Here are some activities to do at home that don’t involve watching TV.
- Reading – there are plenty of books out there to read! if you need inspiration why not find your favourite author and see what other work they have done? Or a great idea is to join an online book club or follow a book club account on Instagram to help inspire you.
- Cooking – if you’re a beginner cook, why not invest in a beginner’s cookbook to learn some skills during this lockdown. Cooking is an excellent activity to do that can distract your mind for a couple hours. Beginner or experienced cook you can change it up by having different themed nights each weekend to try different things such as Italian night, Lebanese night or even Australian – find their traditional recipes for you to try at home.
- Baking – baking again is another great activity to keep you busy with delicious treats at the end. You can start with the simple things and work your way up. Why not host your own bake off with your family or housemates?
- Drawing & Painting – another creative outlet that doesn’t require much at all just some pencils/paint and paper. You can paint still life from inside your home, portraits, self-portraits or landscapes. Research some artists and see if you can emulate their style of work – there are plenty of forums online to teach you how.
- Colouring in & paint by numbers– these activities are great for mindfulness and de-stressing that anyone can do. Although similar to before instead of trying to push creativity you are simply doing as instructed and focusing on the creative task at hand.
- Decluttering – With the start of a new year and time on your hands, it is the perfect time to clear out those areas at home you have been putting off for a while. Whether it is your wardrobe, the kitchen draws/ cupboards or your bedside table there will be plenty of places to do. You don’t necessarily have to throw items away; it could just be re-organising. If you are throwing items away that are still in good condition like DVDs, books, pans or items of clothing – why not call up your local charities to see if they want your things?
- Walking – Get your body moving each day and some fresh air to help keep a clear head. If you have a regular route, why not try another path – or see if you can extend your walk further. Keep it interesting with listening to podcasts on your route.
- Podcasts – There are thousands of different podcasts out there so there will be hundreds to suit you. If you need inspiration maybe research some of your favourite celebrities to see if they have their own podcasts or have been interviewed on one. You can also research topics of interest to you to see what you can find. You can also look online for suggestions as lots of websites and magazines have lists of recommended podcasts with descriptions to find what suits you.
- Yoga & Meditation – a great way to remain calm and manage anxiety is through mindfulness and meditation. Practicing this activity doesn’t have to take long, you only need 10 minutes. Try looking up monthly yoga challenges for beginners or meditation practices – there are plenty to find online.
- Puzzles & board games – These are a great way to distract your mind away from screens. Puzzles are a more peaceful, whereas we all know family board games can get rather competitive! You can even play board games via zoom if you aren’t living with your family, as long as you trust them not to cheat!
You don’t have to complete these activities every day but can alternate them to find variation to your daily life. Please share with us what you will be getting up to in lockdown to keep yourself entertained, we would love to hear from you!