1. Find new songs and artists – Start of by searching up your favourite genre on the internet. From there it shouldn’t be difficult to find new artists and songs. Another method that is useful is looking for artists similar your favourites which could simply be found by typing ‘similar artists to (insert favourite artist). If that doesn’t bring new results try asking friends with similar taste for suggestions or put something on your social media asking her new song suggestions. You may find some great songs to jam out to!
2. Start a new tv show – Make the most of platforms such as Netflix, Prime Video, Sky, Apple TV Plus and the new Disney Plus.
3. Watch a movie you haven’t seen in awhile – Go have a search through the movies sitting on your shelves at home and pick some to watch. This is a fun way to pass time as well as simple.
4. Read a book – Start a new one or re read an old one. You can get lost in books and although for some it may not sound very interesting it may be good to try something new. If you struggle to find a good genre of book to read then possibly think about your favourite movie genre. This should help you in finding an interesting genre but if this doesn’t work just exploring will help. Not only does reading pass time but it also broadens the vocabulary which is recommended to younger children and teenagers in exam years. You can purchase books and kindle books on Amazon, and places like WHSmith and Waterstones. Another alternative is Audible books. Due to schools closing around the world, Audible has made a selection of a few hundred audiobooks, freely available. The books are aimed for kids of all ages, even up to 18. The books are available in English, Spanish, German, French, Japanese and Italian. Follow this link – https://stories.audible.com to listen for free today.
5. Sit outside and get fresh air – This may sound quite simple and not very time consuming however many of us forget to take time out of our lives to relax and breath in fresh air. As well as this being extremely stress relieving, it should put you in a calm state. You could even try listening to music when outside.
6. Use an app called Headspace – If you are feeling stressed during the day, it might be worth trying the app Headspace. Headspace is an app that tackles stress and anxiety, performance mindset, personal growth, work and productivity, kids and parenting, life challenges, physical health and students as well as additional issues. They tackle these issues by mediation, exercises and advice. In addition they have a Community Story where people send in there issues and a professional gives them advice. This advice is then given to everyone on the app so people with similar problems can learn to solve them too. Headspace has some free activities however you can pay £49.99 annually to unlock the full experience, and with this you receive a fourteen days free trial.
7. Bake some desserts – Nothing passes time like baking. You also get to eat your delicious creation whilst watching tv! You could do a challenge within your family like the Great British Bake Off and get loads of different sweet treats. This also makes it more fun for the youngsters.
8. Write a letter to your future self – Why not take this time to reflect on recent events or even the past few years. Try writing a letter to yourself to open in a few years time. It’s really exciting to see how your interests have changed over the years and what hasn’t.
9. FaceTime family and friends or use Houseparty – It can be hard to isolate from family and friends so why not try to arrange to FaceTime. FaceTime is only available to Apple users, however apps such as Houseparty work on iPhone and Android but can also be used on your Mac or in Goggle Chrome. There are also games on Houseparty that you can play whilst talking to your friends. Games include Heads Up as seen on Ellen, Chips and Guac, Quick Draw and a Houseparty version of Cards Against Humanity. You can also be in a chat with eight people at a time! Other apps include Snapchat, who have a face call option.
10. Do online shopping – As stores of your favourite brands are closed, try online shopping instead. You can browse the internet for hours looking for new things to buy. Why not order things to redecorate your room to give yourself a fresh start or build on what you have already created. It’s worth having a look on Pinterest for style and room ideas.
11. DIY – Crafts and DIY are great activities for younger children or even creative adults. You can get the whole family working on something together. Ideas include up-cycling, sewing and scrapbooking. Search up online for some cool ideas.
12. It’s a perfect time to do revision – For some students they may still have big exams next year so it is important to make sure you are still completing the coursework and revising comes along with this. Try using flashcards, signing up to websites such as Seneca and BBC Bitesize and watching videos on concepts in tricky subjects like Maths. Also have a look online to find some effective techniques that might work for you. You could teach yourself the NATO phonetic alphabet, which is used in communication in the workplace and is very useful to know.
13. Workout – Even though this may not appeal to everyone, you can make workouts fun. Think about using different equipment you have at home. A skipping rope. Hula Hoops. Joe Wicks PE lessons on YouTube. It might even just be playing football in your garden, but some form of exercise is important. For those who want to challenge yourselves you could download a workout app. Good ones include Workout for Women, 30 Day Fitness and 7 Minute Workout. You could also try yoga, pilates, Zumba or even light stretches. Maybe keep a fitness log to track your progress (some of the apps do this for you anyways!). Another tip is to play on a WII or Nintendo. Games such as Just Dance on WII are a real workout in themselves.
14. Start a blog – Blogging is not as complicated as people think. It helps to boost you writing skills, think creatively, increases confidence and you could even make money. You have to start by choosing a blogging platform such as Wix, SimpleSite or WordPress. Then chose a web host for your blog or set up a blog on your own domain. You must think of theme for your blogs, something that interests you and you can write about.
15. Organise your closet – This may be another simple one however it is very time consuming. Your clothes may just need sorting but if you have no idea where to start, maybe purchase one of Marie Kondo’s books to help you. Kondo’s ‘spark joy’ mantra is very useful. If an item of yours doesn’t spark joy, then throw it away! If you don’t like that idea, Marie still has great storage techniques in her book and in her show on Netflix, Tidying up with Marie Kondo.
16. Do a jigsaw puzzle – Not much can be said about a jigsaw puzzle expect you either love them or hate them. Jigsaws can be a pain for some however if you are a jigsaw enthusiast here are some ideas for you. Have a good look online for a jigsaw puzzle you like. Looking for a puzzle with a certain theme could be good. If you don’t already own one, it might be worth investing in a puzzle roll up mat to keep your jigsaw together once it is finished, but another cool idea is sticking your puzzle down, giving you a new picture you could hang in your house.
17. Start to learn a language – Apps such as Babble and Duolingo could help you to learn a new language. It could just be learning a few words a day or you could challenge yourself a bit more. Learning a new language can boost your confidence, be useful in the workplace, useful when traveling and also impress your friends.
18. Go for a walk – Make use of the governments policy. You are allowed to go out to exercise once a day. This includes running and cycling as well as walking. Parks will remain open and you can take one member from your household with you.
