by Caryl Teh
This doesn’t need much of an introduction — lockdown blues is real, so here’s 8 things you can do to chase it away.
1. Stay Fit and Mindful
There are lots of calming ways to stay relaxed and mindful during stressful times, from herbal teas, to yoga, to meditation. You may be thinking “why would I want to try that?”. Well, these activities allow you to unwind and stretch after a hard day working as part of the ‘computer community’ that COVID-19 has generated. Without exercises, you may feel more stressed or find tension and aches across your back or neck. As a result, it is a good idea to ensure you are physically exercising and keeping your brain as acrobatic as possible.
2. Tour Museums or Art Galleries
Thanks to modern technology, a huge database of culture and heritage is right at your fingertips! You can now “travel” the world by visiting the online displays of the largest museums and art galleries.
3. If You or Your Kids Are Missing The Zoo
Many zoos are now providing animal lovers with an intimate webcam experience with their animals. This is a fascinating way to get back to the zoo and see the world’s natural wildlife up close. Some examples of this include San Diego Zoo, Houston Zoo, or The Smithsonian’s National Zoo. But remember, you might need to have some patience — animals have a mind of their own, so they might be off-camera at certain points of the day.
4. Cook Up A Storm!
We’ve been in lockdown for a while. Pasta, pizza and instant noodles aren’t the healthiest things to sustain yourself on. If you want some variety, you could just order in that cuisine you’ve been meaning to try. But why not shake things up by trying to make it yourself? Websites like Delish and BBC Food are good places to get you started.
5. Listen to A Podcast or Audiobook
If you’re looking for something to listen to while your hands are busy vacuuming the house, cooking your next meal or folding the laundry, TED, BBC and Vox might be your new best friends. They have a vast range of content so you’ll definitely be able to find something that suits your interest.
But if you’re more into books, we highly recommend Audible. Their library of titles keeps growing every day so you’re almost guaranteed to be able to find all your favourites brought to auditory life by expert story-telling narrators.
6. Explore A New Way To Meet
If you haven’t heard of Gather Town, it combines video calling with an online 2D meeting space whose pixelated graphics are a nostalgic throwback to classic RPGs like Harvest Moon. Create a virtual you, choose either a pre-configured map or customise your own virtual hangout space, invite your 24 friends, and you’re good to go! You’ll be able to interact with each other and the objects and rooms around you. It’s free for up to 25 people at a time.
7. Try A New Instrument
Whether you would like to rekindle your relationship with an instrument you abandoned as a child, or you just want to try something new, the practice of learning an instrument is a great way of spending your time and learning to develop as a musician. All you need is a bit of patience and dedication, and soon you will be a pro! Or at least be able to play your favourite songs.
- Get Hands-On!
Maybe you are a painter, illustrator, writer, photographer or filmmaker, or would like to be one. Doing something creative is a great way to unwind at the end of a long day of hard work. Skillshare is a good place to start building your skills. You could collaborate with a friend, or challenge yourself to create something as a special gift to celebrate a friend or family member’s birthday.
We’d like to leave you with an inspirational video that will hopefully lift your spirits & assure you that things are, and will be, ok. Stay safe, everyone! And have fun chasing away your lockdown blues!
Source:
Mancunion
