9 creative things to do in isolation
As we continue to stay at home to protect not only ourselves but our loved ones and the NHS, being restricted to the walls of our home and to only one outing per day to buy food or for daily exercise is undoubtedly starting to take its toll. Not only can it be mentally draining, but you might be starting to run out of activities. After all, there are only so many times you can play drunk Monopoly. With that in mind, the team at Natcho have come up with nine creative ideas you can do while in isolation. We understand it is important to remain positive, active and of course creative to keep you busy and to support your overall wellness. So instead of thinking of all the things that have been taken away from you, why not start focussing on the thing that has been given to you? Time.
1. Virtual book club
With all this extra free time we have, it’s a great opportunity to finish that book sitting on your bedside table which has been neglected since the end of your trip to Spain last summer. If you’re anything like us, when you’re in the middle of a good read it’s all you want to talk about. So why not start a virtual book club with your mates? Get everyone to buy the same book online or download it on their Kindle or on their phone from Apple Books, and then once a week have a group video call to discuss and gossip about the storyline. Each member of the group can take it in turns to choose a book for the group. That way you all have the opportunity to discover a new genre of literature you may never have thought to have read before. A virtual book club not only encourages you to read more stories, but it also helps to keep you connected with friends and gives you all something to talk about (other than the dreaded C word).
2. Online dance class
Struggling to find the motivation to keep fit now the gym has shut? Well, why not experiment with a new and creative way to release your endorphins, by trying out a virtual dance class in the comfort of your own living room? Dance companies and professionals all over the world are taking their classes online to keep you motivated during this time. This is a perfect way to start that class you have always wanted to try but have been putting off. We have found a few to get you started.
Ballet Blast by Sassy (@balletblastbysassy):
Ballet Blast is a ballet, barre and mat workout by ballerina and personal trainer, Sassy Gregson-Williams (@naturally.sassy). The workouts stretch and sculpt your muscles without the intensity of a HIIT style workout. Ballet Blast is currently offering a free 14-day trial and if you decide after the two weeks that ballet and barre fitness is your thing, it is offering a 40% off coupon code eligible on your first payment of a monthly, bi-annual or annual subscription.
At Your Beat Studio
https://www.atyourbeat.com/london
At Your Beat is a diversifying fitness company which celebrates individuality. It welcome dancers of all levels, even if you have never danced in your life, and vary in dance genres such as Jazz, Lyrical, Latin, Urban and many others. Due to the current climate, the instructors have now taken their classes online, using the hashtag #AtYourGaff to highlight the classes which you can live stream straight to your home. The classes cost just £5, a great way to continue to support the arts and keep fit at the same time.
Sadlers Wells
Sadlers Wells, London, is expanding its series of projects ‘Take Part’, which are available to the wider community, by streaming a number of online workshops and activities for audiences to dance along to in their own homes. The workshops have been specially created for families with younger children as well as ones for the older generation. The performing arts theatre and centre is also streaming online performances, including Rosas/ Rain by Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker running from 10-17 April.
Home Festival, by Strictly Come Dancing’s Oti Mabuse and Karen Hauer, is a free online space of dance-based fun and activities, aimed at all ages and members of the household. They have got together with other Strictly professionals to teach a variation of Latin and Ballroom dances and dance-style workouts. So, drag your partner up from the sofa for this one because it takes two to tango. Check out their social media feeds for what’s coming up each week. @otimabuse @karenhauer.
TikTok
A little less serious and a lot sillier. If you haven’t joined in on the trend yet, then where have you been hiding during isolation? Get the family together or solo it out to learn one of the many short, but sassy, dance routines which millions of people are getting involved in, including some of your favourite celebrities. A great way to let your hair down and have a well-deserved laugh.
3. Virtual dinner party
With restaurants shut, people are utilising their time to learn new recipes now more than ever. However, the social aspect of going out for dinner and drinks with your friends and loved ones is desperately missed. So, how about getting your mates together on a group video call for a virtual dinner party? You can share each other’s favourite recipes or research online or in a cookbook for something new. Either way, you’ll be discovering new flavours and meals while having that much needed social time cooking, eating and of course drinking time together.
