NEW THINGS TO TRY - STUCK AT HOME VERSION
With the latest COVID-19 news, I started to think that trying new things may not be relevant. But after a few days of social-distancing, self-isolation, and staying at home, I believe that we all can use some ideas for new things to try and cheer up.
So I listed my favorite 30 things to try when you're stuck at home for a while. Many of those can be family activities too.
Relaxation
- 1ASMR sounds - relaxing sounds (like whispers, murmurs, soft taps, scratching, turning magazine pages, and many, many more) that give some people a pleasurable feeling. There's plenty of those on YouTube!
- 2New types of meditation - there are so many types that everyone can find something that works for them, including people who cannot sit still. Check out dynamic meditation, body scan meditation, 4 am meditation, mantra meditation, mindfulness meditation, sound bath meditation, etc.
- 35 min Visualizations - science proves that visualizing boosts our happiness, motivation, confidence, and, most importantly, results. Plus, 5 Minutes Visualizations are so short that I don't have any excuses not to do it.
- 4Tapping (EFT) - it is very much like acupuncture, only using fingertips instead of needles, and you can do it on your own at home.
- 5Recorded Affirmations - science proves that affirmations are awesome, and now, you can record them in your voice and listen to them daily on your phone.
Fun Stuff
- 6Wake up to watch the sunrise - get up, grab a coffee, and enjoy the show!
- 7Listen to new music - 90 % of the music we listen to is things we've heard before. Challenge yourself and go for genres, artists, and songs you don't usually listen to
- 8Record a video time capsule - record a video for your future self.
- 9Make paper airplanes - there are many step-by-step instructions online. Bonus points: make it a contest.
- 10Have a stay at home camping - pitch a tent in your backyard or build a fort in the living room. Make it into a full experience with snacks, sleeping bags, and flashlights. With all that who cares that you're stuck at home!
- 11Play a fun game with your family or friends - here are a few ideas: Would You Rather, Two Truths and a Lie, Guess the Movie, Truth or Dare, or Add a Sentence. You can do it through an online chat too.
- 12Record a fun TikTok dance - you don't have to share it. Just try to learn the moves and have fun.
- 13Visit a virtual art gallery ar museum - some of the world's most famous museums (like The Louvre, MET, or The Vatican Museums) offer this option. Daily Art app in the free version shows you a painting a day together with a short description. Enjoy!
Sports
- 14New Yoga Pose - master one of those challenging ones like the wheel pose, wall handstand, or crow pose. Want to make it family fun? Look for acro yoga poses.
- 15New workout - being stuck at home doesn't mean you can't work out. And I bet there are types of workouts you've never tried before. Barre, yin yoga, micro-HIIT, Bokwa...
- 16Fully complete a home workout program - pick one that lasts at least two weeks & go through the whole thing from start to finish.
Personality Quizzes
- 17Enneagram - this one is my favorite, and if you haven't done it & didn't go into the rabbit hole to really understand it, you're in for a treat!
- 185 Love Languages Test - Do you sometimes feel like you are expressing love, but it doesn't come through? Apparently, people can speak totally different love languages. And it's not romantic love only.
- 19The Four Tendencies Quiz - it's a super quick test to help you stick to habits, make better decisions, be more productive, or understand yourself & others a bit better.
- 20MBTI - I've done it a while back, and it made my jaw drop. It's like Enneagram but for work & education.
- 21DISC - it's similar to MBTI, but simpler & easier to understand.
- 22Kolbe A Index - this test is interesting as it shows the natural strengths and talents, so we can focus on what comes easily to us instead of stressing ourselves to work against ourselves.
Food & Eating
- 23Meal prep - save time and cook something healthy.
- 24Cook something new - make it fancy or make it a family thing. My faves: homemade chocolate bar, homemade coconut yogurt, sauerkraut, pink latte, or a fancy cocktail.
- 25Set the table in a fancy way - with cutlery, napkins, candles, centerpiece, all that stuff.
Productive Stuff
- 26Read a biography - get inspired by some of the most exceptional people. Here are a couple of suggestions: Benjamin Franklin, Huston Smith, Einstein.
- 27Get knowledgable about one country - Do you have a favorite country you'd love to visit one day? Maybe even move to? Or perhaps you are (just like me) living in the country you were not born and raised in? Learn something new about the country of your choice.
- 28Inbox Zero - did you know that old emails stored in your inbox are using up energy? Use those little moments you would otherwise waste on mindlessly playing with your phone to delete some emails or old photos & help the planet.
- 29Listen to a new podcast - there are so many good ones. Like the ones that invited me to talk about TRYING NEW THINGS. Obvi! (The Constructivist Podcast, Unconventional Leaders Podcast 2020 and 2019)
- 30Read about a different period of history every day - here are a few suggestions: the Mongol Empire, Aztec Period, The Viking Age in Scandinavia, Great Depression, The 1960s in America, etc.
Hope these ideas can make your stay at home way better. Don't forget to let me know which ones you've tried!
PS. Do you Want This List As Downloadable IDEAS IN THE JAR?
IDEAS IN THE JAR
Make being stuck at home way more FUN! And bring more new experiences into your life. Who wouldn't want that, right?
Get the above list of ideas in a form of a cute PDF that you can print out, cut out, and place in the jar. Then just pick one whenever you feel like trying something new. How cool is that?