The recent pandemic has many of us switching up our day-to-day lives in drastic ways. While staying away from other people is important to protect our health, self isolation can definitely be boring. With a ton of time on your hands and no desire to leave the house in Quarantine, you’re probably searching for some activities you can take-on in order to keep your sanity in check.
Here are 10 things to do if you’re stuck in quarantine – keep reading for some great ideas!
1) Set Up Video Calls with Friends & Family
Quarantine can be difficult in a lot of ways, but not seeing friends and family may be the worst part of it all. If you’re feeling lonely, don’t be afraid to set up video calls with your social groups. With plenty of free and paid options available, such as Zoom, Google Meet and FaceTime, you can chat and see those people you miss the most. Plus, you can use group conferencing preferences to set up a virtual party, so you can get the whole gang together!
2) Set Up a Home Movie Theater
Prices of projectors and other large TVs have come down in price a lot over the past few years. And, with a ton of time on your hands, you’ll probably turn to Netflix, Disney+ and other streaming platforms to catch up on movies, TV shows and other content. So maybe you’re ready to get a home movie theater set up. You can order high-end speaker equipment online, have special theater chairs delivered and order take-out food to complete the experience.
3) Pick Up Extra Gigs Online
In today’s gig economy, you can make an extra few bucks with just a computer and internet connection. From answering surveys to teaching english to analyzing websites and beyond, there are plenty of jobs that can help you fill time while making some money. Take a look at some popular options below:
- Amazon Mechanical Turk: Mechanical turk is a platform that allows you to choose from a number of jobs through a variety of clients. You work for “requesters” and they can approve or reject your submitted tasks like user experience tests, product reviews and more.
- SwagBucks: This is one of the oldest, most well known gig sites. There’s plenty to do, from surveys to virtual tasks to transcribing, so you shouldn’t get too bored. You can also earn bonus money for meeting daily goals.
4) Gardening & Landscaping
Even though there may be a stay-in-place order where you live, or at the very least social distancing rules, you can still enjoy the outdoors in your own yard. If your landscaping is looking less-than-stellar, why not tend your gardens, lawn, trees and other elements? Now is a great time to stretch your green thumb.
5) Get Back on an Exercise Routine
We all know how tough it can be to stay active when your day-to-day life has suddenly been uprooted. But, inactivity can lead to problems further down the road, in terms of both physical and mental health. So, with some extra free time, it may present the perfect opportunity to get back on a consistent exercise routine.
6) Start a Podcast
It doesn’t take much of a set up these days to record yourself. Computers, smartphones and tablets can capture your voice with ease, while slightly upgraded audio equipment like mics and interfaces has become super affordable. With that being the case, brainstorm on potential podcast ideas – are there any topics that you’re knowledgeable on, or are interested in learning more about? From true crime to history to aviation or anything else, there’s no niche off limits, and you’ll end up challenging yourself in new ways.
7) Clear Out Clutter
Almost everyone has a room or area in their house where junk tends to collect. Clearing out the clutter presents the perfect weekend activity. Plus, many donation centers and thrift stores have begun opening back up, so you don’t have to take all your memories to the landfill.
8) Flex Your Creative Muscles
Whether you want to learn to write a story, paint a picture, develop a screenplay, capture the perfect iPhone photo or try your hand at pottery, there are a ton of creative outlets for you to sink time into. Not only will you have a finished project you can proudly show-off once you’re finished, but creative pursuits have been shown to strengthen cognitive ability, fine motor skills and prevent memory loss — so you’ll keep your mind sharp even while stuck at home.
9) Learn to Code
If you’re stuck at home for long periods of time, it provides a great opportunity to learn to code. As difficult as the practice is, an open schedule and an aversion to the outdoors will only help. There are plenty of free resources where you can learn a number of coding languages, from HTML to CSS to JavaScript and beyond. Take a look at CodeAcademy or CodeCamp for popular free options.
10) Play Video Games
Video games are an entertaining way to pass time. Not only are they fun, online gaming provides an extra social outlet, whether you want to play with friends or strangers across the globe. Plus, video games can be beneficial for your mental health, improving multi-tasking, memory and problem-solving skills. If you’re a pack-rat like some of us, you can even pull out that old console, like Nintendo 64, Sega Genesis or even Atari, and brush-up on games from your childhood.
As pilots, we’re partial to spending time behind a realistic flight simulator. When we’re not in quarantine, we enjoy our Elite PI-135 Professional Simulator. However, in times like these, an at-home flight simulator soothes our airborne cravings. Check out some of the options below to get yourself setup on a flight simulator you can enjoy from the comfort of your house.
- X Plane 11 Global Flight Simulator: Available for Mac, Windows and Linux, this is one of the best-developed at-home simulators available for the price, with a number of physical add-ons like pedals, steering console, throttle and more.
- Microsoft Flight Simulator: This award-winning simulator from Microsoft allows you to fly between 24,000 destinations around the globe in a wide variety of plane models.
Inflight Pilot Training offers safe, health-conscious training
Were you enthusiastic about starting flight school, only to have your plans interrupted by the pandemic? We understand the frustration. Contact our team of certified flight instructors (CFIs) today to find out how we’re committed to providing each and every student with a safe, health-conscious learning environment. We can help you meet your goals when it comes to learning to fly.
For additional information about our company and service offerings, contact us today or call (952) 698-3000.
