Things you can do to help boredom during quarantine

Whether you’re working from home, in self-isolation or amid social-distancing — chances are, you’re spending extended periods of time in isolation. If that’s the case, rest assured — you’re not alone. The transition from work or school to home can take place quickly, and often without notice.

Acknowledging the unique nature of these circumstances is important while maintaining the human connection that comes with both — personal and professional lives, which plays a key role in adjusting.

Pull up a seat, and join us, as we run through some ways to minimise boredom during the COVID-19 quarantine.

Practice mindfulness

Mindfulness is an expression a lot of us have heard and probably tried to implement into our lives at some stage.

In the routine of our everyday lives, it can be challenging to find time to clear your mind, empty unwanted mental clutter, and focus on your personal development — until now.

Wellness apps offer multiple avenues to physical and emotional wellbeing. However, much like dietary requirements, one size doesn’t fit all. Given the new-found time at your disposal, activity outside of the norm might be worth pursuing.

For those looking for a more familiar voice, popular wellness app Headspace offers a free 10-day course that guides users through the essentials of meditation and mindfulness. Better yet, the course remains free, no matter how many times you repeat the cycle.

Not a fan of the digital offerings? Perhaps explore some more traditional avenues of mindfulness, including self-guided meditation, yoga, or even a gratitude journal. After all, the best things in life are (often) free!

Exercise from home

Set the scene — your favourite binge-worthy series, tracksuit pants and a room that isn’t decked out in mirrors.

It might sound like we’ve just described the gym of your dreams, but wait, this is better than that, it’s your home — without the bells and whistles. It might sound easy, but some bodyweight exercises, including push-ups and burpees, could be an option to help you need to hit the ground running.

Speaking of popular alternatives — try exploring mobile apps or your preferred video streaming platform to enjoy an abundance of free workouts — right at the tip of your finger. With no shortage of content (or experts), you’ll be a fitness guru in no time.

Distance learning

For those looking to re-enter the workforce, this time at home could be used for professional and personal development.

A variety of credible companies are offering their online platforms free of charge, including the likes of Adobe, who have released free and temporary access to Creative Cloud apps like the commonly used Photoshop and InDesign.

Popular online resource General Assembly is also offering a selection of online courses that can be completed without a subscription. The award-winning curriculum has a broad range of offerings, including courses in UX Design, as well as other relevant networking practices across multiple fields.

Dive into the do-it-yourself world and pick-up a new skill

Looking for some inspo to update your seasonal wardrobe? Maybe some guided steps on how to minimise the confusion in your life? The options are endless.

Countless hours can be lost with a simple click of the button into the world of YouTube tutorials. From the mundane to the interesting, and everything in between, the online streaming giant has something for everyone. The extended time at home could be a great starting point for gaining a new skill, discovering a new passion or a possible point of personal development. Your biggest sticking point could be deciding where to start.

The simplicity and production value on some videos are often the biggest reason to watch. The relatability of someone just like you articulating their experience or anecdote can result in a must-see video. Due to the diversity and popularity of YouTube, no one video/vlog is the same, which means plenty of different languages and topics, camera angles — and plenty of opinions.

Once you’ve found your niche and begin watching with regularity, the platform creates a playlist based on content that you watch.

Declutter your workspace

That desk in your corner that’s supposed to be a home office. We’ve all been there.

Now is a better time than ever to reorganise an area of your house that probably needed some TLC for a while now. It might seem like a big task at first, but like all projects, it’s best to start with a blank canvas.

Depending on the state of your desk, the system you use to organise your belongings might need a bit of a refresh, and that’s okay. Once you’ve sorted through what’s needed (and what isn’t), prioritise the objects that carry the most practicality — and keep them on display.

Much like your office workspace, it doesn’t always resemble your home, and for a good reason.

More often than not, your necessities are the only things you’ll find at a work desk. A clean home office often translates into a more productive and positive place to work.

Read a book, re-read an old favourite, or have one read to you

Much like a classic film or television series, reading a book once often isn’t enough.

At face value, reading is often a forgotten past-time, primarily due to the forgotten benefits that come with temporarily distancing yourself from technology.

Beyond the knowledge of learning something new, people often read for not only mental stimulation, but for stress relief, aided sleep and better memory. Even for condensed periods, reading a book can serve as a timely distraction to the outside world.

Given the short-form writing that is commonly associated with online content, a book allows you to concentrate on a single task for an extended interval. Better yet, it’s also great entertainment.

For the children in your life (or for your inner-child), audiobook service Audible is offering a variety of children’s books free of charge, for the duration that schools are closed.

These audiobooks will be offered in six languages, with no login details required.

Meanwhile, the audiobook service also offers a 30-day free trial, which includes your first audiobook, regardless of whether you cancel or commit to a subscription.

Plan your day — and stick to it

A normal working day is often split into segments.

First, it starts with your commute, regardless of where your work or studies are based. This allows many people to begin their day, before having time split into varying activities such as meetings, or even common rituals such as designated meals.

Having this framework often adds normality to what can be a stressful day or even a schedule jam-packed with deadlines and commitments in any shape or form.

Initially, this period of isolation may come as a welcome change. But like all breaks of routine, having a purpose and short-term goal helps create order in your day. To start, it might be simple things like scheduled breaks and online catch-ups with friends.

Regardless of size or significance, it’s important to map out your day. You never know, this might open up time for new activities, tasks or hobbies.

To help keep yourself accountable for your time management, consider task management apps such as TickTick which is available on both the App Store and Google Play. Stay across all aspects of your day with cloud synchronisation across all the devices, as well as reoccurring events.

These handy tools and services are not endorsed or provided by Belong. Our team have handpicked these as their favourites and are only suggested ideas. So please use them at your own risk — we encourage you to take sensible precautions if you do.

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