Most of the world is on lockdown now. As the death toll of the coronavirus continues to rise, many people are welcoming the social restriction measures. It’s obviously good to stop this thing before too many people fall victim to it.
That said, lockdown is pretty boring! Whether you’re accustomed to heading out to the pub on an evening, going shopping on the weekends, or just living your life without fear of the plague, the same four walls are probably starting to look pretty samey by now.
Fortunately, we live in the best time in human history to be on lockdown. Thanks to the internet, staying connected with loved ones has never been easier. You’ve also got access to the largest collection of human knowledge ever. Before you complain too hard, thank yourself you’re not in quarantine during the early twentieth century or before!
There are loads of free things to do online to pass the time. Remember that most of your friends are in the same position as you too. What might have seemed a novelty or tedious may well provide a few minutes of laughter or more now that times have changed.
Read All Those Books!
We’ve all got a reading list. Even if you’re not a big reader, you’re almost certain to have a few books that are gathering dust on a shelf, in a box, wherever. You put it off because you didn’t have time. Well now you do!
Settle down on the couch with a nice drink of whatever you like and just engross yourself in another world for an hour or two. Don’t force yourself to read anything that you’re not getting anything from though. This isn’t English class! Read a few pages or a couple of chapters and stick with it if you’re feeling it, otherwise skip it.
Here in the UK, we’re lucky enough to still have the postal service running. If you’ve really nothing to read at home, order something off the internet. Alternatively, order a Kindle or other digital reading device to have more reading material beamed to you as time you finish something!
Check Out Online “Live” Happenings
It’s not just you on lockdown! Loads of your favourite musical artists and entertainers are going through this too. The social media musical live stream has really come into its own over recent weeks. Representatives of many-a-genre have taken to Facebook, Instagram, and other platforms to broadcast their sounds to their bored fans.
We’ve seen performances from the Royal Albert Hall, featuring the likes of Rufus Wainwright, Peter Gregson, and others, virtual raves from Club Quarantäne, and intimate shows from stars like Neil Young. These are just a few of the diverse acts taking their sounds to the live stream. Meanwhile, plenty of more underground performers have gone unplugged for lack of a band, performing songs acoustically for fans.
Bands that can’t bear the thought of playing without amps are being generous to fans during lockdown too. The likes of Metallica and Pink Floyd, to name just two, have been putting out footage of some of their largest ever shows for free on streaming platforms.
Whether you’re into rock, metal, punk, showtunes, jazz, techno, country, or whatever, there will be some artist or record label putting some live content out for you. The atmosphere might be less buzzing than a real live performance, but the seating is almost certainly better!
Get in Fighting Fit Shape
Just because you can’t get to the gym doesn’t give you any excuse to not do a bit of exercise. Britain’s most violent criminal, Charles Bronson, wrote an entire book on the kinds of bodyweight exercises you can do with just about 8’ by 4’ floor space. If you’ve ever seen Charlie, you’ll know that lockdown isn’t a valid reason to let fitness go out of the window.
Loads of fitness instructors and professional personal trainers are also on lockdown right now and have been putting out free follow along content on video streaming platforms. These videos feature workout routines that you can do as you see fit during your quarantine. However, for best results, still to a schedule. Designate half an hour a day to working out and get your sweat on!
Hit the Casino!
Online casinos might seem like a quick way to lose a lot of money but hear us out! If you play with a particular type of bonus, you can do so entirely risk-free!
To attract new players, casino operators will often run what’s known as a no deposit bonus. These promotional offerings gift those registering a new account either free casino credit or a set number of free spins. Using these offers you can genuinely make real money without using any of your own.
Whilst different terms and conditions make withdrawing from these offers tough, it is indeed possible. Given the fact that there are 100s of free spin casino sites, and you’ve got a lot of time on your hands, you might as well give them a go. The more you play, the greater chance you have of winning!
Hang Out with Your Mates!
No, we’re not suggesting you break social distancing protocol, but you can still spend time with friends and family. Thanks to video conferencing applications and the sheer proliferation of cameras these days, it’s remarkably easy to see a favourite face. If you were on lock down at any other point in human history, you’d probably be feeling a lot more isolated right now.
Arrange a time with your usual crew, your mum and dad, or your work colleagues and get on a conference call. To be honest, if you really get into it, you’ll probably find yourself hanging out with more people than was ever possible in the non-virtual world!
Loads of people are in the same position as you right now and seeing friends instantly lifts anyone’s spirits. Even if they haven’t reached out for you for a chat, they probably still would appreciate it. In times of such uncertainty, it’s even more important than usual to check in on those who mean a lot to you.
To Conclude
Armed with a frankly vast collection of human knowledge and the means to communicate with almost anyone who means something to you, there really isn’t an excuse to be bored during this lock down. For many of us, this is an unscheduled holiday. It’s almost like someone turned off the rat race to give the contestants time to recoup and catch up. Use the time however makes you happy and don’t feel pressured to be constantly achieving.
The above suggestions are just a tiny fraction of those things possible. Remember, we don’t have it as bad as Spain, Italy, and other parts of Europe – we still get post, and shops other than the supermarkets are open. You can have Amazon deliver you the equipment to start a new hobby, can get equipment to do up the house or garden, or have all the tools needed thanks to the internet to just seriously chill. You’re being asked to relax. You got this!