Say NO to Boredom! 7 Tips on how to stay entertained at home

Now that we are all being instructed to avoid any non-essential outings from our homes and to practice social distancing, many of us are developing mixed feelings about any upcoming holidays or days off work. The usual excitement of "YAY tomorrow is a public holiday!" is being replaced by thoughts of boredom and not knowing how to pass the time whilst stuck inside.

So we thought of sharing with you some ideas of how you can keep yourself entertained and busy on a day off in the comfort of your home!

Spring cleaning

This one’s for my fellow organising-obsessed people! For me, nothing beats the feeling of de-cluttering and deep-cleaning those drawers, cupboards or wardrobes that don’t usually see the light of day. For those of you who are not too keen on spring cleaning, this might be the perfect time for you to fall in love with all things organised; because let’s face it, it’s a rare thing to have so much ‘free’ time on our hands. So make the most of it and get your home organised and cleaned like never before 😉

Bonus Tip – If you’re really into Tidying Up check out Marie Kondo’s amazing tips on how to hold on only to those items that ‘spark joy’ to your life.

    Finish any Pending DIY Home Improvement Projects

We all have a few of these. Whether it’s that paint job that you’ve been procrastinating on, or that gardening landscaping project that you’ve just never come around to doing – now would be the perfect time to give your home the TLC it deserves.

Bonus Tip – Start small, the feeling of a ‘quick win’ will give you more encouragement to get to your next project.

    Get a Little Fitness In

There’s so many different exercises and workouts you can do from your home, and this will improve both your physical as well as your mental wellbeing. The internet offers tons of workout ideas for people of varying level of fitness, so there’s no excuse! Who knew that being forced to stay inside could result in you finally getting in shape? Oh, and best of all – it’s FREE 😄

Bonus Tip – Do it first thing in the morning – don’t think about it, just do it! Don’t lie to yourself by saying you’ll do it later, because we both know you won’t! Check out this article or follow fitness instructors on social media for some inspiration. 

    Get your Creative Juices Flowing

Now could also be a great time to discover some talents that you never knew you had. Try giving painting a go and let your inner Picasso shine through, and try those recipes that you’ve been saving on Facebook (but never got around to cooking). You could also gather some craft supplies that you have lying around (you’d be surprised what you’ll find stashed away when you spring clean 😉) and make a family activity out of it. You can also attempt sewing or possibly knitting. Explore new things and you just might discover some new skills and hobbies; the possibilities are endless – it’s all about getting creative and seeing the potential in what would usually seem as something that you’re too busy to do.

Bonus Tip – If you’ve got kids in the house take this as an opportunity to find the inner child in you and get creative to find new ways of keeping them entertained. It’s time we build that fort using bed sheets for old times’ sake or create our own family band with our pots and pans 😄

    Quality Time with your Loved Ones

As they say, every cloud has a silver lining, and this situation could be a blessing in disguise by enabling us to catch up on some much-needed quality time with those who truly matter to us, whether it’s a movie marathon (there’s tons of great content on GO’s TV app! 😛), a games night or simply cooking or baking together.

This is also a great time to bond with our furry babies; so take this opportunity to spend valuable time with them! Take them for a walk in places that are not crowded, or chase them around the house and throw a tennis ball around to play with them and also burn their energy.

For those of you who had been meaning to organise a reunion with friends but just could never find a date that suits everyone, chances are it will now be much easier to fit it in to everyone’s diary! You can use apps such as House Party, Google Hangouts or Zoom to set up your virtual events and keep the conversation flowing.

Bonus Tip – Check out this article which explains the top 5 Chat Apps that can make your virtual event a success!

    Self-Care and Reflection

Always make time for some self-care, whatever this means for you. Some might enjoy taking up journaling, others might want to catch up on some reading, or possibly meditation or even a long bath.

Now that we’re spending so much more time than we usually would with our partners, kids or other family members in our household, it’s more important than ever to ensure that we are taking a step back and allowing ourselves to gather our thoughts in this new reality, and some alone time should do the trick.

Bonus Tip – Mirrored Horizons published a guide on self-isolation self-reflection to help people get through this period whilst keeping a clear mind. ‘This easy, self-reflective, three-step practice could mean providing that little bit more clarity for you and your family during a time riddled with uncertainty.’  

    Thinking of Others

During these times, we shouldn’t underestimate the importance of extending our kindness to those who are more vulnerable than us and could possibly be passing through a more difficult time. Use this time to give back by keeping in close contact with any elderly relatives, friends or neighbours. Small acts like delivering their shopping to their door, checking in regularly to keep them company over the phone or through video calls goes a long way.

You could also call up an elderly people’s home to offer your time and help in whatever way they need it, such as ordering or delivering some home cooked meals.

This could also mean extending your support to any friends or colleagues who are struggling or have suffered in their personal or professional lives due to this situation. Loneliness and solitude is a reality for far too many people, and it is in all our responsibilities to come together and help those in need, especially during times like these.

Bonus Tip – Reach out to your Local Council, and ‘follow’ their Facebook page, for regular updates about the situation in your town or village, as this can also be a great channel to determine whether there are any individuals in your neighbourhood who need assistance. Another community support page to follow is Keeping You Safe which enables communication locally, and energises the community around particular ideas, challenges, solutions, initiatives and requirements.

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No matter how you choose to spend your free time whilst inside, what’s most important is to keep up the morale in your home and get creative in finding things to keep you busy. Make sure that you are not spending excessive time on social media, and as much as possible try to retain some normalcy in the situation.

Remember, we’re all in this together. The sooner we start to shift our mind-set from I’m stuck at home to I get to be safe in my home and enjoy my family, the sooner we will reap the benefits of this new reality. At the end of the day, if you follow these productive tips, you are certain to feel a sense of accomplishment that will keep you motivated and eager for the day ahead!

Stay entertained, stay safe!