The global pandemic Covid-19 has taken over our lives in the past several weeks. Suddenly, everyone’s fast-paced life has come to an unexpected halt, anxieties and boredom are high.

People are now in quarantine all over the world, some with family or friends and some alone. But what all of us have in common is that we are constantly getting updates of more and more bad news about the pandemic.

But, there can be more to this time than just stress and worries. Maybe this pause was needed for the world to break free from the monotony of a fast-paced life. Now might be the time to slow down and build stronger relationships.

It’s a great time to pick up old hobbies or start new ones to maintain sanity in our lives and engage our minds. Check out some activities that can help you relax and reduce stress during this period of quarantine — beside binge-watching Netflix!

Board Games

Now that you are quarantined by yourself or with family and friends, no matter how much you love Netflix you’ll soon be out of options there too. This is the time when you have a good amount of quality time to spend with your family and friends and nothing is better than an old-school board game to engage and bond with your folks. A few examples of popular board games you can try are: Monopoly, Chess, Checkers, Uno, Scrabble and the list goes on. But if you are quarantined alone,  there are many apps available which let you video call and play games online. Applications such as Houseparty and Bunch have seen a resurgence during this time, as they allow people to socialize and connect through a combination of games and video calls. 

Cooking

Start experimenting with the process of cooking the food you love. If you’re new to cooking, start with anything easy to do, like eggs. If you are a bit more advanced, try cooking food from other country’s cuisine. Cooking is the perfect activity to do during quarantine. It takes up time and the result is something that can be eaten; well, in most cases. This can also be therapeutic in a way, as you are doing some activity that is relevant, immediate and productive. Now is the time to go into your kitchen and start trying out the delicious recipes you’ve been seeing online in the “Tasty” videos on your feed.

Watch my attempt to recreate my favorite dish, shrimp tacos!

Spring Cleaning

For the lazy people who keep procrastinating or the neat-freaks who do not have enough time, quarantine is the perfect time to get rid of all the leftover Christmas decorations you never packed or clean the dust on the living room coffee table that has seen more seasons changed than strokes of a cleaning brush. Since cleaning and washing hands have become an imminent  part of our lifestyles, our homes where we reside also need some cleaning. A reorganization of furniture does not only change the setting of the room, it can also change your mood and. These little changes can provide a sense of optimism and positivity, as it can act as a self-assurance or motivator about things returning to normalcy soon.

Brisk Walks

It’s important to social distance and stay at home, but if you’re in a suburban area or have some parks near your house, a little walk can change your mood. It can be safe, as now is the time when streets and parks are isolated, you can go for short walks, while maintaining six feet distance from other people if there are any. A little walk to breathe in  some fresh air can make you feel positive and refreshed. For precaution you can wear a mask and carry some wipes and sanitizers with you on these walks too.

Virtual Tours

A lot of museums around the world are offering virtual tours so you can now visit famous museums all across the world from the tip of your fingers virtually. Enjoy a day exploring the works of  Leonardo da Vinci at The Louvre in Paris or gaze at Vincent Van Gogh’s Starry Night at MOMA in New York. You can access these virtual museum tours through Google Arts & Culture. 

Good Old Reading

Now is the time to catch up on that book from Barnes & Nobles that you bought but never had the time to finish. This quarantine period is a perfect time to catch up on all the reading you have been wanting to do. It’s time to give your smartphones and other gadgets a break and save  your own eyes from staring at the screens and indulge yourself in a good book.

Journaling

We are going through a historical period in time. This is one  if not the worst pandemics of the 21st century so this is a good time to start journaling.Write about your day, your feelings, what’s going on in the world, in your country, in your neighborhood. Journaling can also help distress at this time of uncertainty, you can write how you feel in your journal, if expressing it verbally is difficult for you. Years later, these journals will become a valuable part of history and memories and you’ll have something to tell you children or grandchildren about this historic period of the world.

TikTok

TikTok is an app that has taken over the social media industry in the last two years. It’s a video-sharing social platform, where you can share videos of dance, cooking, funny memes or cute pet videos. During this time of quarantine , a lot of people including famous celebrities have turned to this app for enjoyment by making fun dance or cooking videos with their families. You can use it to make videos with your families and friends.