Whether you are forced to or choosing to self isolate right now, the most important thing is to keep yourself sane.
When they announced we were going under a mandatory two week quarantine in Spain, I slightly panicked. Anxiety started to rise within me as the feeling of being trapped sprung to the top of my mind.
But then I realized something! Whenever I’m not traveling, I typically spend two weeks binge-doing everything I need to do that I can’t while on the road!
So take it from someone who knows how to fill every hour of the day with productivity or entertainment! This list will keep you occupied, organized, and hopefully anxiety free!
Jump To:
1. Create a List of Goals
Use this list if you’d like, or create your own! Lists are essential to productivity, and will make you feel great when you check things off! You can make one for the overall time you’re staying in, and/or ones for each day. I do both!
2. Limit the Amount of News You Watch
In case you haven’t noticed, the news plays 24/7 and mostly on a loop. There’s not a ton of new stories, just the same ones over and over again which can induce stress and anxiety without you even realizing it.
Try to only check the news in the morning and maybe once in the evening for updates. Be sure to also watch or read from credible sources like the World Health Organization.
3. Deep Clean EVERYTHING
If you’re going to be washing your hands ten times a day, you might want to make sure you don’t just re-germ yourself as soon as you touch something. Take a full day to deep clean and disinfect EVERYTHING!
From floors and counters, to even all of your clothing and shoes!!
4. Donate 1/3 of Your Closet
While you’re at cleaning all your clothes, now is a good time to go through and get rid of some things! Play “Love it or Leave it” and try to get rid of at least 1/3 of your closet! Anything you haven’t wore in a year or two needs to go. Also anything that doesn’t fit anymore (no one likes to admit it but we all grow!).
Be sure to still clean the clothes you’re going to donate…just in case…
5. Spend 5 Minutes Each Morning Repeating a Positive Mantra
Repeating positive mantras can boost your mood, spirits, and and amp you up for the day…even if it’s spent inside. Every morning, repeat a sentence or two that you want to remind yourself of. Here are a few examples:
“I am a strong, compassionate person. I will do great things to day.”
“Today is a new opportunity to better myself and do something amazing.”
“The universe is giving me an opportunity to do something new, I will take full advantage of it.”
“I have achieved great things, I have so much love, I am fortunate for what I have, and grateful for my life.”
6. Limit Binge-Scrolling on Social and Reading Negative Comments
It’s no surprise that screen times have skyrocketed up 40% since the Stay Inside movement. But that doesn’t mean you should be constantly scrolling and ESPECIALLY not reading or partaking in negative comments.
I know it can be juicy or entertaining, but it can also rile you up inside and lead to anxiety and negative thoughts.
Also, if you are the type of person to look for things to combat-comment, you need to STOP. RIGHT. NOW. Nobody needs that right now!!! Including yourself!
7. Do Yoga in Your Living Room
Staying inside, sleeping a lot, and a general lack of movement can make your body super stiff. Clear out a space inside (or outside if you have it!) and do some yoga! It’s super easy to follow online classes and tutorials!
Luckily for me, my boyfriend is a yoga/meditation instructor, so we made a couple videos of routines you can do in small spaces! I’ll post these tomorrow!
Bonus points if you get the yoga-music and incense going!
8. Learn How to Dance with YouTube Tutorials
Something I really wanted to do when we moved to Spain was learn Flamenco dancing. Now that we are stuck inside, I am doing YouTube dancing tutorials!
Take the extra time to learn a dance you’ve always wanted to know! Perks of doing it at home is you can dance like no one is watching!
9. Create a Quarantine Journal
Sometimes it can do you good to reflect. Start a journal and document each thing you did during the days you’re home. Didn’t do much? Include some things (preferably positive) that are being reported about the situation and in the world!
10. Learn a New Skill or Technique
Have you always wanted to learn a new job or life skill? Now is a great time to take advantage of the millions of blogs and courses that can teach you to do just that!
For example, I just launched a course on how to become a Pinterest Virtual Assistant, and also my Wanderlust Workers course which teaches you how to find and apply to freelance jobs!
11. Apply for Side Hustle Jobs
Once you learn the techniques for becoming a free lancer, go ahead and fall into that rabbit-hole of browsing remote jobs online! There’s TONS of websites with job listings, and they all take A LOT of time to apply for!
12. Clean Out Your Email Inbox
Something no one ever wants to do…but now you have plenty of time to! Even better than only deleting — make folders for the items your keeping, and set up labels for incoming mail so you don’t have to manually sort them every day.
13. Edit and Organize Photos
Whether you take a million photos like I do, or have a box of old actual photographs. We all know that the piles of them stack up! Now is a great time to go through ones you want to keep to use, or just keep because…well who throws away photos?!
Pro tip: Google Photos allows unlimited photo storage! So if you put the app on your phone or desktop, it’ll automatically save everything, giving you room to free up space on your devices without feeling like you’ve lost them forever!
Want to up your editing game? I’ve got plenty of tutorials for you:
14. Write About Your Favorite Memories
Whether you want to be a blogger, dream of writing your life story, or just enjoy reminiscing about good times; writing about it is a great way to do all of that!
Make a list of your favorite memories, grab some hot tea (or wine), and write away!
15. Play Games That Make You Think
When all the shops closed before I could grab board games, I realized I had a plethora of them on my phone! AND I could play them with other people without coming in contact with them, which is both #socialdistancing goals, and great for not annoying my boyfriend!
