18 Fun Things To Do While Stuck Inside Due To A Pandemic

If you’re feeling a bit disconnected, use applications like Skype, FaceTime, Google Hangouts or Zoom to video chat with friends and family to talk about your week, watch a movie together using Netflix’s new Party extension, or even play a drinking game. 

Another thing to do while stuck inside due to a pandemic is to play video games. Whether you pick casual mobile games or favourites like ‘Fortnite’, ‘League of Legends’ and retro classics such as ‘Super Mario Brothers’, it can be an excellent way to keep in touch with those closest to us and to keep our minds active. 

If you live with roommates or family, find some of your favourite childhood board games (the longer they take the better!) and encourage everyone to play. But, if you don’t like board games or you live alone, why not pick up a puzzle or a crossword to pass the time?

Now that you’ve got the time, why not dive into all those books you’ve been wanting to read for years? One of the top things to do when in quarantine is to pick up a classic that you’ve been meaning to read, perhaps ‘Les Miserables’ or ‘Ulysses’, or revisit an old favourite like ‘Harry Potter’ and Agatha Christie. If you can’t get actual books, try out the Kindle e-reader or app. 

If you’re not into reading, try out an audiobook (Audible has an excellent collection) or listen to podcasts about everything from the news to history and even funny stories. It’s one of the many things to do during the coronavirus outbreak. 

Movie theatres may be shut, but there are loads of streaming services with thousands of hours of content to watch if you’re still looking for things to do while stuck inside due to a pandemic. Check out early releases of films like ‘Emma’, ‘Birds of Prey’ and ‘Frozen 2’, or watch long series like the ‘Star Wars’ franchise, the ‘Lord of the Rings’, or the entirety of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. 

Read More: These Travel Movies Are A Must-Watch During Self Quarantine

For more content that will help you take your mind off of reality, turn on heartwarming comedies like ‘The Office’, ‘Parks and Recreation’, and ‘Brooklyn Nine-Nine’ or soothing documentaries like ‘Planet Earth’. If you want something different, why not binge-watch ‘Game of Thrones’ or ‘F.R.I.E.N.D.S’?

Read More: 11 Amazing TV Shows To Binge On While Under Self Quarantine

Eventually, we’ll be able to travel again. So, if you’re looking for things to do during the coronavirus outbreak while you’re at home with lots of time on your hands, why not start planning your next trip? You could start a travel journal, research places to go, and even read some guide books to keep yourself occupied. 

Keep a journal about something that interests you, whether it’s about what’s happening right now or your favourite types of cheese. You can even put it up online. It’s actually really easy to start your own blog, using Tumblr, Blogspot, or even website builders like WordPress and Wix. 

If you feel like you’ve got lots of time on your hands, and you’re wondering what things to do while stuck inside due to a pandemic, why not learn something new? There are tons of sites (like Skillshare, edX, or Khan Academy) that offer free online courses in everything from coding and math to art history and knitting. 

If you’ve got a garden or even just some space on your balcony, spend some time adding new plants to your space. You could even plant mint, basil, tomatoes or chillies to use in your cooking, giving you two more things to do while stuck inside due to a pandemic!

Use this time to do all the things you always said you would do when you had more time. Learn how to weave, make wood crafts, decorate cakes, or more. Or, download Duolingo, or a similar app, and teach yourself a foreign language.

@imhannahcho

yes i hand whisked this whipped coffee for like 20 mins bc my mommy wanted to try it ? she loved it!! (달고나 커피) #korean #fyp #aesthetic

♬ Put your head on my shoulder cover by karlo – karlogutierrez

Learn how to cook new recipes with ingredients you may already have, a truly productive thing to do when in quarantine. You could try baking your own bread, making pizzas, or dalgona coffee (a South Korean recipe that went viral on TikTok, and requires only four ingredients. Instant coffee, sugar, and hot water are whipped until frothy and added to milk).

Also Read: Sharpen Your Culinary Skills With These Virtual Food Tours

Once you’ve learnt to cook up some new fancy dishes, you could create a meal for your roommates or family. If you live alone, why not call your friends and have dinner and drinks together over Zoom?

Your gym might be closed right now, but don’t let that stop you from working out. Switch to a home workout routine that doesn’t require fancy equipment. Or you could follow some at-home aerobics or yoga videos.

This is a stressful and anxious time for ALL of us, even those of us who are lucky enough to be staying at home. So, for a few moments each day, toss aside your work, sit down, focus your breath, empty your mind (or repeat a soothing phrase in your head) to help yourself deal with everything going on right now. Use apps like Calm or Headspace to help you along. 

Get involved in some home improvement projects. Finally, do all those odd jobs and house repairs you’ve been putting off and meaning to get around to. Fix that broken doorknob, those loose tiles, or clean your scuffed up walls. 

Go through your junk drawers, your closet, and everything else you have and determine whether they “spark joy” á la Marie Kondo. Then organise the stuff you want to keep. If you want more things to do while stuck inside due to a pandemic, maybe you can go a step further and rearrange your furniture, or paint the walls of your living room. 

Which Of These Things To Do When In Quarantine Is For You?

So, whether you set yourself a strict schedule so you’ve always got something to do or you’re taking it one day at a time, these are some things to do during the coronavirus outbreak They will help make your time quarantined as interesting, and perhaps as productive, as possible.

Not all of us have the privilege of taking the time to turn this pandemic into something productive or fun. Some of us still have to work, whether it’s from home or on the frontline, and also need to take care of a house and family. Whatever you’re busy (or not so busy) doing, take some time out to relax, have a leisurely meal, and give your mind a break too.