11 Surprising Ways to Enjoy Social Distancing at Home

The entire world is practically on house arrest as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. COVID-19 is an infectious disease which affects the respiratory system. The outbreak began in Wuhan, China and spread rapidly affecting over 150 countries around the world. The virus is transmitted through contact, which results in the rapid rate at which it spreads. In an effort to curb the spreading many country officials have implemented strict measures and encourage their citizens to practice social distancing. Under the circumstances, most of us are spending more time than usual at home. For introverts, this is where we will thrive, however, for the extroverts who can't be 'out and stunting' I know boredom will eventually set in and as always, I'm here to help.

What is Social Distancing?

Social distancing is limiting close and frequent interactions to reduce the transmission of a virus. According to the World Health Organization, there are several ways to practice social distancing. Some of the best ways to do so are to stay away from mass gatherings, avoid touching other people and keep a distance of 6 feet or 2 metres away from people especially those who are coughing or sneezing.

Call Your Person

Social distancing does not mean we should become anti-social. Keep in touch with your loved ones every day. We are blessed to live in a time when state of the art technology is at our fingertips. There are many ways to contact your person, you can call, text or even video chat. Now is the perfect time to check in with family and friends, even just to ensure that they are safe and taking the necessary precautions. You can also contact that friend you haven't spoken to in a while. Communicating with your loved ones can help you to relax and you may even get a few laughs in between. Seriously guys! There's no better time than now to just call your person.

Listen to Podcasts

With all this extra time you now have as a result of social distancing, you can start listening to podcasts. These days podcasts are so popular that it is almost impossible not to find one that interests you. Podcasts can be educational, inspirational or just outright fun. Listening to podcasts is a great alternative to reading. They can also help to improve your listening skills. The best thing about podcasts is that you can listen while doing something else, like maybe cleaning.

Read Blog Posts

Like podcasts, blogs are extremely popular. You can find a blog about anything.  If you are an avid reader, you will like reading blog posts. My favourite blog posts to read are travel and lifestyle. I enjoy reading about someone's experiences in different locations and bloggers often share little tips that make it easier for us to enjoy the same locations without the hassle of going in blindly. There are so many things you can learn from blog posts. Most bloggers aim to provide information but make it simple enough for readers to understand and enjoy. Don't forget that reading helps to stimulate your brain.

Practice Self-care

You're already at home so why not? You've been given a grand opportunity to take better care of yourself. There are numerous ways to pamper yourself at home. You can focus on skincare, haircare, your mental health or total body care. Take those long baths, give yourself a mani-pedi or get that long-desired rest and sleep in a little. Don't feel guilty for taking some time to take care of yourself. If you need additional ideas for self-care, check out this post by Adventures from Elle.

Upgrade Your Cooking Skills

We can't all be Gordon Ramsay in the kitchen however, we should at least be able to prepare a proper meal for ourselves. I've always been told that you're never too old to learn so being at home now gives you some time to improve your cooking skills. This is especially vital at a time like this when takeout may not always be an option. You will eventually get tired of eating the same thing every day. Cooking is truly an art form and if done right it can yield tasty results. It's also super easy to get recipes. YouTube is an amazing space to find recipes and cooking demos. A quick search on Google can also help you get recipes and if you're like me, you know that there is an app for that. There are numerous apps you can download that provide simple recipes for those of us who are 'culinarily-challenged' and yes that's actually a thing, I googled.

Download New Apps

Speaking of apps, if you have a smartphone and Wi-Fi it shouldn't be too hard to keep yourself entertained. I don't mean getting sucked into a social media wormhole. Whether you are using Play Store or App Store you can find an app for just about anything. You can find educational apps that can help you learn a language or build on skills you already have. There are countless free games available for your gaming pleasure. In the words of Ariana Grande, 'you see it, you like it, you want it', there's an app for that.

Get Creative

You now have a lot of extra time on your hands. Why not put your hands to work. Get your creative juices flowing by starting a DIY project. Your project can be as simple as using markers to transform a plain old boring mug into a personalized masterpiece. Being creative doesn't necessarily mean you should get crafty. If you like writing you can write a short story or poem. You can also take up gardening. Maybe you'll discover that you have a green thumb. Creativity can be expressed in many ways. You may even surprise yourself.

Binge Travel Vlogs on YouTube

Social distancing has most of us stuck at home. Most people would rather be out and about living their best life. Alas, we can't so we may as well make do. Binging travel vlogs well help you live vicariously through the vloggers. You'll get to experience the adventure from their point of view while dreaming of your own adventure. With the vast number of travel videos on YouTube, you'll have more than enough to satisfy your wanderlust even if only temporarily. You can also get awesome ideas for planning your next adventure. It might look like it's going to be a while before we get back to that, but I believe that we will. It might be sooner than we think.

Do some work

It's not all fun and games for everyone at this time as some people, myself included, have to work from home. Working from home certainly has its perks since you don't have to wake up early and depending on the type of work you also don't have to dress up. Even if you aren't required to work from home you can do some housework. Believe it or not, spring is around the corner so now is a good time to start cleaning. The most important thing is to ensure that all this extra time is being used wisely.

Exercise

Ah yes, the dreaded topic. You know how some of us like to say we'd exercise but don't have the time? Well, now you do.  Working out at home is great for keeping you active while practising social distancing. It also prevents you from gaining too much weight since being at home all day often means you're snacking more than usual. Simple home workout videos can be found on YouTube. I don't think I need to go in details regarding all the benefits of exercise. We all know how important it is, especially at a time like this. Exercising is also a method of self-care.

Take Time to Breathe

Time away from the turmoil of daily living plays an essential role in improving the quality of life. Take some time to reflect. Embrace all the good things that are happening in your life regardless of the current situation. Develop an attitude of gratitude. Whether you choose to meditate, drink soothing teas or practice breathing exercises, do something that allows you to really de-stress without much effort. Just breathe.

Conclusion

We've been given a rare opportunity and even though it isn't under the best circumstances we should make the most of it. Use this time to work on your growth be it physical, spiritual, mental or personal. It is important not to panic, just take all the necessary precautions, keep abreast with the news and remain prayerful. The situation may seem like it's never going to end but we should always remember, this too shall past.

I wrote a post some months ago about things to do on a rainy day, feel free to give it a read for some additional activities you can do at home. Tell me in the comments how you're coping at home.

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