Things to do While Stuck Inside During Quarantine

I live in a beautiful one-bedroom apartment in the incredible city of Chicago. I’m lucky to have such a large space in the city and am so thankful for the beautiful warm vintage feel and giant south-facing windows that bathe my apartment in light for much of the day. But these last couple of weeks have made my apartment feel so small. Quarantining alone has been quite difficult and lonely especially for an active extrovert like myself. I keep in contact with friends throughout the day and make calls to loved ones when I can but day in and day out I’m alone in my apartment. So I’ve taken to enjoying all forms of entertainment to keep me sane and help my mental health through these trying times. I’ve compiled a list of things to do when stuck inside during quarantine.

Best TV Shows/ Movies To Binge

When you’re stuck inside alone it’s nice to have some voices for the company. So I’ve found myself putting on some shows as background noise and many of these shows have plenty of seasons to keep you occupied for days. From comedies to suspense, crime, and of course a little reality television these are some of my favorites on some of the available streaming services.

Man in the High Tower– Amazon Prime
Little Fires Everywhere – Hulu
Schitt’s Creek – Netflix
Ozark -Netflix
Good Girls – Netflix
New Girl – Netflix
Love Island – Hulu
Sex and the City – HBO

Best Podcasts to Binge

In the last year or so I’ve found myself listening to a lot of podcasts on my commutes to and from work and to other activities during my week. I am especially fond of true crime podcasts and The First Degree is by far my favorite. But if you aren’t into True Crime I have found some amazing podcasts about everything from marketing, blogging, Ted Talks, and hockey. These are a few I look forward to each week.

The First Degree – True Crime
Counter Clock – True Crime
Crime Junkies – True Crime
Dropping the Gloves – Hockey
When Being Cliquish® is Good ShowCast – Blogging
Influencer Business – Blogging
Man In The Window – True Crime
Ted Talks Daily – Ted Talks
Ten Percent Happier with Dan Harris – Positive Living
Marketing Over Coffee – Marketing

Best Books for a Night In

To be honest, I was never a big reader in grade school. I had so many things going on it was hard to turn my mind off and focus on the book, now I’ve had an easier time doing so but what I’ve also found helps is audiobooks. Just like podcasts I love listening to a good book on my commute to work or while I’m cleaning the house. It’s also a great way for me to wind down for bed. I love lying in bed and listening to a couple of chapters of a book. Some of my favorite books are:

Chase Darkness with Me by Billy Jensen (Audible Exclusive) – True Crime
Evil Has A Name by Paul Holes, Jim Clemente, Peter McDonnell (Audible Exclusive)- True Crime
Influencer by Brittany Hennessy – Blogging
The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson – Historical Fiction
The Great Gatsby by F Scott Fitzgerald – Fiction
Becoming by Michelle Obama – Memoir
Flappers and Philosophers by F Scott Fitzgerald – Fiction
Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty – Fiction

Other Entertainment Ideas for Quarantine

If you need a break from forms of media or have blown through all your favorites on this list… there are plenty of other activities you can do to take your mind off being alone and also take care of your mind and body. I’ve recently taken up learning Spanish on Duolingo. I think learning a new language is a great way to challenge yourself and Duolingo has great lessons for all learning types. When I’m not feeling a language lesson I have recently picked up my ukulele. It’s so easy while I’m watching tv how to sit and strum a few cord patterns I’ve been learning to learn a song. I’ve also picked up journaling recently it’s been really cathartic to write down all my feelings and what I’ve been thinking about while stuck inside. I also took some time to go through my apartment and reorganize and get rid of some clothes I don’t wear. I’ve also created a playlist of songs I’ve been loving lately. You can also put together puzzles or jump on the TikTok trend like I did which has been a really fun new way to create content.

So it may feel like there’s nothing to do and you’re going to go crazy but if you get a little creative and try some new things this isolation will be over before we know it. How are you staying entertained while self quarantined?