Give Your Mind Something to Do
“An unfed mind devours itself” – Gore Vidal
While in quarantine, you probably have a lot of extra time on your hands. While you probably want to use that time to catch up on your favorite shows on Netflix or Prime Video, you should know that binging shows is bad for your mental health and physical health.
Instead, you should consider finding something more productive to fill your time. If you cannot find something more productive, you should at least consider finding something more enriching for your life.
Find a New Hobby
Sure, you probably can rule out rock-climbing or sky-diving during the pandemic, but there are new things you can try. Consider something like painting or playing an instrument as a hobby. For painting, you can watch old Bob Ross tutorials online to help and buy a painting set on Amazon. You can also find a musical instrument you’d like to learn how to play on Amazon, and find lessons on YouTube!
Your new hobby might even turn into a new career for you! Pretty soon you might find yourself selling your paintings on Etsy or playing the bassoon (the instrument that has become your new passion) live at Madison Square Garden.
Okay…. That last bit might be a stretch, but you never know unless you try!
Read, Read, Read and Read Some More
If you’re anything like me, you probably have a lot of books on your shelves that you have yet to read. You probably have some books that you read years ago that you can hardly remember. Now is the time to dust them off, sit in your comfiest chair and get to reading.
If reading a physical book is not your jam, you can listen to books through Audible.
Learn How to Be a Better Cook
During quarantine, you’ve probably found yourself without your typical groceries from time to time. Without your go-to foods at the ready, and without money to order take-out, you are now at the mercy of the things in your pantry you have no idea how to cook. Remember, Julia Childs did not start cooking until age 37. You also might be surprised to know she was previously a spy during WWII and at one time helped to develop shark repellent. Think about that while you cook her recipe for bouillabaisse.
Well… now is the time to learn how to cook those things. If you have a giant bag of flour, learn how to make some fresh bread, pasta or biscuits. If you have a crockpot that you’ve never used, look up some crockpot recipes. Have you always wanted to learn how to make a homemade pizza? Now you have the time!
Spend More Time Bonding With Your Friends and Family
In just about everyone’s home lies about a dozen puzzles/board games that have not been played in a decade. Now is the time to dust those off and start some real family and friend bonding.
Right now you are probably saying, “But Mr. Great and Noble Writer, I am quarantined alone. I have nobody to bond with!”
Oh gentle reader, yes you do.
Through the miracle of modern technology, you can chat and video chat with your friends and family members even if they aren’t at your home.
Get Organized
We already devoted an entire article to this topic. Get off your butt, and get cleaning!
Exercise
Sure, the gyms might be closed. However, that doesn’t mean that you can’t work out. Order yourself a yoga mat and some weights to turn a corner of your home office into your home gym! You can even watch yoga videos on YouTube to help you learn.
You should also go for walks or runs around your neighborhood. Yes, you should stay at home as much as possible, but you should still get some fresh air from time to time. If you have a dog, they will enjoy the extra walks! Just make sure you wear a mask if there’s a chance that you’ll be within six-feet of someone.
Take on Your Yard
You no longer have an excuse for not tearing those weeds out of your yard. White you’re at it, there are probably at least half a dozen other projects you need to tackle in your yard while you are at it.
Sure, you probably want to avoid shopping at the hardware store as much as you can, but that doesn’t mean you can’t order a few things here and there if you take the proper precautions. Now that the weather is getting warmer, you can start planting flowers, mowing your lawn, laying down some sod, fertilizing your lawn, gardening and getting your bird feeder together.
Make a Better Resume
I cannot stress this enough: if you are out of work or if you need to get back on the job hunt once quarantine lifts in your state, you need to use this time to create a better resume.
This journey can and should start by reaching out to a professional resume writer. Consult with a professional resume writer to ensure your resume will be noticed by the companies where you want to work. All services can be rendered remotely!