During the quarantine we may feel trapped, alone, bored, frustrated and maybe even depressed. Filling your time with activities other than watching TV will stimulate your brain and your body. I have put together a list of 5 ways you can pass the time during quarantine.

Get creative! There are so many ways to express your creativity. Can you sew, can you draw or paint? If not, want to learn how? Is there a piece of furniture you’ve always wanted to add a little spice to? You can learn how to do just about anything by watching a video on YouTube. Are you interested in photography or have some pictures on your phone or camera that are buzzworthy? Join Gurushots. This is an app/website that hosts daily photo challenges. You can vote for your favorites or submit your own photos to the challenges. You don’t have to start big, just find something that interests you and give it a try. You may be surprised by what you create.

Do a puzzle – Puzzles are a great way to pass time and exercise the brain. Puzzles make your entire brain work. Your left side looks to logically sort the pieces and the right side (our creative side) works instinctively to see the finished product. Puzzles can clear your mind and help you relax. Every piece you put together brings a feeling of achievement and satisfaction which can enhance mood. Plus, it’s a great teamwork activity. Get the whole family involved!

Take a class – The last thing you may want to think about now is taking a class BUT you may want to take a look at what’s available. There are quite a few sites that offer free courses, one being Coursera. They offer so many free classes on a wide variety of topics. One being The Science of Well Being offered by Yale. The class works on how to increase your own happiness and build more productive habits. Some of the other topics include business, health and personal development. Here is another link to 450 free Ivy League online classes you can take right now! Humanities, Social Sciences and Personal Development are a few of the categories.

Clean & organize – Take this time to do a good cleaning and organize your home. With the pandemic, we are all a little more aware and cautious of surfaces that have not been cleaned. Take the time to disinfect and sanitize your space. Organize as you go along. Don’t rush, have a plan and go one room at a time. You can find many articles on how to clean and organize your home if you need some inspiration to get started.