Explore your creativity
Self-expression and art are important; we create and consume art to help us understand the world around us as well as what is going on inside ourselves. Drawing, creating music, and writing are all great ways to express yourself.
Exercise
Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is extremely important, and thankfully, we can still exercise and stay healthy while practicing social distancing. You can exercise at home with personal equipment or you can make your own equipment (with some PVC pipe and sand you can make your own weights). You can also exercise outside by going on walks, runs, and swims. If you do go outside, stay safe, and be sure to follow all of the COVID19 guidelines.
Read
There is nothing as powerful as our own imagination. Escape the COVID19 isolation by diving into a new book. Reading can be done in the comfort of your home or even outside if you have a safe place to do so. There are also several services right now that have deals and extended free trials on e-books and audiobooks! (Kindle Unlimited 2-Month Free Trial)
Family/Board-Game Nights
Many families and housemates are stuck inside right now. One way to cure some boredom is to schedule regular activities with each other, like a game night! If you don’t have any board games on hand, there are resources online for building your own board games like this one (DIY Board Games List).
Get outside and explore your community (at a distance)
While many indoor places like bars, restaurants, and movie theaters are either closed or too risky to visit right now. This does not mean that you have to be stuck inside your home all summer. Try an outdoor activity like hiking, swimming, biking, rock climbing, or camping. Frequently experiencing nature can create a visible difference in your mental and physical health, plus all of the above-mentioned activities can be really fun!
Improve your cooking skills
Although restaurants are beginning to open up again, eating out often can be expensive and due to COVID, quite risky. Why go out to eat or order takeout when you can cook or bake? Try new recipes or new ingredients you haven’t tried before, make it a fun and new experience! You may end up finding a new favorite meal. Getting your family or housemates involved is a great way to bond with each other too.
Drive-ins/make your own movie theater
Drive-in movie theaters are making a big comeback right now with most of them showing classic films! If there isn’t a drive-in movie theater near you, construct your own theater at home! To build your own theater at home, the first and most important thing you will need is a projector, if you do not have one there are some affordable options online, or you could borrow one from a friend. You’ll also need to find a flat wall to hang a white sheet from. Most new projectors have HDMI inputs on them, the last thing you will need to do is plug in your laptop, and download or stream a movie.
Stay in contact with your friends or loved ones online
Even though we are physically separated, it doesn’t mean we can’t spend quality time with each other. There are many ways to stay in touch with friends and family. Video chat services like Zoom, Facetime, and Skype, can allow you to have a face to face connection.
If you are looking to have more of an interactive experience with people online there are many services like Netflix Party or Kast that allow you to watch/share video content simultaneously with friends.
Learn
A lot of people have been using their extra spare time during the pandemic as an opportunity to learn new things. There are websites that have free courses on a wide range of different topics (Coursera, Codecademy). You can easily find lessons for learning an instrument or another language. If you have children in school, you can support their learning by using online resources like Khan Academy.
Make a difference
Making a difference can also be enjoyable. Supporting one another will help us get through the pandemic. If you have extra food, start or contribute to a food drive. If you're good at sewing, make face masks for those who don’t have access to them. You can also make a difference by signing up and starting a project on ShareYourself. Our platform has easy to use organization tools, a friendly community, and a wide range of already existing projects that are looking for help from people like you.