Ideas for Things to Do under Lock-Down

With countries finding themselves confined to quarters for the time being to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 Coronavirus, here are some suggestions for your list of things to do or try. There’s no need to be a ‘Covidiot’ and be seen wandering outside somewhere you shouldn’t be during this time.

 

Self-investment - On the topic of personal finance during these troubling times, remember to diversify savings and investments and consider moving towards assets that are more liquid by nature.

 

Beyond sorting out pesky admin tasks relating to finances, tax returns, household subscriptions etc. how about trying a new skill, either online, more manual or kitchen-based? Watch some Youtube with a notebook and get inspired by someone you can follow. 

 

Language or new skill learning - There are plenty of online courses and tools these days, be it via personal, online tuition via Skype (where you still get the extra, much-needed motivation and support) to automated online courses for people used to self-discipline without a ton of distractions.

 

The key is not to ‘take down’ an entire language or skill, but simply to boost confidence for some future time, even just a holiday, or just to encourage brain activity, and be able to tune your ear to the sounds. There are some who like just to read a new language, although it’s best to do all at once: read, write and listen. Suggestion: try starting with reading news online in a new language with Google Translate open in another tab. Since everyone is reading and checking the internet so much -  ‘doomsurfing’ right now - you could at least tie this in with language learning, and boost your skill, even by a little.

 

Digital skills - Splashing out on an online course can teach formal coding skills for everything from website coding to blockchain development. There are tons of video courses and online tuition, but for mature students having an online tutor can really pay off. The emerging fields of AR and VR (and MR) could be on track to alter our relationship to technology fundamentally, so exploring these new technologies could spark lifelong 'immersion' and interest.

 

Music - Just one, small mobile app for guitar tuition like Fender Tune, that includes everything from tuning to video courses, can be enough to revolutionise a passion for music and an instrument.

 

Garden ‘wilding’ and permaculture - Just a few baby tomato plants and some big pots can be enough to provide a continual stream of cherry tomatoes from mid-summer onward. Give one to each of your children to look after and water now and then, and they can have a competition to see how big they get. Beyond pots or plots of vegetables, you could try making cuttings in the summer and starting your own backyard nursery growing trees. Or just generally encourage more diversity in your garden by sowing seeds or setting up a water feature. 

 

Manual or craft-work - Got any spare wooden pallets? There is no end to the objects people are making out of old pallets online, from shelves to cabinets. With any old pieces of wood, start simple and you might just have something you can use or fix somewhere indoors or outdoors.

 

Collect some rare, digital art online - Ethereum is currently going cheap on Coinbase. You can use some to scout some rare pieces on marketplace sites such as Makersplace, Superrare or KnownOrigin. If you’re into trading card games, these can be traded on Opensea. Bidding or purchasing has never been so easy! If you have a decent printer, you can print out your newly acquired pieces and display them as their owner. 

 

Social and Board Gaming - From full-scale, timeless classics like Monopoly to more creative role-playing Dungeons and Dragons where you can create maps for others to play, it could be time to catch up on some competitive or collaborative social game time. Card games and word games like Scrabble can start a tournament lasting several weeks, with a pool of cash for the winner(s).

 

Family Games on the Console - There’s nothing wrong with video games en famille, although bear in mind things can get too competitive too quickly. Try and find a game no-one has played before, or an equivalent to a classic game everyone knows already. Some co-operative games, where kids work through levels together, or in turns, can be social and creative. Dragon Quest Builders 2 is a good one.

 

Apps and AI Voice Assistants - If you’ve invested in a smartphone, tablet or Google Home or Alexa devices for your house, it could be about time you explored a fresh selection of new apps or skills for all your family, and loaded them up. Hint: finding the right app without adverts can be better than finding a ton of free apps all with annoying, interfering ads.

 

Prizes Drop! - Spend time right here completing our range of mini-tasks like completing surveys or watching ads and you can save something extra in points to be converted to free Amazon vouchers, free Netflix or PS discounts and many more. Read about how it all works here, sign up and get your own dashboard for collecting our points.

 

There are also many ways to earn crypto by reading blogs covering such projects, or by being creative like writing Everipedia articles.

 

Are you a gamer? There are ways you can get free games using sites such as Bananatic and Gaming Impact.com which also offer free mini-quests or free, instant-to-play browser games and mini-games.

 

 

Try not to feel dismayed or disheartened by the lock-down. Opportunities and Ideas are around every (virtual) corner, and hopefully this post has helped promote a few, or bring them a little closer. Not every day can be self-empowering and inspiring, but you may return to something when the time is right again, just because you made that first, vital start. 

Image credit = Joshua Miranda