Sarah Latham

Worried about boredom settling in during coronavirus quarantine? I feel that.

With an increasing number of people around the world facing a minimum 2 weeks quarantine and the rest encouraged (please do) to be social distancing, read below some fun ideas for adults to keep busy during Coronavirus quarantine or Coronavirus lockdown.

Beat the boredom! Entertainment during quarantine for adults

1. Netflix binge
Sorry had to get the obvious one out of the way

2. Back up all your photos and documents
It’s the perfect time to back up all your important documents and photos to ensure you won’t lose them. Save them onto two different hard drives or to a cloud based back up system like Google Drive.

3. Save down your photos from Facebook
Backing up the above, now is a great time to save photos from Facebook into your own albums. That way you’ll have the photos at your fingertips without having to scroll past the embarrassing ones you’d rather forget to show your friends and family.

4. Spring Clean
Sorry, I said it.

5. Learn something new
Seriously – there are so many resources available on the internet, like Lynda.com where you can take hundreds of different online courses all while staying in your bedroom. – why not take this opportunity?

6. Read blogs (hey, like this one!)
Blogs are a really engaging way of learning more about something you are interested in from someone who has done it themselves. A few favourites are:
Travel: Haylsa
Fashion: Oh Couture
Mine: SarahAdventuring (sorry couldn’t help myself)

7. Get on top of your money management!
I personally have an excel spreadsheet where I track my earnings and expenses religiously. I started it when I first bought my home and wanted to stay on top of my repayments while also planning for a dream holiday away. By setting up your own spreadsheet, it puts everything in front of you and makes it so much easier to plan.

I know money can be horribly tight right now with the phenomenal downturn in the economy but having all the information right in front of you will not only help you feel like you’re more in control – you will actually be more in control.

For professional financial advice though – 1000% seek a financial adviser.

8. Got a laptop? Give it that TLC it deserves
Download the latest anti-virus and please finally do the ‘Restart and Update’ it has been asking you for the last 4 months!

9. Speaking of laptops – learn how to use it properly
Laptops and computers nowadays are incredible. Are you sure you are using your machine to its full potential right now? Have a Google for instructional manuals and see what more your laptop can do for you that you have yet to utilise. Even if it’s just projecting your screen onto your TV so you can watch Netflix on a bigger screen!

10. Go through your wardrobe
Quarantine is the perfect time to check out what it is you actually own and use. If you’re like me and don’t like throwing away clothes, do what I do and any clothes you don’t fancy right now, pack away for a few months. After sometime out of sight when you see them again you may fall head over heals back in love (I normally do!) This actually saves me money as I don’t go shopping as much. Obviously if after time has passed and you’re not feeling the love, send them on where they can be better loved by someone else.

11. Online exercises!
Companies are responding to their customers being locked in quarantine – check out Keep It Cleaner, who are holding virtual exercise classes that can be done at home to ensure we still have access to a healthy routine.

Otherwise there are plenty of gym-at-home guides, like Fitazfk, that mean you can work out while remaining indoors.

12. Learn to edit videos!
Get online, learn some basic video editing skills and create videos of your time spent with friends, families, festivals, travel, the list goes on. Even if you just save down from your Snapchat memories or Instagram archives, videos like this are very fun to make and even better to have afterwards.

Need convincing? Check out my friend Siobhan’s video of our trip last year to Iceland. She’s self-taught and makes amazing videos!

13. Books
Read them. Especially if you haven’t in a while. Nothing will make the days go fast like a completely engrossing book.

14. Improve your culinary skills
Have a lot of excess food in the house or are you looking to create something out of the random tins at the back of your cupboard? Use either as an excuse to get creative. Google some recipes to incorporate what ingredients you do have and see what you can make. This will also make COVID19 quarantine more interesting, as you can plan out your meals each day and saves you from living off the same basic meals you know how to make off by heart. You’ll also come out of quarantine with a few extra dishes up your sleeve!

15. Discover your family history on Ancestry.

16. Sudoku
Get that brain ticking during quarantine with Sudoku and other mind-engaging games. You can play online or stock up on a few Sudoku books!

17. Get some house inspo
For your home right now or your future home – there are so many inspiring webpages and accounts providing you with the at-home feels. My favourite by far is instagram.com/myfirsthomebyclaire

18. Download TikTok
I really don’t have to explain this one.

19. Stay in contact!
With your friends and family via FaceTime. Social conversation is what you need right now and if you can see each other’s faces that’s even better than a phone call.

20. Play cards
You don’t even need a fellow quarantined friend to enjoy a good game of cards – hello, solitaire.

21. Improve your fitness through burpees.
Here is a fitness challenge for these two or more weeks. How many burpees can you do right now in the space of 5 minutes? Try this everyday and see how much just five minutes a day improves your fitness levels.

22. Practice mediation
Download apps like Calm and Headspace.

23. Have a virtual wine
Pour a glass of wine with Unico Zelo who will be live streaming each day, chatting and sipping on wine, and keeping those in isolation, feeling not so isolated.

24. Start a blog
Like this one! (I am writing this lying on my bed because I am currently social distancing)

Quarantine ideas for adults
This is me, but it’s definitely not what I look like right now… More what I wish I looked like in quarantine.

25. Edit your photos
For those who already know how to – it is so much fun and very addictive. For those who have yet to learn – learn! 🙂 Adobe Lightroom is my favourite photo editing app.

