Once we’ve grown tired of scrolling through our social media feeds or after we’ve finished a Netflix bingefest, our minds will inevitably want to engage in more productive and beneficial pastimes. It’s true — the human brain just craves novelty. Now, whether you’re practicing self-quarantine due to the current health pandemic, or if you usually spend a lot of time at home, we’ve listed some fun activities to keep your body active and your mind in tip-top shape.
Cooking
Preparing your own food is an effective way of staying engaged and busy. Provided you go easy on the heavy cream, butter, and other fattening ingredients, picking up a cookbook or recreating your favorite recipes will sharpen your dexterity and coordination, and delight your taste buds. Not to mention the feeling of accomplishment you get in the process!
Cleaning
Many of us often fall back on the ‘no time’ excuse to justify not keeping our living spaces neat and tidy — don’t worry, no one here is judging you. That said, a great way to make use of your time at home is to go on a cleaning spree. Start by decluttering all rooms, then gather your cleaning supplies and scrub your kitchen and bathroom. Nothing like a spotless home environment to stay active and start fresh.
Meditating
Speaking of freshness, your mind does need a reboot from time to time. An effective way to go about it is to practice mindfulness — anchoring yourself in the present moment, clearing your mind of any exterior influence. Find a position that feels natural— standing, sitting, or lying on your back— then close your eyes, take deep breaths, and go to your happy place. This should help relax and let go.
Yoga
Aside from being a popular trend, practicing yoga does have many health benefits. It helps relieve stress, improves flexibility, and is a proven mood booster. What’s great about yoga is that it can be practiced virtually anywhere; all you need is a suitable mat. Read in-depth yoga burn reviews about how you can transform your body using workout program. Consider watching YouTube videos to learn from qualified instructors.
Sports
If to you, staying active is more synonymous with running and jumping, you can practice your favorite activity or sport at home. You can easily use your yard to get a good workout or your driveway to practice basketball. For those looking to challenge their friends or prepare for the league, sporting equipment professionals suggest in https://goalrilla.com/basketball-hoops that you get a well-built and reliable installation for optimal practice. Ultimately, it’s a worthy investment and a great way to build stamina and have fun!
Reading
During times of isolation at home, you should challenge yourself to read more than catchy headlines and funny captions on Facebook or Instagram. Reading, in any form, is a superb activity that improves your cognitive skills. Aside from building your general knowledge, reading a book, short story, newspaper article, or a blog post will allow you to expand your vocabulary and sharpen your communication skills.
Journaling
Keeping a journal, whether it is physical or virtual one, is another meaningful pastime for your cognitive mind. The sheer act of writing down your routine, goals, hopes, or fears is extremely therapeutic and allows you to express your feelings in a healthy way. In addition, you will bolster your written expression and writing style as you fill up the pages.
Drawing
Getting creative is within everyone’s reach and it doesn’t require an arsenal of art supplies. Pick up a blank page and a sharp pencil, and let your imagination guide you. Draw fruits, objects, cartoon characters, anything. Don’t worry about it being perfect; simply allow your mind to express itself on paper. Alternatively, painting can also be a great hobby.
Music
Listening to music is another way of passing the time. Just like a good book, good music will enrich and soothe your mind. Put on your favorite music or conduct some research to discover new artists or genres. You’ll be amazed at how time flies when you’re enjoying great music!
Games
Lastly, if you’ve got company with you at home, a fun way to kill time is to play your favorite games. Whether it’s on a board or with a classic deck of cards, this will allow you to boost your competitiveness and strategy while providing hours of fun for the whole family.
Ultimately, there are a thousand and one activities to keep yourself engaged and fight boredom while staying at home. You’ll notice our recommendations are tech-free for the most part; that’s because laying off screens is the first step towards adopting healthy pastimes. Whether it’s to enhance mental wellbeing or stay fit, you’re most likely to find an activity to look forward to practicing in the future.