4. Online creative courses
While having this time at home might be a weight on the shoulders of your career, it can also be used as a fantastic way to learn new skills or develop the ones you already have. There are tonnes of free videos on YouTube for marketing, photography and web design etc. and Shaw Academy is offering the first module free for many of its courses, giving you an amazing opportunity to try something new and to save the pennies while doing so. So instead of allowing yourself to become overwhelmed by the current situation, immerse yourself into a course to keep you busy and to build that CV and portfolio.
5. Learn a language
When we can finally travel again, wouldn’t it be great if we could say more than “Ciao!”, “parle Anglais?” and “sangría, por favor”? The ability to speak another language is a talent the majority of us wish we had but don’t have the time to learn. However, being so digitally connected these days, it is easier than ever. If you are tight on the purse strings, you can download apps such as Duolingo and Babbel on your phone or if you want to take part in a full-length course, Rosetta Stone has discounted some of its courses to get you started.
6. Make a scrapbook
We might not be able to make new memories at the moment, but we can certainly cherish the olds ones. Keep yourself busy and thinking of good times by creating a scrapbook of your recent holiday, your wedding or all your favourite memories from the last year. Order a scrapbook online (or there might be one in the arts and crafts aisle next time you do your weekly essential shop) and start glueing in photos of your favourite memories while listening to your favourite playlist. If you wanted to add stickers and other creative things to the book, why not find old magazines and newspapers around the house and cut and stick in letters and images? This way, you’re saving the planet by recycling your publications and making your scrapbook look like a masterpiece, all at the same time.
7. Go behind the scenes
Ever wondered how many times it took to shoot your favourite scene from your favourite film? Or how they made that fight look so real in your most recent box-set binge? Well, streaming services, such as BBC iPlayer, have online videos you can watch which takes you behind the scenes of some of your most loved tv-shows and films and if you dig out some of your old DVD’s, they usually have a ‘disk two’ with special features. So instead of racing through your list on Netflix, why not take a pause to geek out on the technical side of things. Not only will it keep you entertained, but you may learn a little something too. At Natcho, we believe that it is important to appreciate creativity and the hard work that goes into creating all the entertainment that is keeping us occupied at the moment (thank you creatives!).
8. Make a hamper
Staying connected is easier now more than ever with the ability to phone or video call however, the lack of a physical social side can become draining. At Natcho, we suggest creating a hamper to leave on the doorstep of a friend or family member you miss seeing, someone you know who is working on the front line, someone who can’t leave the house due to vulnerabilities or someone you know who is struggling just that little bit more this week. Not only could you put in basic essentials (bread, milk, toilet roll etc.) but you could also add in a photo of you both together, create a memory board (or a scrapbook, see number 6), write them a poem or include a book or DVD you think will cheer them up (make sure to disinfect them first!). These little touches won’t only bring a smile to their face but will give you both a reminder that we are all going through this together.
9. Bullet Journals
We have all been thrown into a situation which is completely different from what we are used to and one none of us saw coming. Although it might be hard, sticking to a routine during this current pandemic will allow you to feel slightly less out-of-the-norm and also help to support your mental health. However, if you are struggling (you are allowed to find it tough, most of us are), finding a new and creative way to reorganise your thoughts might not only help to keep your tasks on track, but help to keep your mind busy. Bullet Journals are journals designed to help you organise your ‘what’ while you remain mindful of your ‘why’. According to the bullet journal website, “it’s best described as a mindfulness practise disguised as a productivity system”. Bullet Journals allow you to have the flexibility and control to create your own structure of your journal to organise your tasks, events and thoughts to best suit your needs however best suits you, making them wonderfully personal. It may sound a tad confusing to start but when you get the hang of it, you’ll feel like an organised king or queen. For more information, blogger, Lily Pebbles, shares in this video how she uses her journal and how it’s helped her stay organised.
