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

A lot of us are living under quarantine and lockdown right now, and let’s be honest, it’s a strange time. The coronavirus outbreak has radically altered practically everyone’s daily schedules and routines, but it’s an undeniable privilege to be safe at home wondering what things to do while stuck inside due to a pandemic. 

Keeping busy and upbeat while staying indoors is a job within itself. While it’s an important way to protect yourself and others from the coronavirus, it can lead to boredom with people going stir-crazy. So, if you’re wondering what to do, we’ve compiled a list of suggestions of what to do during the coronavirus outbreak. 

Here’s A List Of Things To Do While Stuck Inside Due To The Pandemic Or When In Self-quarantine

Video Calls With Friends And Family

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. 

Play Some Multiplayer Video Games

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. 

Dig Out Those Old Board Games And Puzzles

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?

Read Some Of Those Books You’ve Been Putting Off

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. 

Listen To A Podcast Or Audiobook

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. 

See All Those Long Movies On Your Watchlist

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

If You Still Want Something To Watch, Relax With A TV Show

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

Research Your Next Adventure

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. 

Start A Journal Or Blog

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. 

Take An Online Course

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. 

Add Some Plants To Your Garden

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!

Learn Some New Skills

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.

Speaking Of New Skills, Try Cooking Something New

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

Organise A Virtual Dinner Party

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?

Do Some Exercises At Home

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.

Take Some Time To Meditate

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 All Those Pesky Odd Jobs Done

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. 

Clean Up And Organise Your Space

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.