A continuously growing list of things to do on lock down!
I think its fair to say, after only one week, lock down can be pretty trying at times! Especially if your lock down involves a restless 10 years old with a ping pong ball and bat (honestly, it’s incessant!!) So here is a very uncomprehensive list of suggestions that could help to get you through these troubling times (I haven’t included things like wine and biscuits. Let’s be honest, that goes without saying!)
If you have any further suggestions of things we could get up too or you own a small business then please feel free to add it all to the comments at the bottom. It’s so important we look after each other in these troubling times! We hope that you’re all doing well and keeping safe xx
Do some studying
There are so many free online courses out there at the moment! A lot of them have always been there but we simply haven’t had the time to invest. Now though, millions of people have found themselves at home with time on their hands so why not put it to good use? Try the ones from the Open University who cover courses on everything from Biofuels and Climate Change to Art and the Mexican Revolution!
Nail that movie or TV marathon
Forget that Buffy even existed? Well now is the time, without doubt, to revisit all those old box sets and make new friends. In our house it’s Marvel (we’ve already covered the whole of Buffy which I seriously recommend revisiting!) but there are a million and one options on platforms such as Sky, Netflix, Amazon Prime and the new Disney+, which is currently offering a weeks free trial! Don’t want to pay? There are great series in the UK available on the BBC Iplayer including all 12 series of Doctor Who.
Chill out!
When do we EVER have the time just to sit at home and relax and do nothing?? There’s always the pressure to be doing something. Well maybe, just for once, choose to do nothing!
Listen to some audiobooks
There are a whole wealth of audiobooks available out there. Pretty much any book you can buy you can get in audio. I’ll be honest, I’m not a great reader, but I do tend to be able to make space for a couple of chapters of Harry Potter before bed (just like Buffy we’ve done the whole series which we downloaded on Amazon’s Audible service). Into real crime? Casefile Podcast is my absolute favourite! Not only free, it will keep you engrossed for hours!
Adopt a pet!
With everyone confined to the indoors or heading out for short bursts of exercise why not adopt, or foster, a pet from your local animal shelter? Suddenly that pesky job that gets in the way no longer exists and a dog would be amazing company! Plus, just think of the walking benefits and how happy you would make any animal that you brought into your home. Even if you can only foster short term you really can make a difference.
Re-connect with long lost friends
Don’t know about you but I hardly ever speak to anyone on the phone anymore! My friends are scattered all over the country but interaction tends to be a Facebook post or a voice note on WhatsApp at the very most! Why not pick up the phone and give those long lost but oh so dear friends a call? Or how about using Skype, Zoom or Houseparty to video or group chat!? We have the time now to remember who is important to us and why. Don’t forget to use it wisely.
Re-connect with your family
Sometimes we do what we have to to get through life. Some of us are up before our partners or kids and may only see them for a couple of hours in the evening when we’re tired and crabby and really just want to have some food, watch a couple of hours TV, check up on our social media and head to bed. Some of us even work 7 day weeks. Suddenly we have 12 hours plus in the day with people we may not really know. For some of us even if we’re WFH we may be in the same vacinity as people we saw before for that many hours in a whole week! Use it wisely. Bond. Smile. Laugh. Put down those phones! Engage. This time is super precious and will probably never happen again. Kiss. Feel lucky.
Visit a virtual bar
Brewing giants Brewdog have launched an online bar where you can expect, amongst other things, brewing lessons, pub quizes and Live Music! We tried to log on for the pub quiz on launch night and found that the virtual room had reached its 1000 participant capacity (not very high in our humble opinion!) The bars may be shut but the fun continues. If you can get on.
Move
Everyone is getting in on the online fitness classes right now! From celebrities to your favourite gyms. Joe Wicks is doing a half hour PE lesson every weekday morning and – let me tell you – if your fitness levels are pretty low like me, you’ll still find this a good workout. Then there’s Oti from Strictly with her daily dance class. Have a Google and see what you can find. Exercise doesn’t have to be boring! If you are lucky enough to have a garden why not utilise it!
Take part in some online quizes
They’re everywhere! Hundreds of pubs and events have brought quizes online to give us something to do in our downtime. I’m especially drawn to the Spectacular Quarantine Quizzes. Think themed quizes on your favourite things such as Star Wars, Disney (excellently the Disney quiz is called Quizney), Harry Potter and Friends. They also aim to raise money for Child.org if you have some spare pennies to donate.
Rainfall Rescue
Want to put some of that extra time to some real good use? Rainfall Rescue are working to put handwritten, historical documents measuring the rainfall in the UK online. Although all data is UK specific, it can be inputed anywhere in the world. It’s simple data inputting for a good cause. Visit https://www.zooniverse.org/projects/edh/rainfall-rescue
Sell those things you no longer need
All those things you should have put on Ebay/Facebook Marketplace/Gumtree etc years ago. Now’s the time. Just do it.
Internet dating
Sometimes you just seriously don’t have the time and space in your life for internet dating. Well, now you do. This lock down may change your life in more ways than one.
Learn a language
Yet another thing that most of us just don’t have time for! There’s a host of apps and courses out there to help you get started so now you have the time there’s no excuse.
