Are you feeling like you have social distancing boredom? Social distancing can leave us feeling like we have few opportunities to entertain ourselves. We are social creatures and finding ways to engage in healthy activities alone can be challenging. While it is important to get to know ourselves better and be comfortable with the silence; it can prove challenging to find ways to do this that are helpful. Below are some adaptive ideas to engage in to help us manage our moods and feel proactive in maintaining our mental health.
Healthy ways to beat social distance boredom
- Dress up – when is the last time you had ample time to go through your closet and find your favorites from the past.
- Play board games – undoubtedly some of us have been trying this one out. Think old school: Checkers, chess, backgammon, poker, Trivial Pursuit, dominoes.
- Have a snack mindfully –notice your experience through all your senses.
- Appreciate a favorite actor or act yourself – find all the movies that your favorite has been in and stream these for a new look at some old favorites. Create your own video of your acting talents.
- Read – most of us are great at watching. Quite a few libraries are opening up their shelves for you to download your favorite movie that started as a book. https://openlibrary.org/help/faq/borrow#how
- Star gaze and find constellations. https://www.hongkiat.com/blog/stargazing-apps/ You can also learn about visiting space with The Kennedy Space Center https://www.kennedyspacecenter.com/camps-and-education/educator-resources
- Read about animals or visit the zoo virtually. https://www.houstonzoo.org/explore/webcams/ https://zoo.sandiegozoo.org/live-cams
- Appreciate the arts or create your own https://www.fastcompany.com/90478307/stuck-at-home-take-free-drawing-classes-from-famous-illustrators
- Play a game in your backyard – toss a ball, toss a Frisbee, create a game of tag, hopscotch…..
- Redecorate or rearrange your room/house – what a great time to change things up.
- Join a group online https://best.lovetoknow.com/Best_Online_Communities
- Call someone you haven’t talked to in a while – they would love to hear from you and catch up the old-fashioned way.
- Make crafts – most of us have supplies laying around, so get creative https://www.happinessishomemade.net/quick-easy-kids-crafts-anyone-can-make/
- Shoot basketball in your driveway. Play foursquare.
- Take a bath – be mindful about your experience and use all your senses to enjoy and relax.
- Rap, sing, karaoke, dance like no one is watching. For something new The Metropolitan Opera is streaming free https://www.metopera.org/
- Practice breathing mindfully – find out what all the hype is about taking a breath to calm you down. https://freeappsforme.com/breathing-apps/
- Write a short story. Create a poem. Write a limerick. For a real challenge make a haiku.
- Bicycle – keep social distancing in mind, but head out to a park and ride on.
- Feed or watch birds in your yard.
- Blog or visit blogs about something of interest.
- Bake a cake and decorate it.
- Learn calligraphy https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nj962-cU2PQ
- Camp in your background – get out the tent and lanterns. Fire up the grill or fire pit to make s’mores.
- Take a nap – getting enough sleep can make life look a whole lot better.
- Go to church – online https://djchuang.com/church-online/
- Watch the clouds
- Look at artworks online – https://www.louvre.fr/en/visites-en-ligne
- Compose music or lyrics
- Cook something new https://www.instagram.com/massimobottura/
- Cross stitch, needlepoint, knit. Mend your clothes.
- Do a crossword puzzle
- Daydream
- Learn to juggle
- Learn with your child – https://classroommagazines.scholastic.com/support/learnathome.html
- Exercise – Try yoga for free https://www.corepoweryogaondemand.com/keep-up-your-practice
- Watch something new – Playbill is offering Broadway shows online for free https://www.playbill.com/article/15-broadway-plays-and-musicals-you-can-watch-on-stage-from-home
- Tell a joke and laugh
- Paint something
- Garden – plant for tomorrow
- Keep a dream journal
- Hug a family member
- Be intimate with a loved one
- Do genealogy https://www.familysearch.org/en/
- Walk your dog
- Practice your putting
- Give yourself a facial
- Paint a picture or finger paint
- Watch funny YouTube videos
- Light a candle and enjoy the smell
- Teach someone how to play a video game you enjoy
- Scrapbook
- Write a letter to someone
- Hike a trail, go on a walk in a park
- Do a home repair you have been putting off
- Go outside and breathe in the fresh air
- Write a thank you letter
- Put a jigsaw puzzle together
- Build a fort with your kids
- Learn to juggle
- Say a prayer
- Learn a foreign language
- Color with your kids or without them
- Smile at someone
- Be affectionate
- Learn a magic trick
- Meditate
- Teach a child something
- Lie in the grass
- Learn origami https://origami.me/beginners-guide/
- Clean out a closet and gather unneeded items for donation
- Email or video chat with your friends and family
- Water your plants
- Make a collage
- Paint your nails
- Give your pet a bath
- Watch the sunrise or sunset
Stephanie Phillips, LCMHCS, NCC, CCTP
Psychotherapist & Owner
The Mindly Group, PLLC
