101 Things To Do In Social Isolation During The Corona Virus

Hey guys,

How are you all doing? I hope you're all keeping safe and well, have enough supplies, and are coping well if you're social-isolating or are in lock down right now.

I've been self-isolating with chronic illness for the last eight and a half years, so having to isolate through this pandemic makes very little difference to my daily life. I'm already used to living in isolation, but I can appreciate how difficult it must be for those of you who aren't used to spending a lot of time at home. Even I've been going stir crazy knowing I can't leave the house for the foreseeable future- and this is my way of life!

From reading other blogs and keeping up with social media, it's clear most people are going stir crazy and finding confinement difficult already, but I promise you, it does get easier as time goes on. For me, forging a routine, and finding ways to fill my day and keep myself busy have been the key to coping through almost a decade of being housebound, and I really couldn't recommend those methods for coping through Covid-19 isolation to you more. Get in to a routine, find a purpose, and keep yourself busy. These things really do make all the difference, and should help keep you sane.

If you're currently bored stiff and wondering what you could possibly do from home besides watching TV, reading, and building a tower out of your hoarded toilet rolls, don't worry; I've got you covered. I've written a whole list of activities that you can do to keep yourself busy during social isolation / lockdown, in the hope that I can help make this awful and frightening situation a little easier for you to cope with. There are all sorts of ideas on the list, from crafting to stargazing, so I hope you can find at least a few ideas that will interest you and keep you going.

101 Things to do in Social Isolation:

1. Read. It's the perfect time to get through some of those books on your to be read list. If you don't have a stack of books waiting to be read, there are loads of free and inexpensive Kindle Books to take advantage of, and plenty of places to find cheap books online, such as Amazon, The Works, and eBay.

2. Relax with your favourite magazine and a cuppa. When was the last time you read a magazine? I can't even remember- and I used to read them all the time.

3. Have a movie marathon. Every day if you want to.

4. Write a list of all the movies you've always wanted to see, and make it your mission to watch them all.

5. Binge-watch a box set (or fifty).

6. Make some cheerful new playlists then listen to your favourite tunes up loud.

7. Write a letter to a friend or relative. (Avoid licking the envelope and stamp, to be safe).

8. Write a letter to your future self or for your kids to read when they reach a certain age or milestone.

9. Relax with an adult colouring book. Colouring in really does help you to destress and unwind, and offers a great distraction from all those worries that might be troubling you right now.

10. Dig out your art supplies and create some art. Sketch, paint, pastel, charcoal... there are so many options to try.

11. Have a go at art journaling.

12. Do some bullet journaling and create some beautiful layouts.

13. Keep a daily diary. It could act as a form of therapy during this ordeal, and be interesting to look back on life during the virus when the outbreak is over. One day it'll come in handy for your kids / grandkids doing school assignments on this virus.

14. Document your isolation experience on your blog, vlog, or social media channels.

15. Blog. If you blog, it's a good time to get ahead on your content; if you don't, it could be a great time to start one. It's a fantastic outlet, and you'll never be bored again. I started one to keep myself occupied soon after I became housebound with chronic illness, and it's kept me sane and occupied for eight whole years so far!

16. Create killer flatlays for your blog content, and take blog photos in bulk.

17. Catch up on all your favourite blogs, and search for some new blogs to follow.

18. Edit all those photos you've never got around to editing.

19. Read light-hearted articles online. Bored Panda, The Dodo, and Buzzfeed are great for some inspiring, uplifting, and amusing relief.

20. Watch cute animal videos online. Who doesn't feel better after watching a video of puppies or kittens being adorable??

21. Play computer games. I personally love Animal Crossing. It's great for destressing and using your creativity, and it's the perfect form of escapism. The newest game in the series, Animal Crossing New Horizons, just came out on the Nintendo Switch, and it's really helped to distract me and keep me calm this past week. I'm already obsessed. (If you don't have a Switch, the Pocket Camp app is great, too, and it's free on the iPhone!) If you don't hear from me for a few months, this game is why! 

22. Break out the board games. A good game of Monopoly or Scrabble could keep you and your family occupied for hours.

23. Play card games like Gin Rummy, Patience, and Poker- online or the good old fashioned way with a deck of cards.

24. Complete a jigsaw puzzle.

25. Keep your brain active with puzzles like crosswords and Sudoku.

26. Get your craft on. Crafting is the perfect way to pass the time indoors and making something with your own two hands is so satisfying, too. The options are endless, but you could:

27. Knit or crochet something.

28. Make a cross stitch or embroidery.

29. Make a spring / Easter wreath.

30. Sew a piece of clothing.

31. Try card making.

32. Hand-stamp your own wrapping paper.

33. Decoupage something.

34. Make your own jewellery.

35. Try needle felting.

36. Have a go at punch needling.

37. Make something out of clay.

38. Get stuck in to model-making.

39. Have a go at paper-cutting.

40. Paint mandalas on garden pebbles.

41. Make a mosaic.

42. Try candle-making.

43. Make yourself a supply of reusable cleansing pads / dish cloths etc.

44. Upcycle a piece of furniture.

45. Create a collage.

46. Put together a scrapbook.

47. Learn calligraphy.

48. Have a go at creative writing. I'd recommend the Things To Write books like 642 Things To Write, 642 Stories To Write, and 742 More Things To Write if you want to do lots of it and need some writing inspiration.