Gardening
If you’re lucky enough to have a garden then make the most of the extra time you have to get outside and tend to the plants! Not only does the sun boost those essential Vitamin D levels but gardening can burn up to 300 calories an hour and seriously boost the feel good factor provided by seratonin. Plus, who can resist a pretty garden! Don’t forget to put some birdseed somewhere you can watch from the inside so you can still get joy from the outside even if you’re in.
Tik Tok
I have to say I’m slow to the new social fad of Tik Tok and was pretty resistant to the idea of installing yet another social media app but Tik Tok can provide hours of entertainment and help you/your kids gain movie making skills if you so desire. Me and the boy totally plan to do the flick the switch challenge!!
Plan that next adventure
We may all be on lock down now (and who knows how long this will last for!) but sometime in the future we will all be free and WOW!! What a big wide world we have to go back too. Everyone loves to dream so dream away people. The travel industry will need you, businesses will need you, even animals in areas used to high levels of tourism will need you. Who is feeding the pigs of Big Major Cay right now??? Although great deals can be had if you book now (there are actually still flights running all be it in reduced numbers if you wanted to fly away today) maybe keep to the planning in the short term due to restrictions in foreign destinations and insurance being void if trips are booked during a Covid-19 lock down.
Sort all those things that you never, ever, ever, ever sort
Hundreds upon hundreds upon hundreds upon hundreds of photos saved on your computer? A million and one emails in your inbox? Now’s the time to sort it all out!
Volunteer
The NHS recently asked for 250,000 people to volunteer to help it through these unprecedented times. Over 750,000 people applied after just 7 days. At times of crisis people are good at pulling together to make things work. Volunteer for your NHS at https://www.goodsamapp.org/nhs or try other organisations such as Crisis, Voluntering Matters, and FareShare
Support local businesses
It’s fair to say that this pandemic is going to destroy a number of local and small businesses and, if you have the funds available to you, what better time to support your favourite places, hangouts and friends. Shop ahead! You don’t have to spend frivolously. Why not buy your Christmas presents early? Buy vouchers if the store is closed, help inject cash. Otherwise they simply may not be around come the end of the summer, let alone the end of the year. Their very survival may rely on your input.
Get to know those neighbours you’ve never met
Many of us simply don’t have time in this modern world or simply haven’t felt the need to connect with our neighbours. Well now you have the time and even if you don’t have the need, they might. I’m blessed to live in a street which have had an alliance for a while using the powers of Facebook and, in these uncertain times, everyone has really come together doing bulk grocery shops for the entire block, sharing skill sets between the neighbourhood and making sure the elderly are looked after. They’ve even made donations to the local food bank despite the fact everyone is feeling the pinch. A little goes a long way. Not only does the entire community benefit but it gives you a warm and fuzzy feeling.
If you can afford it, invest
A lot of us are going to experience extreme hardship in the next few months and as no one know when this is going to end, it’s worth putting some money away if we can. Interest rates are so low right now if you put £1000 in an ISA you’ll be lucky to get back £10 in interest after a year. There are, however, places where you can invest which could make a huge difference (emphasis on could!!) Premium Bonds give out monthly prizes of up to one million pounds and Nationwide currently have a competition on where you can win £20,000 if you invest £100 in an ISA before the end of April. Your chances may be slim but if you do have a few spare pennies it might be worth looking around to see what you can find.
Learn to sew/knit/macrame etc etc
Putting quarantine time to a good use and finding something both theraputic and worthwhile with an end product could be a really good way of spending your time. So why not take up a new hobby and make over your house or wardrobe.
Re-visit those business ideas you didn’t have time to pursue
Wanted to write and publish a novel? Been layed off from work? Always wanted to write a blog? For so many of us we are on a wait and see (I’m currently awaiting my own fate as cabin crew). But what if we didn’t wait and see? What if we cracked on and made our own future? No one knows what the world will look like on the other side but we can at least try to take a few things into our own hands. Not only may it make you re-evaluate your own situation (remember how you were so tired of putting in 14 hour days for no extra money?) but it will also give you something else to focus on. Take the plunge while you can and see what happens.
Attend a virtual listening party/Live Stream
So many musicians and celebrities are getting on this right now! Not only can you watch and listen to some of your favourite acts online but you can gain an insight into who they are as people, something which has been harder to do until now. Dance round your kitchen to Dave Pearce on a Sunday night, listen to Chris Martin from Coldplay do a mini concert, have David Walliams read you a bedtime story or join along with Tim Burgess on Twitter as he hosts various album playbacks. Find yourself a sense of community spirit and get involved in something you love. Whatever your tastes there is something out there for you.
Make time for yourself
Everyone works differently but I know I, for one, don’t have the time to spend on myself that I would like. I work shifts and sometimes I’m working 60 hour weeks. That hair mask? Nope. All over moisturiser? Nope. Fake tan? You have to be kidding! Now we have the time to listen to our bodies and re-invest in them. I have to say, accessing the products you so desire may be quite hard (I tried to log into the Boots website today and it helpfully told me I had over 160,000 people in the virtual queue in front of me. No joke!!) but if you can access them why not give yourselves a treat. You deserve it! Before you know it this will all be a distant memory and our feet will be crammed into high heals again so go barefoot, sleep in, have that DIY pedicure. You’re so worth it.
Don’t forget to let us know how you get one and, most of all, stay safe! xx
