On midnight of Tuesday, March 17, the Philippines announced an ‘enhanced community quarantine’ in the entirety of Luzon, which basically means STAY AT HOME unless absolutely necessary.

(Read the full guidelines of the enhanced community quarantine here.)

Staying at home isn’t something that a lot of the busy people of the Metro are used to, though. So if you need some ideas on how you can stay productive and still have the time of your life… lol okay that’s an exaggeration… at least not be bored to death at home, here are some things you might want to consider doing:

17 Things You Can Do While You’re Stuck at Home

Catch up on your Netflix list.

Admit it: you have a long list of movies and TV shows just waiting to be devoured on your “My List” in Netflix. This is the best time to catch up on them. There’s nothing wrong with lazing around during the quarantine. In fact, I’d even go so far as to say that you deserve it, especially if you’ve been constantly working yourself to the bone. Plus, it’ll give you a ton of new material to talk about with your friends and family members.

Earn some extra money.

One of the best things to do in these trying times is to earn some extra money. While sources may be limited at the moment, there are several online sites out there that can help you earn some cash from home. You can write articles, transcribe files, or even create graphics or videos for people in need of those services.

Go online shopping.

Itching to go to the mall? Sorry, you can’t. That doesn’t mean you can’t spend to your heart’s content online, though. Obviously, not everybody has the privilege to spend money at the moment; but if you’re in need of some major retail therapy, there are a lot of online stores that are still accepting orders at this time. We won’t judge you.

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Learn new recipes.

Whip out an old cookbook, search for new recipes online, or check out some YouTube videos that you can replicate. If you’re bored at home, you might as well spice things up in the kitchen and make your belly happy in the process.

Meditate.

This might sound stupid to some of you, but meditating will help you greatly, especially during this time. Meditating will not just calm your mind; it will also calm you down, in general. If you’re feeling anxious because of everything that is going on in the country right now or if you’re having trouble coping with being cooped up at home, meditation can help you greatly.

Play board games.

When was the last time you’ve played a board game or learned how to play a new one? Board games are a great way to pass the time and to bond. If you don’t know where to begin or which ones to buy (you can order them online at Gaming Library!) here are some board games that we highly recommend.

Organize your digital life.

How many files do you have in your computer right now? When was the last time you went through your emails? Have you checked your hard drives recently? What about your iCloud? Organize your digital life and get rid of all of the things you no longer need (yes, that includes those photos and videos with your ex). You’ll feel much better afterwards.

Pick up a new hobby.

What is the one thing you always said you’d learn to do but never got around to doing? Have you wanted to learn how to play a new instrument? Have you wanted to learn a new language? Have you always wanted to learn how to knit? Have you always wanted to learn how to cook? Whatever it may be, now is the time to pick up a new hobby and add something to your list of life skills.

Play video games.

Video games may seem mindless and stupid to some, but they are also downright therapeutic. Killing off a bunch of zombies can help you release a ton of stress, while playing computer games with your friends online will give you a sense of a social life. If you prefer playing games alone, go finish a game. I don’t even remember the last time that I’ve finished a game anymore, so this is definitely on my to-do list this quarantine season.

Read.

If you’re a bookworm, you probably have a stash of books at your disposal that you haven’t finished or haven’t even started. I’m a book hoarder myself and I have come to find that now is the best time to finally tackle my pile of books. If you aren’t a reader, maybe now is the time to find a book to fall in love with? I firmly believe that there are books out there for everyone, so why not give it a shot? You might fall in love with the written word during this quarantine.

Write.

Don’t wanna read? Then write. Don’t know where to start? Write about your thoughts and your feelings. Start with something simple like a journal and just get your creative juices flowing everyday. You might come up with something great for an actual novel. You might discover that you have a knack for poetry and be able to compile a book of poems. It doesn’t have to be something that you’ll publish later on, either. Write for yourself or for your loved ones. You may even come to find that it’s actually very therapeutic.

Start a TikTok account.

There. I said it. And I can see you rolling your eyes. But don’t knock it ’til you’ve tried it. TikTok isn’t only about trending dances and lip-syncing.

You can use TikTok to talk about your advocacies, make people laugh, and share more about yourself with your friends. I mostly use it to showcase my newest cosplays and to share my love for different languages. Scroll through a few videos and see how you fit into the community. (And then add me while you’re at it haha: lilmisswonderwoman)

 

Start spring cleaning.

Or, well, summer cleaning? Obviously, I wasn’t sold when we were told that we might discover places in our homes that we haven’t seen before. However, I do believe that you might find a ton of stuff lying around that you no longer need. Throw all of that stuff out. Save it to donate after this crisis. Or sell them online if delivery services are still alive in your city. Clean up your home and make it a better place to live in for now.

Try to win an iPhone.

Yes, you read that right. You can try to win an iPhone from the comforts of your own home. We discovered this app called Bongga Ka Day where you basically just mindlessly choose between two things and earn coins in the process. The more coins you earn, the closer you’ll get to claiming an iPhone. There isn’t any raffle involved, either. Once you have enough coins, you can claim an iPhone for yourself. Awesome, huh?

Video call your loved ones.

It is important to maintain some sort of social life despite this enhanced community quarantine. So why not video call your loved ones everyday? You can even have a fun drinking session with your friends over the phone.

Just grab a drink, start your video call, and pretend like you’re all together. It’s different, sure, but it’s just as fun as an actual drinking session – I guarantee it. …unless you’re in it to flirt. That’s a different story.

Work on your dream bod.

Put down the chips. Ditch the soda. Just because you’re stuck at home doesn’t mean you have to turn into a couch potato. Instead, work on your dream bod. No gym? No problem. Download a bunch of apps (I personally recommend ‘Nike Training Club’ or ‘Daily Yoga’) or watch YouTube videos to get into shape. By the time we get out of this quarantine, you’ll have a hot bod that will wow everyone.

Obviously, it goes without saying that you should help also out whenever you can. Lend a helping hand to those in need. Donate. Spread important news. Stay informed.

Got any other tips on how to keep yourself from getting bored while stuck at home?

Share them with us!

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