For those of us consuming Coronavirus information updates every 30 seconds, it’s hard to keep up, let alone decipher what it all means. To inspire our readers, Detroitisit is taking an informative stance to help keep you best aware of what’s going on, and what steps can help make the COVID-19 that much smoother for us.
Are you already bored at home?
Never fear – we’ve got some ideas for you to pass the time, and no – not just by sitting on the couch watching movies! We’ve rounded together 10 ideas making your self-quarantining maybe that just more tolerable.
1. SET UP A WORKSPACE
CLEAN WORKSPACE. PHOTO PEXELS
Are you currently working from home? Do you not know how to work from home? Chances are, a good chunk of you have been pushed to work from home by your job, and don’t have a “space” dedicated for just that. For some people, that makes the motivation of working from home really hard, because in some ways you have to self motivate, and in other ways, some of you may have a hard time because you’re simply not in a “workspace.”
Find a designated spot within your living space to set up a work station. That could be a kitchen table, working cafe-style / hot desk style, where you have to pack up all your work items at the “end of business,” or it could be decluttering and re-organizing a space you currently have full of junk in order to create a mini work station. This should help motivate you if you’ve taken this much time to create a dedicated space to work from home, and it will feel as if now you have a, dare I say, “safe space” that will make you feel more inclined to work.
2. CLEAN UP YOUR LIVING SPACE
Similar to the idea that you need a designated workspace if you’re working from home, you also may want to clean up your space PERIOD if you are social distancing or self-quarantining. Not only will it make you feel healthier by being in an organized, less chaotic space, it also gives you something to do to pass the time.
3. DEEP ORGANIZING
CLEAN CLOSET AT HOME. PHOTO PEXELS
This goes past the “cleaning up your living space,” as you probably will create more of a mess so you can create some long-lasting order. You know what I’m talking about: It’s time to organize those closets, junk drawers, and pull together donations for pick-up or drop-off. There’s a good chunk of us that don’t stay organized all year round, so it’s a good time to dig through the things you have and figure out if you still NEED this thing. Now, you don’t have to go all minimalist and get rid of all of your worldly possessions, but you can, at the very least, make some wiggle room for new ones.
4. FIGURE OUT YOUR BUDGET
PHOTO LUKAS / PEXELS
With the world becoming unhinged due to Coronavirus, many of our jobs have either pushed working from home, have canceled work altogether, shortened your hours, or if you’re a freelancer like myself, you’re having to piece together a lot of your work in order to survive. Considering that your paycheck might be an unusual amount due to this, it’s probably a good idea to go over your budget to see what you can afford and if changes or sacrifices need to be made in order to make it work. It’s not always a fun task, but in order to survive, it’s probably high up on the list of importance.
5. LEARN A NEW SKILL OR EDUCATE YOURSELF ON A TOPIC
For the past year or so, I’ve had this electric guitar sitting in the corner, and I haven’t touched it much with the exception of getting a nice guitar strap for it from Third Man Records. Maybe this is my time, much like yours, to sit down and learn a new skill. You know, those things that you’ve been wanting to learn or do, but have pushed to the side due to being so busy?
There’s also the internet. There are a ton of topics to choose from online, including video and audio instructions. Want to learn how to edit video? Learn a new language? Dive into conspiracy theories about the Illuminati? It’s all there at your fingertips! Dive into that new thing! It will invigorate you to move forward.
6. READ A BOOK
PICK UP A BOOK. PHOTO PEXELS
I cannot stress enough how important books are right now. They limit our screen time (which I’m sure has been a lot for everyone during this transition), offer some form of escapism during this stir-crazy time, and help our minds somewhat repair from all the bullshit we see daily churning on Social Media. Even as an influencer, I find days where I just have to unplug for my own sanity, and books are a great place to escape for a few hours. You can also still support local businesses by taking part in picking up Comic Books from locations like Comics & More in Madison Heights, where owner Chris Brown is doing “drive-thru” orders to help us nerds still get our fix.
7. CREATE TASKS OR PLAY GAMES WITH YOUR KIDS
KID READING. PHOTO ANDREA PIACQUADIO / PEXELS
We’ve got a whole breakdown of what you can do with your kids during this time, which you can read here.
8. STREAM YOUR FAVORITE MUSIC
PLAYLIST TIME. PHOTO PEXELS
Don’t let your love of music evaporate! There are a ton of Livestream concerts popping up, both independent based and large-scale musicians. Do a sweep online and see who’s participating, from bands like Dropkick Murphys playing their St. Patrick’s Day jam (which you can still view on their Facebook), to Willie Nelson and friends, to Ben Gibbard from Death Cab For Cutie streaming weekly. There’s something for everyone! Alternatively, you could also listen to your favorite local bands’ and artists’ albums on the streaming service of your choice to help them gain revenue at this time.
9. WORK OUT
Working out at home sucks for some people, but what can you do when gyms are potentially a breeding ground? I say that with love, I’m a gym-employee-veteran. You may need some guidance as to how to work out properly at home, so my best suggestion would be to head on over to Pinterest and find different workout instructions, or if you have the money to do so, look into online courses that you can do at home like Steezy, an urban online dance wealth-of-knowledge, or take it a little slower and check out Yoga and Pilates classes! As time goes on, more small businesses will begin to upload their own videos, so keep an eye out if you’d like to support theirs as well!
10. DON’T PANIC
The worst thing you can do right now is getting too lost in your head or letting the internet get the best of your anxieties. Don’t go to the grocery store and buy 20 packs of toilet paper. Don’t drown yourself in hand sanitizer. And don’t beat yourself up for getting frustrated or scared by what’s going on. Just try to keep yourself as logical as you can in times of worry, and look at all sides of the situation before jumping to conclusions. It may be helpful.
