
Do a face mask or give yourself a mani/pedi. Pour yourself a glass of wine, light some candles and take a long, hot bath in your tub.
You can even make it feel like a full day of beauty by doing face treatments, nail treatments, and body treatments back to back, just like you would do at the spa.
Organize Your Closets and Drawers
Have you been procrastinating on cleaning out your closets and organizing your drawers for the last few months? With this quarantine in effect, you are officially out of excuses.
Granted, cleaning and organizing aren’t necessarily fun for a lot of people, but you’ll feel really good about yourself when it’s done.
Try on every outfit you have and get rid of the clothes that you don’t like or don’t fit into anymore—Declutter your shelves and drawers. Clean out every kitchen cabinet and organize things in a more efficient way.
Unless you’re already a part of the Marie Kondo cult, even your small apartment probably needs some organizational help.
Bake Something Sweet
Normally, we wouldn’t recommend stuffing your face with sugary, fattening, processed foods. But in times like these, something sweet can really brighten up your day.
Bake some cookies, bake a cake or make a batch of cupcakes. If you have kids, get them involved by letting them mix the batter, spread the icing, or do the decorating.
What Are Some Fun Things to Do During Quarantine?
There are more ways to entertain yourself than with TV, movies, video games and social media.
Pick up a book, learn a new skill or do some exercise. Sing and dance around your living room, bake some cookies or cupcakes, or pamper yourself with a mini at-home spa day.
Write letters to people you love or friends you haven’t seen in a while. Gather your family to play board games or do jigsaw puzzles.
Want to do something more productive? Clean out your closets and drawers and organize your apartment once and for all!
We get it, being stuck indoors isn’t easy.
We’re a social society; we like our bars, restaurants, concerts and sporting events. But none of that is important right now. What’s important is staying safe, staying inside and doing whatever we have to do collectively to prevent more people from getting sick.
The more you can do to entertain yourself, the easier quarantine will be!
You might also be interested in: How to Start a Patio Garden (Gardening Without a Yard)
Jessica Heston
view postJessica Heston
After 15 years in the fashion industry, this Philadelphia native ditched her corporate career to focus on writing full time. Jessica is a TV junkie, whiskey lover and true crime addict. She finds inspiration from Broadway musicals, Hitchcock films and The Beatles. She is happily married without children, which she credits as the reason for her professional success, youthful attitude and solid eight hours of sleep every night.
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