Day 22 of social distancing and it’s also the weekend. We hope that you are safe and in a good mood taking care of yourself both physically and mentally. For most people, it is extremely hard to stay at home for such a long period of time, especially if they usually have a very fast everyday life and find ways to fulfil their time with meaningful activities, or any activities for that matter. We chose to take this time to do things that we usually “don’t have the time for” or if we have to be completely honest, we are too lazy to do. And even to experiment with something new. But also we want to distract you from the endless articles about coronavirus and all the negativity, and hopefully to inspire you to look at the quarantine as something that is somewhat positive.

This list is a good balance of entertainment, mental health and useful ideas that will make you feel accomplished and productive.

Disclaimer: Most importantly, don’t feel stressed if you just want to watch Netflix all day, that’s perfectly normal. If you haven’t exercised or read 10 books already, don’t feel like you have to. We all process and cope with change in different ways.

30-day Journaling Challenge

If you want to start journaling and exploring the depths of your own mind, a great way to ease yourself into this new habit is this 30-day challenge. You can start any time, the daily prompts are in the highlights here.

Get moving at home

Instagram was flooded by home workouts in the past couple of weeks and there’s so much new content circulating around. Our favourite is this one.

Esther Perel’s Expert Advice

Esther Perel is one of the most popular psychotherapists out there and now she’s going live in a series of talks on how to care for our mind and our relationships. Her calm voice and friendly personality will guide you through different topics on coping with stress, uncertainty in the new reality and connection with yourself and the world around you while social distancing.
Follow her Facebook or Youtube to get notifications when the next live seminars are. She’s also answering questions so make sure to tune in. You can also listen to her podcasts here.

Get on a new hobby

Do you have hobbies? Eating out and shopping doesn’t count. We’re so busy working, trying to catch up with all the information and events driven by the fear of missing out that we often forget about hobbies. Skillshare offers 2 months premium for free. Knitting, sewing, painting, cooking are all great therapeutic ways to cope with stress. With all the time that we have at home, it is the perfect opportunity to find a hobby that will keep you busy now, but also help you in the long run.

If you choose to focus on cooking - Pick Up Limes is one of our favourite channels with tasty ideas where Sadia gives ideas for beautifully made, easy and heartwarming recipes.

Bake a banana bread
And just for fun - jump on the trend and bake banana bread. Top it up with peanut butter for an extra dose of indulgence and yumminess. Here’s how to.

Why not become an Ivy league student?

You might have heard of Coursera - a website with courses from the biggest universities. Use your time to become a student in some of the most prestigious universities without spending thousands of dollars. You can choose between 450 courses, from Artificial Intelligence through The Ethics of Eating to Introduction to Italian Opera and many other interesting subjects, many of which are for free. Check out the full list here.

In a time when anxiety levels are high for most of us, why not take Yale’s course on happiness titled “The Science of Well-being”.

Or learn from Natalie Portman and Anna Wintour
Masterclass has a limited offer until April 12 - share with a friend and get two annual subscriptions for the price of one which makes it about 90 euro per person to access all classes for a year. Pretty good deal!

Independent Concept Magazines

Order your favourite magazines and get comfy at home. This way you’re supporting small brands like Considered Magazine or Water Journal that share personal stories and beautifully curated photos.

Talking Shorts

Talking Shorts is an online film magazine dedicated to short films. Inspired by many other cultural initiatives happening online around the globe due to the pandemic, Talking Shorts present us with the first edition of My Darling Quarantine Short Film Festival. You can watch an amazing film completely for free, instead of binge-watching yet again another Netflix series. An online programme of seven short films on the subject of "dystopia" will be presented every week and you can vote for your favourite one. Hurry up and head to their website, we promise you won’t be disappointed.

If you’re into documentaries you can also check Amsterdam’s Documentary film festival.

Learn a new language

If you’ve never tried Duolingo, now’s the time. It is such a fun app that can be used for a few minutes or a few hours a day learning in a dynamic way.

Old-school vibe
Always wanted to get a vinyl player? Now is a pretty good time to invest in a turntable and some records as it will bring joy in your home and will complement the lazy afternoon when you’re comfortably cocooning on your couch.

Live Music
Concerts and festivals might be cancelled but lots of our favourite musicians are doing their best to keep us entertained.
Global Citizen’s Together At Home series brought together many popular musicians such as John Legend, Hozier, One Republic,The Lumineers and H.E.R. Follow their Instagram to get updates on the next artists that will be playing.

Mahogany’s The Isolation Sessions are short live gigs by indie musicians almost every day on Instagram.
Boiler room keeps bringing people together but now artists are playing from their living rooms and you can tune in on their platform.

Classical music, Opera and Theater

I remember how fascinated I was when I entered the Opera House in Vienna. This seems very far away now but Wiener Staatsoper is streaming their performances live. Check the schedule here. From Metropolitan Opera to Berliner Philharmoniker major classical music organisations whose purpose is to music, art and beauty to people in troubled times.

Here is a schedule for classical music performances.

The famous Bolshoi Theatre shares its live plays on Youtube. British National Theatre is also streaming plays - next one is Jane Eyre on 9th April.

Support your local brands and restaurants

All of our favourite food spots are now closed but we can support them with ordering a takeaway when we miss brunch on Saturday or when we are too lazy to cook. Businesses with physical locations are trying to adapt fast and offer deliveries so you don’t miss your favourite french toast or eggs Benedict. Unfortunately, we already see some companies closing down for good. It’s a tough time for smaller brands, bookshops, concept shops, pastry shops and coffee houses too so we’d encourage you to choose wisely.

Go to a museum

12 of the most famous museums in the world offer virtual tours. If you have ever dreamt of going to the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Seoul or Guggenheim Museum in New York, now you can easily do it from home. And the best part is that you can enjoy them with a glass of wine in hand and in your underwear, something you definitely cannot do in normal circumstances. See the rest here.

Stay Home, Stay Curious