Ideas For Things To Do During Quarantine

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I know my fellow basketball fans are currently trying to process the heartbreak of having March Madness canceled this year and having the NBA season suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.   Yes, I realize basketball is trivial in the grand scheme of things and the need to flatten the curve is vital to our country and the world, but that doesn’t mean there won’t be an adjustment period or #MarchSadness.

March Madness is such an institution in the US and all the watch parties, bracket competitions, smack talk, upsets, and nail biters are now gone until 2021.  What do we do to fill the basketball void?   How do we stay sane while we’re semi-isolated?  How do we balance taking care of the mental and physical health of ourselves and our families, while also looking out for those around us who may need help during this time?

Here is the Google Sheets Link with COVID-19 resources I’ve compiled related to health, education, fitness, food/supplies, and more.  Bookmark it as I will be updating as I find more helpful ideas. You can pin the image below to save for later if you need ideas on things to do while stuck at home!

Highlighting A Few Ideas To Keep Your Sanity

• Find hiking trails near you
• So many good educational podcasts out there.  Two recent favorites are The Ben Greenfield Podcast and Ron Paul’s Liberty Report.
• Don’t throw out your produce waste.  Either compost it to use for a garden/plants or use it for soups, broths, etc.
• Work on updating your resume with The World’s Best Grammar Checker
• Do a HIIT workout at home or outside.  This is a great way to rev up your metabolism and doesn’t require a gym!
• Learn about world geography and customs by watching old episodes of The Amazing Race.
• If you’re in a recipe rut, try holding a Chopped competition with your spouse or roommate to get creative with ingredients in your pantry.
• Since you’ll likely be doing more online shipping, take advantage of cash-back sites.

Connecting in some way with others is important for everyone during this time of physical distancing, but especially those that live alone.   Reach out to friends and family regularly, either online or on the phone if you aren’t able to connect in person.  Some of us may deal with isolation better than others but don’t be afraid to ask for help and support.   If you’re an animal person, consider volunteering at a local animal shelter or even fostering an animal if you’re able.  The comfort that an animal can provide for us (and the love we can give an animal) is so powerful.

If you have children, this could be a great time to have them focus on what they can do to encourage others, like coloring photos or writing letters to those in nursing homes, delivering food, or praying for someone specific each day.  This is a great list of educational resources and ideas for children’s activities.

If you’re married, treasure the extra quality time with your spouse.  Maybe go through a book or audiobook together, try cooking together, brainstorm ideas for the future, do your taxes, work on your budget, pray/memorize Scripture together, or play a game together instead of just constantly binging TV or movies.

If you have specialized skills or resources that can help others during this time, consider recording them to share via video or live streaming so that others can benefit.

Since you likely won’t be able to frequent local businesses as much, take time to leave them helpful reviews on Google and add photos you have from past visits.  You can also help others by reporting on Google who is closed and who remains open for business.  Try to tip generously whether you dine in a restaurant or are picking up food, as those in the restaurant industry are among those hit the hardest by this pandemic.

When all the events canceled this past week, I immediately had the mindset of a victim and felt sorry for myself for losing all the plans I was so excited about.  After processing it for a few days and talking it over with others, I realized the importance of viewing the changes in the world in the most positive light possible and finding opportunities to help others and improve myself as a result of having more time at home.  I would love to hear your thoughts on the situation and your plans for this time of social distancing.

If you found this useful, would you share it with others?

Thank you for reading!

Emily