Try learning some new dance moves from videos on the internet. You can even try out a classic popular dance move like the Moonwalk, Running Man, or the Electric Slide. [1] X Research source Try a zumba video or program for a fun activity that combines dance and a physical workout. Sing along to the music, too! Challenge yourself to learn all the words to a song, or all the dance moves in a music video.
You can also rent workout DVDs from your local library for free. Try exercises like squats, arm circles, or a plank for something that doesn’t take up a lot of space or require a lot of movement in the home. [2] X Research source Even if you have to be stationary for most of the day, challenge yourself to get up every hour or half hour to do a simple stretch or a few jumping jacks.
Try identifying a flower you don’t know the name of, or making a point to notice five new things around your home or yard that you’ve never noticed before. You can also do simple workouts in your driveway or sidewalk, like skipping rope or playing hopscotch. If you can’t go outside but still want to run, try running up and down a flight of stairs in your home for a good workout. Just make sure you are wearing shoes with good traction and make any other precautions necessary to avoid slipping or falling.
Try picking up a publication you’ve never read before, or a nonfiction book on a subject you know nothing about. Next time you have a conversation with someone, you’ll be able to tell them all about what you learned. If you have to read a book that you’re not too interested in for a class or work project, get into it by curling up somewhere comfortable with a cup of coffee or tea, take the book outside, or even read it out loud to make it more engaging.
If you don’t have a newspaper or book of word or number games at home, find digital versions online or on your phone to play as much as you like. [3] X Research source If there are other people at home with you, or you can have others come over, invite them to solve a puzzle or play a word, card, or board game with you.
Take a free course from a top university to learn something new from the comfort of your own couch or desk. [4] X Research source Or try taking an online course to learn the basics of computer coding. [5] X Research source You can also spend some time away from screens by picking up a physical dictionary or encyclopedia and learning a new word or concept.
If you have no access or limited access to a radio or TV, you can find many shows and documentaries streamed online. Almost all radio shows can be found in podcast form on the station’s website or other podcast platforms for download or streaming.
Try writing some good old fashioned snail mail to a friend. Write your letter on fun stationery and decorate it and the envelope with stickers, markers, or other fun surprises for the recipient. If you can invite people over to your home, do so! Plan to make a meal together, play a game, or just catch up over tea or coffee.
Try a simple mindfulness meditation, which you can do anytime if you have just a few minutes to spare. [7] X Research source You also don’t need any specific instruction to meditate. Simply try sitting quietly with your eyes closed to think or just notice all your senses being activated by the world around you.
Try prioritizing your to-do lists by listing items in order of importance or breaking them into specified categories (e. g. Today, Tomorrow, Weekend, or Urgent, Soon, If Time Allows). Make completing tasks more fun and satisfying by using colored pens, stickers, or other decoration, and make sure to cross off each item as you finish it!
Active chores that get you up and moving, like laundry, vacuuming, mopping, or washing windows, have an added bonus of giving you a good physical workout, too. [8] X Research source If you do any work from home, focus first on decluttering and reorganizing your desk or office space to help you think clearer and be more focused while you work there. Try rearranging and reorganizing areas that typically get messy, like closets or kitchen cabinets, so that it is easier to keep them consistently tidy.
If you don’t know how to fix something, look up instructions online. It could be easier to fix than you think. Use a simple needle and thread to sew on buttons or patches, stitch rips, or make any other adjustments to damaged clothing items so that you can wear them again.
If you don’t have a yard, simply spruce up a patio or balcony with some plants, a spare chair, or a string of lights. If you can’t be outside, try planting a few plants inside to grow on a windowsill. All you need is a pot with potting soil, seeds, and water.
Try making your own invitations or decorations for the event to save some money and lend a creative, personal touch.
Try coloring in a coloring book. You can even print off pages to color in from online, or download an app or computer program to color virtually. Pick up an art form you’ve never tried, like embroidery, origami, or cartoon drawing.
You can find chords or sheet music for guitar, piano, and other common instruments for nearly any popular song online. You can also use online tuners to help tune your instrument before playing it.
If you have a hard time sticking to one hobby, try setting aside just a half an hour at a time to focus on it before moving onto a different activity, especially if you get frustrated or distracted easily. [10] X Research source
Put together photos into a collage or frames to display on a wall or shelves, or organize them into an album or scrapbook. Try making your own beauty or cleaning products, wall decorations and lighting, or clever ways to display plants inside or outside. [11] X Research source You can also help to keep areas of your home tidy and organized by creating your own storage solutions out of simple items like boxes, jars, or tin cans. [12] X Research source
Don’t worry if you don’t have a lot of ingredients available at home. Look up recipes that involve that odd ingredient you’ve been keeping in the back of your pantry or fridge, or recipes that need only a few simple ingredients to make. [13] X Research source If you don’t have the time or opportunity to cook for yourself regularly, use the time you do have to make meals in large batches and then portion them out into individual meal sizes to have at the ready throughout the week.