49. Write that novel you've always wanted to write.

50. Bake something delicious. Cakes and cookies make any situation better. Fact.

51. Cook a new recipe... that's if you have enough ingredients in your cupboards to get creative.

52. Have a carpet picnic.

53. Have a real picnic in your back garden. Or just go and enjoy your lunch out in the garden when the sun is shining.

54. Have a barbecue. It might take you a couple of hours to light the charcoal, which will keep you busy for a while.

55. Catch up on housework.

56. Organise your wardrobe and dressing table. Throw out, recycle, sell, and donate what you no longer need or use.

57. Have an early spring clean of all the rooms in your house.

58. Do some redecorating or get on to those DIY jobs that have been neglected for the last five years.

59. Repair anything that need repairing. Now is the time to sew on those lost buttons, fix that loose shelf, and superglue that broken figurine back together.

60. Do some gardening. There's sure to be something that needs cutting back, digging up, planting, or weeding.

61. Plant seeds and watch your seedlings grow every day.

62. Sow a veggie patch. If you don't have a garden, you could even grow some in a window box.

63. Feed and water your plants.

64. Tidy your garage / shed.

65. Sit in your garden or on your balcony and appreciate the sunshine and nature around you.

66. Organise your photo albums.

67. Organise, delete, and back up your digital files.

68. Catch up on emails and clear out your email inboxes.

69. Participate in a daily Instagram photo challenge. There are always loads of challenges going around for all kinds of niche topics like fashion, art, and reading, as well as general get-to-know-me challenges, and monthly / holiday related ones.

70. Fill in some fun templates on your Instagram stories.

71. Learn a new language.

72. Learn how to play an instrument, or a new song on an instrument you already play.

73. Google a topic you're unfamiliar with and learn as much as you can about it online.

74. Take an ecourse.

75. Keep your mind and body active by doing some exercise or meditation.

76. Dance like nobody is watching. It's good for the soul.

77. Take your dog for a walk- but remember to keep your distance from other people.

78. Play with your pets. 

79. Teach your dog / rabbit / rat some new tricks.

80. Groom / bathe your pet.

81. Trim your pet's nails.

82. Take a long relaxing bubble bath.

83. Have a pamper session with a face mask, foot spa, mani pedi etc.

84. Try your hand at some nail art.

85. Attempt a new make up look.

86. Get out your old photo albums and reminisce about the good times.

87. Find escapism in beautiful images on Instagram.

88. Pin inspiring images on Pinterest, and create lots of boards on topics that interest you.

89. Call / Skype / message family and friends. It's important to stay connected as much as possible. You can lift each other up and feel sorry for yourselves together.

90. Spend some quality time with the family / friends / housemates you live with.

91. Earn some extra pennies taking surveys online. Depending on the website, you can earn money or gift cards to spend with your favourite online shops. They don't pay a lot, and most are pretty boring, but the money soon adds up. I've made £150 so far this year on Swagbucks, and I've only been taking a survey here and there, and not putting in any real effort. I wrote a post about earning money through surveys here if you want to learn more.

92. Build a blanket fort and hide away from reality with a good book and a supply of snacks.

93. Take a nap. Everything feels better after a nap.

94. Continue working or studying from home.

95. Dye your hair.

96. Pick flowers from the garden and make a pretty bouquet to brighten up the house.

97. Get out in to the garden on a clear night and stargaze. You could even look for shooting stars during The Lyrid meteor shower, which starts from the 16th of April and ends around the 25th.

98. Dig around in the attic and see what old memories you can find.

99. Look back through old home movies.

100. Plan all the fun things you're going to do as soon as the virus has passed, isolation is over, and life has returned to normal again.

101. Be kind to yourself. You're doing great.

And there we have it: 101 things you can do to keep yourself busy during social isolation and lockdown.

I hope this post has given you some inspiration on how to distract yourself while you're stuck at home riding out this terrible outbreak, and it helps make this crazy period of time a little easier for you.

It's not going to be easy, but we're going to get through this, and hopefully come out the other side with a new found appreciation for life, the outside world, and all those things we used to take for granted in our lives. In the meantime, we're all going to become so accomplished, and our houses will never have looked cleaner.

Stay strong, and stay safe. And remember you're not alone; we're all in this together.

What is keeping you sane through lockdown / isolation? Is there anything missing from my list? Feel free to add ideas in the comments.

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