During the hard times taking place in the world, it is hard to find things to do around the house. Being stuck inside for multiple days can take a toll on your mental health, but there are so many ways you can have fun while staying safe! 

Exercise

Keeping your body moving helps both your body and brain stay healthy. It relieves tension, stress, and enhances energy. Dulce Zamora wrote an article titled “The Absolute Beginner’s Guide to Exercise” that explains how working out has reportedly cured forms of heart disease and prevented or helped people recover from types of cancer and depression. Exercising can also be beneficial to students! Any sort of physical activity can aid in brain development, focus, and concentration as well as boosting your mood!

YouTube has vast exercise videos that you can watch if you do not already have a personal workout routine or you are just looking for something new. Incorporating fitness into your daily routine does not always mean a workout. You can take a walk, go for a run around your neighborhood, ride a bike, or do yoga. Other ways to keep moving while enjoying it are dance parties, jump rope, or run around outside with family or friends! 

Bake or Cook

Making food is one of my favorite hobbies, but so is eating it! Cooking or baking is a good way to keep yourself busy and has a delicious end result. Baking uses a lot of creativity when it comes to decorating, which is a good way to keep your brain sharp. Psychologist Donna Pincus explained how making a creation, whether it is artwork, baking, or music, is a stress reliever, then continues explaining how having a creative expression can be used as a stress relief outlet. You can make things as simple as brownies or cookies to something as complex such as a sweet pastry! What you create is up to you and your taste buds. Baking also fills your house with fantastic smells.

Read

Reading a good book can take you into a different world that will make you forget about everything happening around you. The article “Reading a Book Before Bedtime – 8 Common Benefits for Your Health and Sleep” explains the benefits of reading before bed, such as improving brain power, having better concentration, feeling more relaxed, and increasing creativity.

Finding a genre you like to read is a good place to start if you’re new to reading books. When you find things you like to read, the book will seem more enjoyable.

When stuck inside, the options of things to do are limitless. It all depends on your likes and interests, but it is always good to step out of your comfort zone and try new experiences! Alongside the previously mentioned activities, you can also write, improve organizational skills, talk to friends and family, or find a new hobby. It is important to keep busy while staying at home since isolation can majorly impact your mental health, so doing things and being around people is a good way to improve yourself and others around you.