I get it, we've been quarantined for nearly a year and by now you are either set in your #WorkFromHome routine, or you're starting to feel a second wave of quarantine fatigue.
Maybe you've exhausted your Netflix account or maybe you are just looking for a change of pace. Whatever the reason, you can still be productive and get things done while stuck at home.
Here are some things I have recently checked off my to-do list (or want to check off my list) that you can try yourself to stay busy (and get a well-deserved break from a screen)!
Read a book
When I'm not drowning in school projects and assignments, I love to sit down with a good book. I'm already almost done with my second book of 2021!
Need a recommendation? I just finished "In Five Years" by Rebecca Serle and LOVED IT. Expect the unexpected every time you turn the page. You'll love it even more if you're a fan of New York City and enjoy a hint of romance.
Clean your room
despicable me dancing GIFGiphyIt sounds so simple but the energy that it actually takes to find your floor under your explosion of a closet is ridiculous. What do we even do to allow our closet to explode in the first place? Just put on your favorite tunes and start going. Once you start you'll be in a groove to just keep cleaning. It'll feel SO GOOD and SO REFRESHING to look at your clean room later. Heck, maybe even move around your furniture and redecorate your walls! Make your room your sanctuary.
Refresh and edit your resume
Season 9 NBC GIF by The Office
GiphyLet's be real, it probably needs to be amped up a little bit. Add relevant experience, spice up your buzzwords, change up your skills section. Before you submit it anywhere, proofread it ten times, then have a bunch of other people proofread it ten more times. Even if you're not in a job or internship hunt, it's good to keep up with your resume small bits at a time so you don't have to change so much of it all at once down the road. Need some inspiration? Google Docs, Canva and Microsoft Word all have great templates. There are a lot of helpful career Tik Tok videos out there that I have used to my advantage, as well!
Gut your closet
Buy some crates, new hangers and organizing units! It's time to empty out your closet, donate what you don't need, and restructure what you are keeping. There are plenty of creative ideas out there and many ways to do it all on a low budget! I'm not going to lie, back in March I redid my closet THREE times, making small changes each time I emptied out a different part of it. I found some pretty fun throwback posters, Disney Princess shirts and dance costumes.
Work out!
Not the biggest fan of working out? Girl, me either. I'd rather incorporate fitness and movement into my everyday life through outdoor activities, bike rides, learning halftime shows everyday (miss you, Marching Illini) but living in Chicagoland in the winter doesn't exactly allow you to do all of those things about five months out of the year.
Instead, I found a great YouTuber (@KyraPro) who keeps me motivated with her fun cardio dance routines! Some of my favorite routines on her channel include music from Disney Princess movies, The Greatest Showman, One Direction and Hamilton! Check her out and get moving!
Whatever you end up doing, don't forget to include time for self-care, friends and family members! Take a night to check in on yourself and calm down. Call a friend you haven't talked to in a while. Create a Zoom game night with family members that live far away! Oh...and wear your mask :)