Many of us have been spending most of our time sheltering in place. With our health and our family’s safety on the line, many adapted practices which involve only going out when absolutely necessary. Some even embraced working remotely to reduce their chances of getting sick.

But as humans, many of us can’t bear staying indoors for an extended period of time. We may be slowly coping with the new normal. But chances are, like many others, you are now feeling extremely bored, anxious, and stressed out.

Thankfully, there are lots of indoor activities we can indulge in that can help with our current situation. Staying productive and adding structure to your day is one good way to take good care of your physical and mental health. Here are five relaxing activities that can help you thrive during a crisis.

Adopt a Creative Hobby

Creative hobbies are a great way to pass time, put your creativity to the test, and give you a sense of accomplishment. Finishing a project can help boost your self-esteem, which could have been greatly affected due to the lockdowns. You have endless projects you can take depending on your preferences and the materials on hand.

For instance, you have a knack for designing cards that are handmade. You can create a bunch of different materials and even practice your calligraphy skills. You can send personalized letters to your loved ones or even start your own business selling handmade letters.

So you love coloring or doodling? Then why not take the opportunity to doodle your own designs and color them for fun? Some even start selling their designs online, giving them another source of income during the crisis.

Knitted toys are all over social media. You can try knitting your own favorite animals and turn them into stuffed toys. If you make enough knitted stuffy toys, you can even give them out to your favorite loved ones or start selling them online.

Start Your Own Blog

Creating a journal helps practice your writing skills and allows you to let your ideas, reflections, and knowledge flow on paper. But instead of keeping your note to yourself, why not share this with the world? With the endless topics you can write about, you can use this opportunity to create your own following and even kick-start your online writing career.

When starting a blog, you can publish your writings. You also have the option to keep them in your drafts until you are ready to share them with the world. You can even go by your own pen name if you are not yet ready to share your real self just yet.

Even if you are a private person, you can publicly share your works without worrying about the type of content you write. This gives you enough privacy and still enjoys writing your thoughts, your ideas, and your emotions. In the long run, you can even start monetizing your blog or use it to apply for writing gigs for different clients.

Enroll in Different Online Courses

During the pandemic, many people started realizing just how unhappy they are with their current jobs. They no longer enjoy their nine-to-five and wants to start chasing their passion. They want to be able to make money out of the things they enjoy doing.

But then, not everyone has the luxury to simply quit their jobs and start anew. What you can do instead is to start learning new skills during your free time. This way, you are already learning about the things you will need in order to chase your new career goals.

For instance, you want to build your own business amid the pandemic. You can use this time to enroll in online classes that will help you prepare for your new role. An online dropshipping course, for example, is a nice-to-have if you want to start a dropshipping business.

Start Decluttering

Physical clutter can stress you out; it does not matter if you live alone, with a roommate, or with your family. A disorganized living space adds to your mental stress which can be bad for your health.

Start decluttering your room for good measure. Get rid of items you have no use for. Recycle the items that are still usable, share these with charity, or begin selling second-hand items.

Once you organized your room, slowly move your way around the house. The fewer belongings you have, the less you have to clean and organize. This will help in keeping your home clean, for as long as you keep up with your new arrangement.

You can still stay productive even if you are quarantining. You don’t necessarily need to make a huge investment just to start a creative hobby, write an online journal, learn new skills, or organize your home. Start by making use of the things readily available in your house. Depending on your goals and preferences, you can come up with the best ways to spend your shelter-at-home days and reduce your stress at the same time.