In these difficult and uncertain times, so many people are shielding themselves at home. It is so important that we all follow government advice to stay at home, other than for specific outings, but this doesn’t make it easy.
Having a plan or finding a new routine can be important for your mental health. There are many ways in which you could do this, depending on how much you like routine! Perhaps you could have a certain time each day that you do things – take exercise, call a friend or family member, do some decluttering, learn a new skill. Or perhaps each day of the week could contain different activities – puzzles, jigsaws, reading, baking, painting, learning a new skill.
Many of us also have a lot more time on our hands, where we aren’t able to continue our usual daily activities. Try to see this is a positive. Now’s the time to do all the things you’ve been putting off for years – sorting out cupboards, learning how to make macarons, planting a new flower bed, learning a language, getting fitter.
Here is a list of useful websites and activities that we’ve found, including free courses and cultural events, that we hope will help to keep you busy.
Take a virtual museum tour
Many galleries and museums have an online offering, including:
Natural History Museum https://www.nhm.ac.uk/visit/virtual-museum.html
The Tate Galleries https://www.tate.org.uk/
Learn a new skill
Many courses in all sorts of subjects are currently free for a period of time
Alison.com https://alison.com/
Learn Mandarin https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/fall-in-love-with-mandarin
Commit to getting fitter
use technology to practice exercising at home
Get a culture fix
Many theatres and dance companies are streaming online
The National Theatre at Home https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUDq1XzCY0NIOYVJvEMQjqw
Cirque du Soleil https://www.cirquedusoleil.com/cirqueconnect
And finally, our very own Abbeyfield Society has put together a wonderful pack of resources including puzzles and recipes. You can find them here: https://www.abbeyfield.com/blog/staying-at-home-our-activity-pack/
