The beginning of last year seems eerily similar to Lebanon’s fresh start in 2021, as Lebanese residents are still trying, a year later, to live through a lockdown considered as Lebanon’s strictest closure.
The switch from your everyday life to an indoor one while so much chaos is happening outside from protesters and security forces clashing in Tripoli to panic buying in grocery shops, is definitely not easy, to say the least.
In order to come out of this phase sharper and manage to rescue any bit of sanity left, here are 15 best possible ways to constructively spend your time while stuck at home!
#1 Read a book that you’ve been putting off
This is exactly where you should be starting. Once you engulf yourself in a good literature piece, its characters and the storyline will immerse you in a different time, strapping you out of your bedroom into a world that’s different and exciting.
So, pick up that fiction novel that’s starting to accumulate dust on top of it, and give it a shot!
#2 Improve Your Posture
Everyone at one point during the total lockdown has experienced back problems due to long amount of time we spend sitting down, working from home, or keeping up with university classes.
You can try to improve your posture by stretching every morning once you wake up, or maybe even try getting into yoga exercises, as they will definitley help your body on the long run!
#3 Take a virtual Harry Potter tour
Harry Potter fans, listen up, because we got some good news for you!
Undercover Tourist, a YouTube channel, brings the theme park experience to you through Disney POV ride videos, Disney event coverage, and Disney hotel tours!
Now, they’re taking us all through the grounds of Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey at Universal Studios Hollywood. So, don’t miss out on this virtual, yet magical tour.
#4 Start writing a journal
This has been a tough time for everyone with so many complex emotions brewing inside of us. Keeping track of your thoughts and having an outlet to let out mixed emotions is always a good idea, and can be quite therapeutic.
if you’re not the type to bring out a notebook and start jotting down your feelings, you also have the option to privately journaling on your computer or mobile.
Either way, jotting down your locked up feelings might possibly be the best 20 minutes you spend during the day.
#5 Begin a workout routine
I’ll save you from all the talk on the benefits of working out and staying fit, as I’m sure we all have heard it over and over.
However, you’re stuck at home, and barely moving your body. If anything, now is the time to actually get up and force yourself to set up a successful and consistent workout regime.
You don’t need access to a lavish gym, all you need is some motivation and consistency. Your body will thank you by ensuring that you’re one step closer to seeing progress as well as feeling your best.
#6 Meditate
It’s important to take some time from your day to close your eyes and focus on your breath, with absolutely nothing on your mind to occupy you. Detoxing our minds these days is actually the best gift we can give ourselves.
We all experience overthinking, stress, anxiety, rushing thoughts, all these noises can be released by meditating, as it will help you get a bit of peace of mind in times of uncertainty.
If you’re a beginner to meditation, and the thought of being alone with your thoughts scares you, you can start off by downloading “Headspace”, an English online application that specializes in offering daily, short and sweet, tutorials on meditation.
#7 Start gardening
If you are lucky enough to have a garden or some plants on your balcony, your busy lifestyle can no longer be taken as an excuse.
With so much free time on your hands, consider gardening as a subtle form of daily physical activity that will tremendously lower your stress levels, something we all could probably benefit from right now.
Gardening also cultivates so many of our senses and helps us feel more connected to our lives, as well as the nature that surrounds us.
#8 Learn an artistic skill
So, maybe reading novels or watching a Harry Potter tour is not your thing. How about expressing yourself through arts and crafts?
It may be hard to believe, especially if you’ve never dealt with your artistic side, but we all have a creative genius buried inside of us waiting to be let out.
Besides being a fun way to spend your time, creating a painting from start to finish takes time and dedication.
So, what better way to put your concentration and perseverance to the test?
#9 Set up a board game
Games surely do make lockdowns a lot more easier to tolerate. Why not pick up that Monopoly board game or Scrabble that are sitting in the corner of your room?
Board games are also a really good way for families to get everyone away from their laptops, cellphones, or TV, and make sure everyone does something together every once in a while.
#10 Watch a documentary series on Netflix
This is tricky since you do not want to spend your time binge-watching shows that aren’t stimulating your mind nor filling in your time productively.
It’s totally okay to entertain yourself every once in a while, but don’t let it consume you.
How about trying to start a documentary series? Pick a topic that you never thought would be of interest to you, you might just get hooked on a show that’s entertaining and educational!
#11 Try A Free Online Course
This doesn’t have to be mind-pressuring, from designing to sketching and painting, there are plenty of fun options to e-learn. And if you are up to do more serious work that could advance your career or your path in life, you might want to consider online course providers like Udemy or Coursera.
Coursera, for instance, was founded in 2012 by Stanford University’s computer science professors Andrew Ng and Daphne Koller. It offers online courses, specialisations, degrees, and professional and master track courses.
What’s better? Coursera courses are free to audit! So don’t miss out on an opportunity to sharpen your skills and boost your CV!
#12 Work on a daily puzzle
Here goes another unique way to fill in your time that will offer a wide range of benefits. Believe it or not, Jigsaws proved to improve memory, consistency, and problem-solving skills! Adding that time spent solving a jigsaw takes away the noises from your mind, aka, it relaxes you.
Grab your hands on Jigsaws, Sudoku puzzles, or crosswords that can be easily found at any local online shop! You can even opt to download the games on your mobile from the App Store or Play Store.
#13 Work on maintenance
Take a look around you, is there something that needs fixing? Maybe you’ve been procrastinating fixing general things around the house. Well, with all the free time you are spending at home, you should have noticed certain things around the house that need touching up.
Thanks to all the free time on your hands, it’s time to start upgrading your home the way you truly envision it.
#14 Learn a new language
Each person has at one point in their lives set a goal for themselves to learn a foreign language.
With apps like Memrise and Duolingo, you can easily start your goal and actually finish it.
#15 Set a schedule for your new activities
This is a crucial element that might uplift your day to day mood. Once you experiment with different activities, stick to the ones you liked by writing down a schedule with a timescale for each activity that you will be doing.
This way, you’ll ensure that your day is filled with activities that are benefiting you, as well as putting a smile on your face.
