Binge-watching a show or 10 is the easy answer for how to spend your time at home - that's why I shared 60 shows to check out in my last post. Sometimes you need a little more stimulation or movement throughout your day, though.
While I'm still working as usual - just from the second bedroom, instead of the office - I haven't had that much more free time. It's been a bit harder to separate work and life since they're both happening in the same space. I never realized how much I appreciate a commute to help compartmentalize my day! I've been working from home since the first week of March, so I'm slowly but surely starting to get used to it.
That said, weekends and evenings have been a bit boring over the past week. I've moved past enjoying the lack of obligation to do anything and finally feel like I'm ready to put this newfound time at home to use. Here are some activities I'm planning for the next couple of weeks that you might want to consider, too!
1) Try a new recipe. Adam and I have fallen out of our good meal planning habits in favor of whatever's easy or can be delivered in half an hour or less. So, this week we actually planned to cook something new! This weekend I made earl grey lemon ricotta pancakes and one night this week we're planning to make unstuffed shells. While neither of those recipes are that complicated, I'd like to make something a little more elaborate next weekend!
2) Work on that hobby you swore you'd stick with. And here we are. It's me, working on that hobby that I haven't stuck with for the past 3 years. I spent a Sunday afternoon updating this layout and have already spent more time writing in the past week than I have in the past 6 months. It feels good to finally "have the time" to spend on hobbies without feeling like I'm missing out on time with friends or trying to relax (read: scrolling on Reddit).
3) Put together a puzzle. Being at home has simultaneously aged me 60 years and made me regress to a toddler. As soon as my teammate mentioned ordering a puzzle, I thought it was a great idea. I ordered this one the next day. We still have a lot of progress to make, but listening to a podcast while hanging out at the dining room table feels way better than sitting on the couch and scrolling through Instagram.
4) Get moving. Here in Seattle, we still have the privilege of being able to leave our apartments without being questioned. We've been trying to get out for a short walk every other day or so, but it seems the weather won't be cooperating for that of the next few days. If you're not in a position to leave your house, try an at-home workout or take an afternoon to learn a TikTok dance with your housemates (still trying to talk Adam into this one). Or, if you really need a change of scenery, go for a drive!
5) Start spring cleaning. Or just regular cleaning. Oh, that's just me? We'll be taking some time over the next couple of weeks to organize our camping gear and rearrange our living room closet. This is something we'd put off in favor of hitting up a brewery or hanging out with friends, so we might as well take advantage of having nothing better to do.
6) Plan a vacation. Ok, so maybe don't book your flights quite yet, but spending some time researching potential destinations and choosing one for later in the year or next year will give you something to look forward to. I started a Trello board to save links to Airbnbs, restaurants, bars, and things to do and plan on adding to it, even though we don't know when we'll be able to leave Seattle!
7) Online window shop. Sometimes adding items to your cart satisfies that urge to shop just as much as actually making the purchase - with a lot less guilt and buyer's remorse afterward. Lately, browsing cozy loungewear sweats has been a thrilling part of my day. I've had my eye on these constellation pjs from Nasty Gal for a couple of days now and may actually hit that 'checkout' button.
8) Practice your home bartending skills. This is actually inspired by a gal from back home that I follow on Instagram. She and her boyfriend have been dedicating Friday evenings to make cocktails together, taking recommendations from friends, and sharing out the recipes and other tips and tricks via Insta-story. It sounds like a great replacement for heading down the street to a cocktail bar on a weekend night. And, once we're allowed back into the world, you'll have new skills to impress your friends or save yourself some money by having at-home versions of your favorite $15 cocktail.
9) Get crafty. Moderately related to #8 - I've been eyeing a few tie-dye sweatsuits for a while now, but there's no way I'm paying $100+ for a set. So, I bought a tie-dye kit on Amazon and a sweatsuit from H&M to make my own! Given that I've never tie-dyed before, this should take up a good chunk of my time this weekend. If it turns out the way I hope, I may do some more before projects before the quarantine is over!
Or, you know, keep watching Netflix. There's no right way to spend your time during a global pandemic. Do what makes you feel happy and less alone - and keep that up once this crazy world is back to normal.
What are you doing to keep the boredom at bay?
