6 things you can do to stay entertained while self-isolating at home

With COVID-19 triggering a nation-wide quarantine, many Aussies have been experiencing a bad case of the self-isolation blues. If you’re bored out of your brain and wondering how you can keep yourself entertained without leaving the house, worry not! Here are some fun things you can do at home while practicing social distancing.

Get a (small) pet

If social distancing is starving you of company, a tiny new friend might be just what you need to fight the loneliness. Cuddling a rabbit, mouse, or bird may be just as heartwarming as playing with a dog or cat, and they don’t take up much space. You could even get something a bit more exotic, like a ferret or an axolotl (pictured above). Whether the newest member of your family is furry, scaly, or slimy, make sure it’s one you can take care of once the Coronavirus quarantine has passed.

Catch a livestreamed concert

As it turns out, Grammy-award-winning musicians are just as bored in quarantine as the rest of us. Luckily for us, this means they’ve banded together to provide us with some quality entertainment while we’re all stuck at home. #TogetherAtHome is a series of concerts livestreamed directly from the homes of your favourite singers! You can listen to the likes of John Legend, Vance Joy, One Republic, and more playing their most iconic tunes for free. Even better, you can listen from the comfort of your living room couch. Keep an eye on this twitter page to find out which artists will be performing next.

Build a reading nook

Almost everyone has a big, dusty pile of books they’ve been meaning to read, but just haven’t got around to. Well, your self-quarantine is the perfect chance to take a dent out of that pile. Just find whatever corner of your house looks the coziest, smother it in pillows, blankets, and candles, and collapse into your new reading nook with whatever book first catches your eye. Don’t have any novels lying around? Well there’s plenty of local bookstores (like Planet Books) that are delivering for free. Just make sure your book of choice is something comforting, and save the doomsday apocalypse stories for another time. Some other local book stores that have just made their catalogues available online are Boffins Books and The Lane Book Shop.

Go to the movies (without actually going to the movies)

Finally, we can binge-watch all our favourite flicks and TV series without facing those awkward questions from coworkers that we all dread (why do you have bags under your eyes? Why are you only speaking in Game of Thrones quotes?). That’s right - no longer do we have to live in shame of our watching habits. In fact, now’s a better time then ever to stay up all night for a F.R.I.E.N.D.S marathon, with streaming services stepping up their game to keep us entertained while we isolate. Netflix had a huge March with season 3 of Ozark and On My Block, and they’re looking to follow it up in April when they drop the action-packed Matrix Trilogy and all 6 seasons of cult-classic Community. Disney+ has got families covered. They’ve got all the Star Wars and Marvel flicks if you’re keen for a movie marathon, and they’re even releasing Frozen II and Onward early for kids who are stuck at home. Australia’s own streaming giant Stan is bringing you fan-favourite shows on the same day as the U.S. You can catch Josh Thomas’ hilarious new comedy Everything’s Gonna Be Okay and the critically acclaimed Breaking Bad spinoff – Better Call Saul.

Go on an online shopping binge

You officially have permission to treat yourself! Whether it’s clothes, home décor, books, or electronics, you deserve a little quarantine pick-me-up. Kill some time browsing for the best deal, then have your goodies delivered right to your door. You could hold a red-carpet fashion show in your living room, or even redecorate your bedroom - since you’ll be spending a lot more time there from now on. Urban Records and Elroy Clothing are some great local retailers that are now doing delivery.