Life

57 Things to Keep You Occupied While You're Practicing Social Distancing

Take this time spent at home as an opportunity to learn something new in cooking, cleaning, or crafting.

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Published on March 23, 2020

woman reading book while sitting on armchair at home — Photo: Cavan Images / Getty Images

In a time when "social distancing" is strongly encouraged—if not actually required—as the world works to stop the spread of COVID-19, many people have found that they have a lot more of something that's typically hard to find: time. Under normal circumstances, an extra hour here and there would be a welcome respite from our always-on world. But what do you do when you find yourself with days—even weeks—of unstructured time and nowhere to go?

Thankfully, there are plenty of things to keep you occupied within your own walls—you just have to dig a little deeper. Here, a host of creative ideas (many of which are free) to help you beat cabin fever and maintain some semblance of your sanity.

Entertainment

Being sequestered in your home doesn't mean you have to be completely closed off from the world around you. Whether you connect with friends over social media, get creative with new apps that help you experience more traditionally social activities through screens, or dive into a new show or hobby, there are plenty of ways to keep yourself stimulated at home.

Take a virtual museum tour
Have a karaoke party with far-flung friends
Watch live videos of cute animals
"Visit" a National Park
Download this Netflix extension to binge-watch with friends
Stargaze in your backyard
Shop small and/or local businesses online
Learn how to cook something new
Stream a concert
Do a puzzle
Read a book
Write a letter
Listen to a new podcast
Host a family game night (or have a virtual game night with friends)
Watch old home videos
Learn a new language using an app like Duolingo
Have an indoor picnic
Use any number of video chatting apps—Skype, FaceTime, or Google Hangouts—to have a happy hour with friends
Log on to your local library's website—many have digital options to explore
Watch all of this year's Oscar-nominated movies (and make snacks for it!)
Tackle a project you've had pinned for years
Have a dance party

Self Care

Of course, a time of social distancing inherently lends itself to some good old-fashioned alone time. If you finally have time to spare, why not treat yourself to some TLC? Spend a little more time perfecting your beauty routine or give your mental health extra time and attention.

Give yourself an at-home manicure and pedicure
Draw a relaxing bath
Write in a journal
Relax with an adult coloring book
Stream a workout (or try partner yoga)
Meditate
Teach yourself a new skill, like knitting or hand-lettering
Practice an instrument
Try your hand at poetry
Treat yourself to an at-home facial
Learn how to style your hair differently
Make a gratitude list

Work and Money

Let's face it: At the end of a long day, putting your resume together or managing your finances is probably pretty low on the list of things you want to do. But unexpected free time provides the perfect excuse to finally buckle down and get a good hold on your budget or set yourself up to take the next step in your career.

Brush up your resume
File your taxes
Create a better budget
Cancel subscriptions you no longer use
Write your will
Open college funds for your children
Renegotiate bills like insurance
Consider refinancing your home

Home

Of course, it seems like there's always something more to be done at home. Whether that means fixing something that's been broken for years, finally giving that DIY project a whirl, or simply getting organized, now's the time to tackle it.