When practicing social distancing due to COVID-19, you may quickly realize that spending the day in front of a computer or TV simply isn’t going to cut it. Weekdays may be easier to fill with work, homeschooling or other responsibilities, but cabin fever could kick in as this pandemic continues.
Here’s a list of activities you can do — by yourself or with your family — to stay active and engaged during the coronavirus pandemic.
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Have fun in the kitchen.
Cooking and baking can be lovely ways to pass the time inside. Missing your favorite restaurant entree? Now is a great time to learn how to create that masterpiece yourself. (If you have kids, have them help!) You can even try emailing the restaurant and asking if they will share their recipe. Like ice cream after dinner? Here are 6 ways to make ice cream without an ice cream maker.
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Play a board game.
Pull out all those board games that are collecting dust in your closet. Don’t have any? There are board games available online, some of which even allow you to play against your own friends or family remotely.
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Get outside (while keeping your distance).
If you are not being asked to stay inside your home, a walk or bike ride is an obvious option. If you don’t have a family member to walk with, plan a phone call with a friend or family member for that time. Or discover some new podcasts or music.
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Sweat it out.
Can’t go outside? There are other ways to be active. There are many free exercise videos on YouTube or social media, or you can download a workout app. Many of them offer free trials and don’t require any equipment. Darebee is a very good online fitness resource, and they’re non-profit and ad-free. If you have a gym membership, check with them to see if they are streaming fitness classes online. If you are 65 or older and eligible for Medicare, SilverSneakers is available to you at no cost and has over 200 videos available online to work out to.
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Get crafty.
Set up an arts and crafts station if you have the space for it. HGTV has some great craft ideas. Pull out all the drawing and coloring utensils, glitter, glue, scissors and other oddball materials you have lying around if you need to improvise. If you have access to a delivery service, order ceramic figurines plus paint supplies, and you’ve just created your own at-home ceramic painting shop. Don’t want to bother with ceramics? Grab some pine cones from outside and decorate those. You may be amazed at how soothing such a simple activity can be.
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Catch up on your reading or self-improvement.
Check out your library’s website. Many have ebooks, audiobooks, movies and music that you can download or stream at no cost with your membership. Manybooks has over 50,000 free ebooks available, including popular classics. Maybe now is the time to learn that second language or a new skill.
And finally, though it may be less exciting than some of these other tips, consider taking a moment each day to write down three things that you are grateful for. If you have children, they can do this too. Research shows that people who take the time to count their blessings have lower levels of stress and sleep better, and we could probably all use that right now.
If you have questions about your health or you’re not feeling well, contact your healthcare provider by phone or visit their website to determine whether you should be seen in-person.
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