Self Isolation Ideas: A shortlist of at-home activities

Self-isolation ideas:…Try some meditation during your free time at home. Meditation is known for reducing stress, control anxiety and boost mental health. 

Self-isolation ideas: A shortlist of at-home activities 

By ilovelimerick correspondent Roisin Smart

With Covid-19 keeping everyone at home and indoors, here’s a list of things you can do without putting yourself at risk. From learning to travelling, technology has given us endless possibilities. Grab your family, facetime friends or stay by yourself and get involved with free services and pastimes to try out. Stay safe!

1. Learn a new language

Now is the time to finally finish those Spanish lessons that keep getting put on hold. Apps like Duolingo, Babble and Memrise are free apps available online and on the app store to help with your learning in a fun and simple way.

The apps use colourful images to help with visual learning. Words and phrases are also spoken to help with pronunciation. Games and challenges are also available to keep your motivation up.

2.Virtual tours

With travelling being off-limits, why not do it from the comfort of home. The beauty of Ireland can be discovered with Virtual Visit Tours. With thousands of interactive panoramic pictures from all over Ireland to view, this website will keep you entertained for hours.

Or if you want to fly around the world (virtually) check out Googles Art and Culture website. The website has thousands of spots to discover like the Taj Mahal, The MoMa, national parks and more. Both websites are free to use and have no limit on how much you use them.

3. Online courses

While education may be the last thing on most peoples minds, sometimes its fun to learn about something new and expand your knowledge. Simply search for online courses to find something you may like.

For example, edX is a website that provides thousands of free online courses from programming to fashion. The courses are provided from colleges all over the world including Harvard, MIT and many more. The courses are completed at your own pace, giving you time to take a break if needed.

4. Practice meditation

You’ve probably been told this one a million times, but in the centre of a pandemic, learning to relax and keep your calm can help with panic. Either search online, download a meditation app or go from your own knowledge, take a minute to sit down and breathe.

Meditation is known for reducing stress, control anxiety and boost mental health. Play some relaxing music in the background, stretch and focus on your breathing.

5. Art

Maybe you’re not an art person or someone who can draw, this is the perfect time to improve and change your mindset on art. Loads of videos and tutorials are available on YouTube and the internet. If you don’t like drawing or painting, why not try origami, paper mâché or sewing.

If that’s not your cup of tea, why not attempt upcycling any old fabrics or materials you have so they can be made into something new that you can wear. Expand your ability of art and maybe even pick up a new skill in it. Who knows maybe you could even start selling art or clothes online!

6. Netflix Party

An extra option you can try is ‘Netflix Party’. This is an expansion you can download on your computer that allows you to watch Netflix with friends at home. The Google Chrome extension will allow you and friends to watch Netflix shows and movies at the same time – all from the comfort of your individual homes.

Netflix Party will sync each person who is viewing the show or movie so that everybody is watching together in entirely different locations. It will even open a chat box so everyone can discuss what you’re watching.

To download, search for the extension in the Google Chrome store, add it to your browser, open Netflix and click the little Netflix Party icon in the top right corner of your screen. You will then be given a link that you can share with all your friends or family.

 

For more stories on the coronavirus and Limerick, click here.

For virtual tours of Ireland, click here.

Tours of the world, click here.

For a list of free courses available on edX, click here.

Meditation tips, click here.

To download ‘Netflix Party’, click here.