If there’s one thing I have learned so far through this Coronavirus lockdown it’s how similar we all are. We’re all human. We are one. We are in this together.
Whether you’re self-isolating, social distancing or just simply spending time at home, I have pulled together 50+ mindful things you can do at home. These tips and tricks are here to keep you sane, get you motivated, focus your attention, look after your mental health and keep you occupied.
I hope you can find some inspiration in this list of 50+ Mindful things to do at home during lockdown that makes your lockdown experience slightly more manageable or enjoyable.
Although remember, there’s no pressure to do anything during this time. You don’t need to get a six pack, read that book, finish that course, go for the that run, or even continue as normal, if you’re mind is asking for a break and rest.
So here goes, 50+ things to do at home during lockdown…
1. Watch those travel inspired movies you’ve been wanting to watch for ages including Forrest Gump and Hairspray. I’ve listed ’15 movies to travel the world from home’.
2. Binge watch the documentary series you’ve been patiently waiting to watch.
3. Discover weird and wonderful YouTube videos, and there’s a lot out there! And if you have time check out my YouTube travel and lifestyle vlogs.
4. Research volunteering opportunities in your city – many 1000’s around the UK have now volunteered for the NHS since the outbreak to offer their skills and knowledge.
5. Learn a skill that isn’t essential, like… juggling!
6. Sign up for a free short course with FutureLearn – I have listed some of my favourites in this blog post ‘online courses you can do from home’
7. If you are getting married soon you could start your wedding planning now with this wedding checklist and timeline.
8. GO HIKING!!!
9. Start planning that UK weekend break away with your boyfriend, family, best mates or even yourself. Check out my blog post to the best UK staycations.
10. Write a list of 10 things you learned last year. Here are mine…
11. Create a shared playlist on Spotify and ask all the people you love to add a few songs to listen to!
12. MEDITATE! The most important element to every successful day – start doing 10 minutes every morning before you start your day. You can take your meditation practice to a new level by burning some natural wood aromatic incense. Go for the purest and best quality Palo Santo incense sticks to create a calm and serene environment that will help boost your concentration and focus when practicing meditation.
13. Knowledge is power, always. Learn about topics you know little to nothing about by watching documentaries and studying online. I love learning new things even if it is about different religions or home hacks. I have recently started watching Unorthodox and it’s so insightful.
14. Keep a diary, I guess the funniest thing is going to be reading it back in ten years and thinking WTF happened in 2020?!
15. Make a list of all those odd-jobs you’ve been meaning to do around the house over the past few years and actually do them.
16. Write a gratitude journal and make lists of everything you are grateful for each day!
17. If you’ve got to continue working, then check out my latest blog post including all my top tips for working from home during lockdown!
18. Read some books – I’ve got a list of about 10 books I’ve been meaning to read for months but never got round to doing. This is the perfect time!
19. If you are really struggling with your anxiety during this period of time, grab yourself some of these products for anxiety online, through sites such as Amazon. My favourite product of all time is Rescue Remedy! The perfect things to do at home during lockdown.
20. Escape to another country (virtually) but this list of ‘TV programmes to travel the world from home’ including Restaurants On The Edge, Tales by Light, Travel Man: 48 Hours in… and The Americas with Simon Reeve.
21. ADD SRI LANKA TO YOUR BUCKET LIST! You won’t regret it, honestly. Check out 50 Sri Lanka photo to inspire your future travels.
22. Transfer photos from your phone to an external hard drive – this is your chance to reorganise all your photos and videos!
23. Read your horoscope.
24. Choose 10 photos that represent 2019 for you and put them on a USB stick and get them printed online! It’s a good thing to reminisce as it reminds you of what you are grateful for, past or present. Another great thing to do at home during lockdown.
25. Write your mum a love letter. I wrote my mum a letter for Mother’s Day but the sentiment is valid any day of the year.
26. Facetime your parents in the evenings and have a chat about your day.
27. Update your CV, whether or not you are looking for a new job, it’s always good to stay up to date.
28. Check in with your extrovert mates, as an introvert I love isolation. Being home, on my own, or with limited social contact is a dream for me. But for those who live for socialising, this period of time is going to be difficult so make sure you check in!
29. Share motivation and inspirational quotes on your Instagram to keep others inspired!
30. Learn a poem!
31. If you’ve got stamps at home, send your mates a postcard or letter. Don’t tell them its coming and it will be a wonderful surprise!
