Tips for Staying Entertained at Home

Is anyone else going a little stir crazy? Quarantine and social distancing is forcing most of us to make a dramatic changes to our lives. I’m naturally a homebody but even I am getting bored with California’s stay-at-home orders, so I thought of some tips that are helping me get through it, while staying safe, healthy, and protecting others!

1. Workout videos: I’ve never been a big fan of going to the gym and prefer to go on a run or do a workout video. Not everyone has the luxury of having an at-home gym, but equipment isn’t necessary to have a great work out. I’ve long been a fan of Insanity! I have the Insanity Workout Beachbody Collection with Shaun T on DVD and it’s perfect for pushing yourself and staying in shape. You can also check out Youtube to find free exercises that target exactly what you want.
2. Catch up on reading: I used to be a ferocious reader but lately I haven’t had the time until now. If you have a Nook, Kindle, or iPad then you can easily download a new book to read. Some of my favorites:
   • Historical Fiction: All the Light We Cannot See, Sarah’s Key, The Book Thief, The Zookeeper’s Wife, City of Thieves
   • Fantasy: Harry Potter, Vampire Diaries, Dark Tower Series
   • Mystery/Crime: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Gone Girl, Sharp Objects, The Girl on the Train
   • Romance: Beautiful Disaster, The Time Traveler’s Wife, Delirium, Matched 
   • Dystopian: The Handmaid’s Tale, The Hunger Games, Divergent, Uglies, The Maze Runner, 1984
3. Start a podcast: Podcasts are a great way to learn something new and entertain yourself. I’m a big fan of podcasts and listen to them while I work. Some of my favorites:
   • True Crime:
     • My Favorite Murder: true crime comedy podcast – sounds weird but these girls are hilarious, while also being sensitive to the topics they are discussing.
     • Serial: investigative journalism podcast. I am especially fond of season 1, which follows the case against Adnan Syed and the 1999 murder of 18-year-old Baltimore County high school student Hae Min Lee.
     • The Last Podcast on the Left: another true crime comedy podcast; however, this podcast isn’t solely true crime. Their episodes explore conspiracy theories, serial killers, UFO sightings, ghosts, and fan-submitted creepypastas.
   • Educational Podcasts:
     • Planet Money: this podcast is produced by NPR and is both informative and entertaining. They cover a wide range of topics (health care, insider trading, economic issues, etc.).
     • How I Built This: one of my favorite podcasts and another podcast that is produced by NPR. How I Built This is a podcast about innovators, entrepreneurs, and idealists. Each episode is a narrative that captures successes, failures, and insights. All of these narratives come from founders of some of the world’s well known companies and brands. As a small business owner myself, I find their journeys inspiring, insightful, and interesting.
4. Learn something new: is there something that you’ve always wanted to try but never had the time for? YouTube has tons of tutorials, so there’s bound to be one on something that interests you. I’ve learned a lot from YouTube: how to do my makeup, sew, make dog collars and leashes, create bow ties, and so much more.
5. Watch TV: Now is the time to binge a show you’ve been meaning to start! I’ve been watching episodes of Bones on Prime Video and Schitt’s Creek on Netflix. 
6. Get Creative: whether it’s writing, painting, drawing, photography, or something else! I love writing and photography, so I’ve definitely been doing more of both these days!
7. Expand your cooking skills: I love to cook and try new recipes. I especially love recipes that are healthy, but not so healthy that it compromises the flavor. If you’re the same, then check out some of my favorite cookbooks:
   • Cravings by Chrissy Teigen – I love Chrissy Teigen and her cookbooks! These recipes make cooking easy, delicious, and entertaining (I love all the photos she shares in this). This and Cravings 2 are my go to when I want to try something new. She has all different types of recipes: Asian, Italian, American, Mexican, etc. I especially love all her Thai recipes that she gets from her mom!
   • Malibu Farm Cookbook – I love this restaurant! Even if you’ve never been or you don’t live in California, you’ll love this cookbook. The recipes are fresh, healthy, and mouthwatering. My favorites are their Broccoli Mash, Mustard Chicken, Pasta Salad, and Red Beet Quinoa.
   • You can also try cooking for your dog(s) for fun and to make sure they’re getting all their nutrients! Check out our recipes – we have tons!
8. Self-care: take a bubble bath, a steam shower, or do a face mask!
9. FaceTime/Call friends and family: FaceTime is a great way to interact with people. If you catch yourself feeling lonely then this is an easy fix! I’ve been doing lots of group FaceTime nights with my friends. It’s a great way for the group to still get together.

If you have any additional tips or favorite shows, books, podcasts, etc. leave a comment! I’d love try them!