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Tehreem Khan | Hyderabad, Pakistan
Humans are “social animals,” and we like to spend most of our free time indulging ourselves in some sort of activity that allows us to socialize with others away from our homes. This can be going over a friend’s house, going out to eat, enjoying a party, a concert or touring famous locations. During the global COVID-19 pandemic however, all outdoor activities are shut down, and for good reason. We must flatten the curve, and the only way to do so is by staying at home, and only going outside for essential needs like buying groceries. While we are outdoors, we must also practise social distancing. While this is necessary and important to bringing this global pandemic to an end, there is no denying that many people are becoming tired and even bored of staying at home all the time. In this article, I share a few activities which can help combat boredom during this time and help you use this time positively.
1. Make a proper routine.
Although this might sound even more boring and insignificant than the other activities you are doing during this time, making a routine is an essential part of leading a normal life. This global pandemic is not likely to end soon, so it is important to adjust to this "new normal," just as you would during a regular time of your lives. Set up a routine and follow it daily. Also, try to set up a sleep cycle. Make sure that you are getting at least 8 hours of sleep so that your immune system stays strong during this time too!
2. Exercise and Workout
Since many of us are at home during these days, it can be easy to choose being being lazy or sleeping over exercising. This can cause our muscles to lose their strength and for our stamina to decrease over all. Begin by exercising 10 minutes a day, and slowly increase the time you spend exercising. If you don't have the proper equipment for working out, follow exercise options that you can do without needing any equipment. These include pushups, plank, squats, lunges, jumping jacks, and crunches.
3. Give books and colouring books a shot.
Spend your time by reading books. This is a great way to entertain yourself and also get some much-need off-screen time. If you're not a great fan of books, try colouring books, or colouring worksheets. You don’t have to go out to buy new books. Many great book stores are selling books online. There are also lots of libraries providing free options to borrow e-books online which you can try.
4. Cook a meal
Give yourself and your family/fellow quarantine partners a treat. Try making your favourite food, or try a new dish. You can also try making food from different cultures to give yourself a change.
5. Have a movie night
Search for a movie, close the lights, lay down on your bed, and put the movie on. Nothing beats a good movie. You can also have a movie night will all of your family, makes it livelier and more fun. You could even re-watch all the classics of your childhood.
6. Bring out the artist within yourself
Order some art supplies and get to it. Learn to sketch, draw, paint, colour. Who knows, you may just discover your new talent. Even if you are someone who is not good at art (like me), just playing along with colours is fun itself.
7. Play games
Try playing board games such as scrabble, Ludo, draught, and chess. You can also try playing family games like charades, 20 questions, truth or dare. You can even have a family game night.
8. Nurture plants
Buy plants and learn about them by taking care of them. It not only keeps you busy but also creates a new environment around you!
9. Catch up to your studies
If you're someone who is far behind in your school schedule, is preparing for an entry test for universities or is taking online classes, take the time to catch up to your studies.
10. Video call your friends and family
If you live away from your friends or the rest of your family, video call them, talk to them or play online games with them. You can catch up with your old school and college friends too. We can stay socially connected during this time of physical distancing due to the technologies available to us.
Remember to stay positive in this challenging time, keep safe, wash your hands, sanitize things before using them and stay in your homes no matter how hard it gets. These small acts can not only keep you safe, but also your love ones and your community as a whole. And let's also show our gratitude to frontline workers who, despite it being dangerous, go out to make things easier for us.