32. Write an email to your future self. So so good, another great thing to do at home during lockdown.
33. Throw away that pile of newspapers, magazines and random papers that has been building up in a corner for months. You don’t need them, trust me.
34. Sort out your clothes – get your wardrobe ready for the next season and then once lockdown is over take them to the charity shop for someone else to get use out of.
35. If you have a creative hobby like photography, painting, sculpture, writing, or graphic design, consider sending them to your relatives or friends to cheer them up!
36. Tune out of the news and social media reporting when possible as it can really disrupt your calm and soul.
37. Set yourself time limits on social media apps – I’ve got 2 hours on Instagram every day as otherwise I could sit there for hours and days scrolling.
38. Sign up for 5 newsletter which are positive, motivation and ‘feel good’ – I would recommend The Happy Newspaper to start with…
39. In the same spirit, unsubscribe from all the newsletters clogging your inbox that you never, ever open.
40. Why not give your Instagram the same cull as you did to your wardrobe and get rid of all those negative, uninspiring Instagram profiles you follow that add nothing to your life. I did a big unfollow in 2018 unfollowing over 2000 people and it made my feed so much better, and aimed at my own interests.
41. If you haven’t already done so, download Tik Tok and start exploring. Join the hype and add it to your top things to do at home during lockdown.
42. Give yourself a manicure, do a hair mask, or anything else you can think of that can be plausibly passed off as “self-care”.
43. Cut your own hair. I know there’s going to be hair stylists across the world screaming at me right now, but I’ve cut my own hair for years and it looks alright haha. Just don’t go too crazy away from your usual length or style. Small steps hay?!
44. Re-organise your entire home and that means kitchen cupboards, pant drawer, bedside table, storage, shed, cupboards etc. and throw out anything old, unused or useless. Holding on to crap will only make you feel heavier. I love have a throw out every season as it reminds me to get rid of anything pulling me down.
45. You could also do this during meditation every day. Take a few minutes every day to rethink your life and experiences, redefine your goals and devise strategies for how to achieve them. You’ll come back stronger than ever.
46. After a great wellbeing book? Check out this guide to ‘8 wellbeing books for women‘.
47. Thinking about weight loss? I lost over 2 1/2 stone last summer through Cambridge Weight Plan for health and mental health reasons. I found it really great to re-align my habits with food and starting to think about food in a better way. I have documented my journey with CWP here.
48. Improve the amount of sleep you are getting – you can go to bed early and wake up later, and catch up on years of missed sleep. I have also pulled together a guide of my ‘tips for falling asleep at night‘ incase you are struggling.
49. If you miss the cinema, why not recreate its atmosphere at home. Grab some popcorn, your fave movie, fair lights and the big screen. The ultimate things to do at home during lockdown night in!
50. Banana bread?! If all else fails, banana bread seems to fix everything. During this time you could learn to cook new recipes PLUS the shortage of ingredients is a challenge so even more fun!
My Travel Tips and Recommendations
Flights
To book flights, I always use flight search engine, Skyscanner, I regularly use the Everywhere tool to find the cheapest places to travel. It’s how I get to travel so much all around the world. I find it the easiest way to compare flight prices across airlines and get the best deals.
Accommodation
For accommodation, I usually book most of my hotels or hostels through Booking.com. I love using this platform as it provides me with some amazing deals for accommodation all around the world. Or if you prefer, I also recommend using Airbnb. If you haven’t signed up with Airbnb already, you can use this link to get £25 off your first visit!
Photography and Technology
Here is a list of the technology I always travel with:
Travel Insurance
Picking travel insurance that covers you in all eventualities is an essential part of planning a trip for every single person. If you can’t afford travel insurance, you can’t afford to travel. You never know what’s around the corner. World Nomads is an affordable option that I personally recommend. BOOK HERE
You can also find me on social media: Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram.
Other posts that may help you:
Festive Things to do in London at Christmas in December
Ultimate Guide to one week in Bali Itinerary
Visit Lisbon: 9 Day Trips from Lisbon
Italian Coastal Adventure in Positano
Hot Air Balloons in Cappadocia
The Best City Breaks for Couples
Beginner’s Guide to Europe Interrail Routes
10 Hygge Things to do in Copenhagen
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Thank you for reading and as always happy adventuring! If you have any questions about the destination please leave these in the comments below.
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Sophie X
