Finding The Silver Lining: Ways To Stay Occupied During Quarantine

While everyone is ordered to stay home, it can be difficult to find a silver lining from the situation. Being at home has ballooned spare time so much, it’s easy to hit that brick wall of unmotivated boredom that makes you wonder, “now what?”.

For us the silver lining was hard to identify at first, but revealed itself to be the new hobbies, interests, and activities that can keep ourselves busy. We realized the unyielding monotony can be converted into time to rediscover ourselves! Tracking goals and watching talent grow has made newfound interests more exciting, providing encouragement to keep going while making the time indoors seem less dreadful.

So without further ado, here are our favorite activities to keep you occupied during quarantine:

Cooking

Cooking itself is not an unordinary activity for most, but have you ever tried cooking something unfamiliar? Or applying different ingredients to a staple dish? Or even try cooking with a friend through a video chat? Cooking is an inherently human activity that plays with the senses, actively engaging yourself with colors, smells, taste, sounds, and touch. You can effortlessly play around with different spices and ingredients for any dish to completely change the flavor.

Don’t want to cook alone, or prefer to watch others cook? Check out Brunch w/ The Sheriff on the first Coalesce From Home virtual gathering and learn how to make an amazing eggs benedict with the ingredients you already have!

Mixology

What better way to pair your newfound/improved cooking skills than with a mix drink? Learning how to make new mix drinks can make you the life of the next party once we’re able to gather again. All you need is a shot glass for measurement (a shot is 1.75 fl oz FYI), a cup, and a makeshift shaker. Popular drinks that are easy to make include a Manhattan, Gimlet, Gin and Tonic, and the classic Martini. If you prefer non-alcoholic beverages there are plenty of other drinks to learn, like the classic Shirley Temple! Do not forget to drink responsibly, even if you’re still quarantined.

Exercise & Fitness

After cooking all that excellent food, you can burn off those calories by exercising. Exercise is one of the best way to practice setting goals and keeping your body in check during quarantine. Combined with a healthy diet, you can offset that “quarantine 15” and build new habits that carry over once shelter-in-place is lifted. Use an app to track your progress (such as the suite of UnderArmor Apps or Fitbod), try online fitness routines like DareBee, or join us for our fitness sessions on Coalesce From Home!

Our community emphasizes wellness and well-being, physically and mentally. Coalesce From Home with us on May 30th and check out Hatha Mood Yoga with Allie G! Catch us on the !dancefloor and keep an eye out for other events that engage the mind and keep your body dancing.

Meditation and Wellbeing

You’re all hyped up from your new workout, seeing improvement in your body and mind, but now you want to relax and take a minute to be still and appreciate where you’re at. Meditation is an excellent way to wind down and release tension experienced either from daily life or shelter-in-place. There are apps available to help guide you through the meditative process (a personal favorite is Headspace) and track your efforts. Going on a walk can also bring out a state of wellbeing, taking notice of the abundance of nature around you or strolling through the street to your favorite tunes. Finding a way to ground yourself can take practice, but becomes a valuable skill for the rest of your life!

Donate & Volunteering

Making a positive impact can not only uplift the quarantine blues, but also greatly help those who are in need. You can try donating or volunteering your efforts to relieve some of the pressure faced by those more affected by quarantine. Giving blood, supporting food banks, and delivering meals are just a few examples of how you can make an impact. Visit California Volunteers for more information on how you can donate your time and resources.

Explore New Hobbies

If you feel more like a do-er and want to delve into your artistic side, then try taking up a new hobby! Hobbies are a fantastic medium to help relieve stress, depression, and boredom.

Maybe you always wanted to try making art by painting, or perhaps you’re feeling more crafty and prefer to try sewing, jewelry making, or woodwork. Another excellent hobby can involve music; pick up a guitar or find a mixer to better understand and gain appreciation for live performances.

Join us on May 30th, 2020 for a Flow Art Staff Construction workshop hosted by King Skye Flow Arts! Follow the link to get a list of materials needed and look at examples on his Instagram page.

Skill Development

Many sought-after skills take a huge investment of time that becomes difficult to maintain with a fully-booked schedule. Now would be the perfect time to invest in learning new skills like how to code, how to work on electronics, mastering the basics of a foreign language, video editing, or using graphic design software. The good news is there are many online resources available to help you get started in the virtual world, and inexpensive books that can guide you. By learning these skills, you can bolster your talent and apply it either professionally or integrate it into your newfound hobby and really create something wonderful!

Streaming

One positive outcome of staying indoors is streaming your favorite artists with entertaining visuals form the comfort of your own couch! Practically every artist and promoter has turned to streaming to continue entertaining their audience, refueling their excitement after cancelling events. Many streams have adopted a variety show-type of platform to broaden horizons and content, adding time-slots including cooking, workshops, yoga, informative topics, and more! Check out your favorite artists’ social media pages for streaming platforms and follow Coalesce New Years on Twitch to catch up on our streams.

Video Chat

Missing your friends while at home? Need some valuable face-to-face connection? There are many video chat apps available to maintain your social life, and for free! Zoom is the quickest rising video chat application in terms of popularity with excellent streaming quality and ability to host multiple people in a session. House Party has also gained popularity for its simple interface and includes games for users to play with their party. Google has recently made their streaming platform, Google Meetings, available for free while offering excellent streaming quality.

COVID Cleanup

With one more month of spring left, turn the annual spring cleaning into a COVID cleanup. Taking time to declutter your living space has been shown to reduce stress and anxiety, while giving you a chance to reorganize. Think about how you would like to rearrange your items, you might find something more enjoyable than your previous arrangement!

FINAL NOTE

If you are seriously struggling with shelter-in-place orders, you can reach out to Iris Supportive Services for a safe space consultation or additional information on harm reduction resources. Text 415-494-7436 or check out their website for more details on services, resources, and booking. Services are available for individuals and for event organizers.