Stuck Inside? Here’s How to Stay Busy at Home

As we work our way through the COVID-19 crisis, we are all trying our best to try to stay healthy and help slow the virus’s spread. Due to high transferability, acts like social distancing, working remotely and self-quarantining are being used as precautionary measures.

If you are going to be stuck inside the house for a while, you might as well make the most of it. Here’s how to stay busy, entertained, productive and healthy at home.

Home Maintenance

Here’s an idea for how to stay busy when you have to stay in your house: get stuff done! Take the opportunity to do some cleaning and get organized.

Start with home projects you’ve been meaning to get to, like small repairs or organizing a junk drawer, closet, basement, attic or garage. Try going through your fridge, pantry and cabinets, getting rid of anything expired, wiping down the shelves and reorganizing.

Going room by room is a good approach, or you could try focusing on a specific method, like dusting, vacuuming or washing.

So you don’t start to feel cooped up, head outside to clean your home’s exterior. Other outside activities include sweeping your porch and/or walkways and prepping your lawn for the spring by raking your yard.

Self-Care

While you’re staying at home, do some things for yourself too. Taking care of your physical and mental health and knowing how to keep your mind busy is important, especially during stressful times.

Try doing some yoga, exercising or meditating. Treat yourself with a DIY spa day by taking a bath. If you have a porch or lawn, you can go outside for a little fresh air and/or some sunlight.

As always, drink plenty of water and eat a well-balanced diet. Consuming foods with immunity-boosting properties — like berries, greens, garlic and ginger — isn’t a bad idea either.

Utilize Technology

If you’re staying home for a while, it’s easy to keep yourself entertained with technology.

There are tons of movies and shows available for streaming. You can do a movie marathon by choosing a lengthy series — like the “Harry Potter” films, “Lord of the Rings,” “Star Wars,” “Fast 5,” “James Bond” movie, etc. — or explore a certain genre, theme or director. Binge-watching a show, like one you know is worth watching but you haven’t previously had time for, is another option.

Playing video games in an another way to pass the time. Whether you have a game console or like to use apps on your phone, there are a plethora of games for you to play.

You can also stay entertained by listening to podcasts or music. The choices here are practically endless, and another plus is you can do other things while listening too.

Like always, don’t spend too much time in front of screens. Be sure to get up, move around and make sure you’re staying hydrated.

Connect With Others

Just because you’re staying home doesn’t mean you have to feel lonely. You can use this time to connect with people. Call or video chat with family or friends, or simply text or instant message someone to check in.

Another option is vlogging or writing a newsletter that you can email to your loved ones to let them know about what’s going on in your world.

Get Creative

If you are wondering how to keep your mind busy when stuck inside the confines of your home, do something artistic, like drawing, painting, scrapbooking, crafts or writing. These are all great ways to have fun, stay busy and both stimulate and relax your mind. Practice makes perfect when it comes to these kinds of activities, so the longer you work at them, the better they’ll be.

Another way to get creative is by heading to the kitchen. Dig out an old family recipe or look online to bake or cook something delicious you normally don’t have enough time to make. Not only will this activity keep you busy, you’ll also have a treat to enjoy afterwards.

Engage Your Brain

Keeping your brain engaged is another great way to avoid feeling stir-crazy. If you enjoy learning, take online classes, quizzes or try watching some how-to videos/tutorials.

Losing yourself in a good book is a calming way to pass the time. For something a bit more challenging, try doing some brain games, like crosswords, word searches, Sudoku or jigsaw puzzles.

Now that you have a few ideas for how to stay busy at home, keeping your mind and body busy is also possible with a variety of home activities. Whether you choose to practice some social distancing, want to self-quarantine or spend less time in public, staying home can help slow the spread of COVID-19.

Check the CDC’s website to keep up with the latest information on COVID-19.

Do you have any other tips for how to stay busy when stuck at home? Share them with us in the comments.