26. Take online quizzes
Give yourself your early teen throwback feeling – what pizza topping am I? Does he really like me? Which One Direction star am I most compatible with? (Niall, obviously)

27. Review your favourite places
Not only is reviewing businesses and experiences super addictive, it is a GREAT way to help out the companies during this incredibly difficult time for them. While you may not be able to support them, send them the virtual love and let the public know what a great experience you had with them.

GSL Aviation
For example, I loved this experience with GSL Aviation Cairns. Spread the love while in quarantine by reviewing the places you love.

28. Learn the stuff you should know
Take this time to learn about how taxes work, how to change the oil/spare tyre on your car – you’ve got the time now so no excuses!

29. Podcast time
Everything you are interested in right at your fingertips – or, ears lobes?

30. Yoga!
The perfect indoor activity.

31. Learn a new word everyday
Magoosh GRE Vocabulary Flashcards is a great app to expand your vocab. Now, in 2 weeks time I want you to give me 14 new words you now know.

32. Documentaries are your friend right now.

33. How super is your Superannuation?
Okay, that was cheesy. But Superannuation is something we never think about until we’re much older when the best time to think about is when you’re younger and can make a real difference to your retirement savings. Why not spend a few hours or so reading over what yours offers and if there is something better suited to you elsewhere?

34. Buy gift cards for future presents!
Support businesses who, like I said above, are doing it incredibly tough right now. Your friends will still have birthdays, you will still buy them a gift when these birthdays come around. Why not help out the businesses who need the income, right now? I’m sorry but who actually doesn’t like getting a gift card as a present (I can pick out something I actually want!!) and the thought factor is still there when you let them know you bought it during COVID19 to help their favourite brand through this struggling time.

35. Live stream your favourite concert
Shout out to those who are turning to live stream during this unprecedented time!

36. Get on Tinder!
We’re taking it back old school, guys. You have to talk for at least 2 weeks now before even thinking of meeting up and then when you do? Mmm might wait a few more dates before I even think of holding your hand. Time to make some long term connections!

37. Get back in touch
We all have childhood friends or friends we’ve lost touch with over the years. Now is the perfect time to reconnect.

38. Throw your own dance party
Make like Hugh Grant in Love Actually and dance around the house to your favourite song. Why not?

39. Perfect your make up
There are a lot of tutorials out there, and you’ve got a fair amount of time.

40. Up-skill!
Use this opportunity to gain a few more points for your resume – Google Ads and Google Analytics are a few options depending on your career!

41. Plan your future holiday!
This is not going to last forever. Repeat after me.

There are going to be some epic deals coming once it is safe to travel again and the tourism industry is going to be in dire need of your help.

Use this time to plan your dream trip knowing your dollar will stretch far and you are helping the hundreds of thousands of people in this industry. It’s a win-win!

Here have some travel inspiration:

Girl sitting on a big Sahara Desert sand dune at sunset
Sahara Desert, Morcco
Girl sitting on edge of top of Windin Falls overlooking valley below
Windin Falls, Cairns
Skyrail Rainforest Cableway, Cairns
Blue Lagoon, Iceland

42. Write down your goals
I’m talking serious life goals. What is your career goal? What is your family goal? What is your retirement age goal? What are your financial goals? What is your goal for happiness? The big ones, put them down on a piece of paper.

43. Work out a plan
Write a step-by-step plan for each of the above. Don’t worry if you can’t make it to detailed yet but work out a way to get to where you want (a little bit more than “buying lotto tickets everyday until I win, become multi-millionaire and retire at 25…”). By doing this you will come out of quarantine with a much clearer path ahead.

44. Bucket list time!
More than just goals – also physically write down your bucket list. What do you want to do before you die? Where do you want to go? Write it down on a piece of paper (or multiple pieces if you’re like me and want to do a lot in your time). It will keep you inspired during this time in isolation.

45. Can you draw?
Well, here’s the time to find out. Plus it’s a super calming hobby.

46. Subscribe to Udemy and learn how to take over the world (or like how to code HTML)
I do love a good training and self-improvement session. You can check out Udemy here.

47. Develop a skin routine
Moisturise, moisturise, moisturise.

48. Map where you have been
Print off a world map and colour in the countries or pin the cities you have visited.

If you want to get real creative, print off a photo from each country you’ve been to, cut it into the shape of that country and stick over your map. Personalised and cute.

49. Theme up your days
Honestly, at this time, why not? This is also a great one if you are working from home and want to keep the merriment going in the team. On Wednesdays we wear pink… On Thursdays we dress up as our favourite Kardashian…

50. Have an inside picnic (or outside if you’re lucky to have a yard or balcony!)
It’s cute, it changes it up, it’s food, it’s literally all good things.

51. Start a veggie garden
Get your non-quarantined pals to stop by Bunnings and pick up some seedlings, it’s time to get your green thumb on (and benefit from it in a few weeks time!). Find out more here.

Behana Gorge Cairns Australia
A different form of self isolation – but seriously guys, for now, stay inside Behana Gorge (pictured here) will be waiting for you once this is all over.

I hope this helps alleviate the boredom of social isolation and quarantine. This is a trying time for us all but we will get through it and be even better on the other side. Just also letting everyone know, nothing in this blog was sponsored, I just thought it could help. I have a friend who is currently in self-isolation after coming back from overseas and is struggling with it and I wanted to help her. After that I realised there probably is a lot of people just like her right now dealing with self isolation, quarantine and COVID19 and could use a few ideas.

Stay strong my people, we’ve got this!