If you’ve been stuck inside for weeks or months that feel like years, odds are pretty likely that you’re just another day away from coming down with full-fledged cabin fever. Not only can time seem completely meaningless in the age of COVID-19, but it can also feel never-ending and torturous when you’ve run out of things to do while sheltering in place. Battling the inevitable stir-craziness takes some serious creativity if you hope to weather these times with your mental health intact.
With concerts postponed, sporting events canceled, schools closed, and traveling virtually outlawed, your bucket list of things to do has likely proven useless in motivating you to get up and do anything. Although self-quarantining is a great way to protect yourself from the novel coronavirus, it can take a toll on your sanity.
In order to keep your hands busy and your sanity in a good place, you need to come up with things to do. If you’ve run out of clever ideas, use this guide to find 6 things to do to combat the COVID-19 stir-crazies.
1. Watch a movie
With new movie releases grinding to a jarring halt in response to the spread of the coronavirus and closure of movie theaters, there’s no time like the present to watch (or rewatch) some old flicks. Set up your own personal movie theater by gearing up with a budget projector, choose your streaming service of choice, and getting lost in someone else’s shoes.
If you’re the type who flips through movies for hours, use this list of must-see movies to make your search easier:
- Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood
- The Invisible Man
- Uncut Gems
- Little Women
- Us
- Parasite
- Frozen II
2. Write a letter
When’s the last time you wrote a letter to a family member or close friend? The digital age has allowed us to stray so far from snail mail that letter writing has almost become a relic of the past. Not only will you be able to practice your penmanship, but you’ll be able to give your pen pal a lovely and unexpected surprise in the mail.
3. Chill out with CBD
CBD has taken the health, beauty, and wellness industries by storm. Extracted from the leaves and flowers of the cannabis plant, CBD offers up some seriously sweet medicinal benefits without any of the psychoactive effects of THC.
Whether you choose to suit up with CBDfx vape pens or PureKana CBD bath bombs, you can treat yourself to the chilled-out CBD experience in so many eclectic ways.
4. Create an indoor garden
Even if you don’t have a green thumb, creating an indoor garden is fun and could be the spark of newness and growth you need in your life during these unprecedented times. There are so many types of plants you can grow inside—just water them regularly, position them in the sunlight, and watch them flourish.
Try out these novice-friendly edible plants you can begin growing in your own bedroom:
- Carrots
- Garlic
- Microgreens
- Mushrooms
- Scallions
- Dwarf beans
- Kale
5. Learn a new language
With so much free time on your hands, consider expanding your skillset by learning a new language. Whether you plan to take lessons with Rosetta Stone or opt for an online tutor, it’s never been easier to broaden your lingual horizons than amid the digital age.
Want to start with an easy language? According to experts, Spanish, Italian, French, German, and Portuguese are the least challenging to learn.
6. Channel your inner artist
Even if you haven’t picked up a paintbrush or marker since you were obligated to in a high school art class, you may find that you have some untapped potential within your very own fingertips. Channeling your inner artist comes in a number of exciting forms outside of just painting and drawing. Jewelry-making, pottery, candle making, water coloring, and embroidering are all creative avenues just waiting for you to venture down and make something great.
