A lot of us are housebound or partially housebound these days as COVID-19 fear grips the nation.
Some of us have to stay indoors due to self-isolation, self-restricting or quarantine, while others are working from home or caring for children or both.
Being stuck at home isn’t a lot of fun and normal hobbies like sports, going to events, having lunch or coffee with friends and my personal favourite, perusing charity shops, go out the window.
I have had a taste of it previously and I thought I’d share how I survived my very own housebound experience.
Almost three years ago, I broke my ankle badly. I needed surgery and was in a massive amount of pain and on medication for weeks.
Luckily, I was able to work from home but I was living by myself at the time and was very fearful of hurting myself again.
For the first two weeks, I didn’t even dare leave the house to go to the shop as I was afraid of falling off my crutches…
As the summer wore on, I worked, watched plenty of Netflix and gradually gained the confidence to get out and about. But there were also many difficult days and my mental health was at an all-time low. I spent a lot of time in floods of tears due to the effects of the medication I was on, loneliness and the feeling of helplessness.
I was also massively reliant on my boyfriend and our relationship hit a rough patch halfway through the summer. Coupled with this, I was also dealing with the sudden death of a beloved friend earlier in the year.
It took a long time for me to recover both mentally and physically but there were some activities that helped me pass the time and feel better.
All of these things are free to do and can be easily done from the comfort of your home.
1.Exercise
As I was on crutches, exercise didn’t seem like an option but once I got used to them, I found going out for short “walks” built up my stamina.
If this isn’t an option for you due to self-isolation/restriction, try some light weights. Obviously, if you’re sick/at risk, don’t do anything without seeking medical advice.
I found doing some shoulder presses and upper body weights in the evening a good way to unwind after working from home.
2. Experiment with cooking
Again, if you aren’t well, not a suitable activity but if you’re OK, trying a new recipe or even just experimenting can be enjoyable.
I made lots of random dishes over the summer and also found some handy substitutes, i.e. one day, I was craving pancakes but had no flour so I crushed porridge oats with a hand blender to make a “flour”.
3. Care for your plants/try growing a plant
If you have houseplants, now is the perfect time to show them some TLC.
Even low-maintenance cacti need a little attention.
If your plants need watering, put them in the bath or shower and drizzle them tepid water or cooled pasta water which is rich in starch and good for your plant pals (just make sure it hasn’t been salted).
If your plants are getting too big for their pots and you have a spare, you can repot them and watch them bloom.
You can also prune your plants as necessary and move them around to make sure they get adequate sunshine. Or if you’ve got some seeds and a sunny spot, see if you can grow something.
An avocado plant is an easy one to grow at home, all you need is a pit and a glass of water to start.
4. Learn to sew/knit/crochet or any creative hobby
I learned to bake, sew, crochet and knit both in school and at home, yet I hardly ever do any of those things now.
If you have a ball of wool or some clothes that need some basic alterations, why not have a go at mending them yourself?
If you don’t have any experience, look for online tutorials.
You could also clear out your wardrobe while you’re at it! And keep your unwanted clothes for the charity shops/recycling.
Other things you could try are painting, decorating your house or just a simple upcycling project.
One upcycle I enjoy is after a candle burns out, pouring in hot water to clean out the wax and repurposing the jar for something new.
So far, I’ve used one as a key dish, one as a toothbrush jar and one to display seashells in as a decoration. Or you can just recycle the glass!
Creativity is a wonderful way to channel your energy and I’ve always found it helps me feel calm.
5. Try a new beauty trend or hairstyle
If you’ve always wanted to shave your head/dye your hair a crazy colour but were too scared to, now’s your chance.
Or you can just let your hair/eyebrows/roots/nails/body hair grow out during quarantine.
Self-care can work wonders for your mental health but don’t pressure yourself to be overly groomed at this time.
Try on some crazy makeup/ a bold nail colour/ a different hairstyle/an outfit you’re unsure of, whatever makes you happy!
6. Find a book you need to finish or haven’t read before
Reading is a wonderful escape from the stresses of life and I was lucky enough to be in a house full of books at the time of my injury.
Most of them weren’t my own and I’m a pretty voracious reader so I read whatever came to hand.
I did never finish Love in a Time of Cholera though….
There are lots of virtual book and movie clubs starting out on social media so reach out and see if anyone wants to form one with you. Who says reading is a solitary hobby?!
7. Life/money admin
Yes, it’s boring but there is a certain satisfaction in deleting emails from your inbox.
If you’ve yet to file a tax return, bite the bullet and do it now. Don’t go with one of those companies who offer to do it for you, they take a percentage of your hard-earned cash and the process is simpler than it sounds. You can file online at Revenue.ie and there’s lots of information about allowances on the Citizen’s Information website.
If your employer pays any expenses for you as part of your job, now’s the time to submit them also or sort out your bills.
Cancel any old standing orders or direct debits or subscription services you no longer need and see if you can switch any of your utility bills to save some money. Switcher.ie is a great resource.
8. Make a plan to look forward to
A lot of people have seen their summer plans go out the window, with holidays and weddings called off and festivals and concerts in jeopardy also.
But you can still make a plan to do something simple, it could be going to your favourite restaurant/bar when it reopens, a day at the beach or a road trip in the future.
I had a holiday booked at the end of summer 2017 and thinking about that helped me get through the bad days.
This year, foreign travel isn’t looking so likely but I’ll be looking into staycation ideas at home.
9. Learn a new language or skill
Want to brush up on your Junior Cert French or learn to speak as Gaeilge properly? Hop over to Duolingo and start a course.
If languages aren’t your thing, check out the free courses on Alison.com and LinkedIn also sometimes have courses.
Hope you all enjoyed this post and perhaps found something you’d like to do at this difficult time. Remember, if you’re unwell, don’t push yourself to do anything major, stay in bed and watch Netflix or rest if possible.
Please remember to keep to social distancing and look out for those who are most vulnerable at this tough time. Thanks for reading and leave me a comment if you’ve any quarantine activity suggestions.
Edel
The Joy of Blogs 