Some of my favorites I’m currently playing:
- Words with Friends (username “Alyssa is coolest”)
- Trivia Crack (Username “Alyssa.r.ramos”)
- HeadsUp ….has to be played with someone else, but extremely entertaining!
16. Read for One Hour Every Day
We all say we “need to read more”. Now is your chance to do it! Even better, write short reviews for them to recommend to others!
17. Try a Completely New Cooking Recipe
For those (like us) who have limited food options, try to have some fun with them! Have you ever tried Ramen lettuce wraps? WE HAVE.
The internet is your recipe heaven! Or get creative like we did!
18. Try the Trending Challenges on TikTok
I was against TikTok at first, but I have to admit, it’s pretty entertaining. Not just the videos to watch, but challenges to try!
Some require you to learn a new dance or workout, and some will test your creativity and editing skills!
Follow me on TikTok: @mylifesatravelmovieREAL
19. Join Webinars or Online Video Classes
Right now with many companies and people working from home, the amount of free (and paid) webinars and online classes is increasing!
Many social media scheduling platforms like Tailwind and Later are offering free webinars on how to continue creating content when you are confined to home.
In person class teachers are also switching to video classes — like my boyfriend who is doing his meditation classes via Zoom!
20. Practice Learning a New Language
Have you been meaning to brush up on your Spanish or French skills? Maybe you want to attempt Mandarin or Arabic?
Download either a free app like DuoLingo, or professional course like Rosetta Stone (they have a SALE going on now!) and dedicate one hour per day to practicing!
21. Facetime Friends and Loved Ones
How many times have you said, “Shit I forgot to call Auntie Florence AGAIN!” Now is the time to catch up with loved ones and friends who you tend to forget about thanks to your typically chaotic schedule!
22. Give Yourself an At-Home Spa Day
Tell Alexa to “Play Spa Music”, turn the shower on hot, spray your favorite aromatherapy, and let the steam and zen transport you elsewhere. Give yourself a mani/pedi, do a facemask, or even make your own with kitchen ingredients!
Here’s an easy one for a scrub:
- Boil half a cup of green tea
- Add sugar until it has a gritty consistency
- Add enough honey to make it stick together
- Apply in circular motions to face!
23. Do a 10 Minute Meditation Before Bed
I listen to Sleep Music on the meditation app Insight Timer every single night. It puts me to sleep right away without fail! It also has tons of short to long meditations you can follow.
I love meditation apps because you literally just have to listen and follow along with the recordings. It’s so easy and makes you feel so good afterwards!
Other popular meditation apps are HeadSpace and Meditate.
24. Pretend You’re in a Fancy Restaurant
Our one year anniversary was on the day we were told by police we had to stay inside…we had plans to at least have a picnic somewhere outside since restaurants were closed, but we weren’t even able to do that.
So instead, we bought groceries, and make a nice dinner, set the table with candlelight and flowers, and dressed up in the fanciest clothes we brought.
Why not turn your dining room into a fine-dining restaurant?!
25. Start Watching a New Show or Movie
I wouldn’t say this is productive at all, mostly just entertaining. If you want to be productive I’d suggest searching documentaries!
But if you want entertainment, here’s a list of all the movies and shows people suggested from Instagram:
You, Bloodline, 100 Humans, Hunter, Prison Break, Money Heist, Quarantine, Coco, The Stranger, 4 Weddings and a Funeral, The Office, Hot Date, Cheer, Dirty Money, Rupauls Drag Race, Altered Carbon, Hustle, Jungle, Dolemyte, Grace and Frankie, Black Mirror, Schitts Creek, The Crown, Power, Lock and Key, Avengers, Dirty John, Prisoners, Elite, Society, The Circle, Pandemic, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Jumanji, The 100, Sex Education, Ozarks, Love Sick, Kingdom, Messiah, Toy Boy, What/If, Jane the Virgin, Epidemic, Crash Landing on You, Outlander, Don’t F*ck With Cats, Mrs. Maisel, Narcos, Casa de Papel (Spanish)
MY Favorites: (warning, I love Rom-Coms, silly movies, destination movies, etc.) Outlander, You, Grace and Frankie, What/If, Family Guy, Locke and Key, Dynasty, Burlesque, Good Girls
26. Make a List of Life Goals
Now more than ever is a great time to make a list of future life goals. Whether it’s things you want to improve on, things you’ve always wanted to do, places you always wanted to go, or a game plan for getting back on your feet when this is all over. Write. It. Down.
I’m a strong believe in manifesting your destiny. The more you write it down and talk about it, the more likely you are to do it, and make it happen. Plus it’ll be a great reminder when you get back into your daily grind and forget about all those big dreams you usually don’t have time to think about!
Hope you all have enjoyed this post! I had a lot of fun making it from my “Casa Quarantina” in Barcelona! Please feel free to add some of your own tips for productive or entertaining things to do while staying isolated below! As always, sharing is caring! If you enjoyed this please do me a huge favor and Pin it or share on social media!
I see many people who say it is boring to stay at home. But come on, let’s be honest, if you have nothing to do yes it is. But if you have hobby and creative mind it is so fun to stay at home. Personally, I am pretty sad about what’s going on all over the world but I cannot stop it so I am taking advantage of it. Watching movies, reading books, painting, yoga, crazy dancing… 1 day is not enough sometimes 🙂 Thanks for this list, it is pretty helpful!
That’s great! I agree with you, creative minds will take advantage of this down time! I’ve been getting A TON of work done, and some crazy dancing as well 🙂
Nice blog…and amazing things
Thank you Dinesh!