Staying indoors during the current lockdown may be cozy. Well, at least for the first few of days. You can sleep and binge watch TV. You can also enjoy a sumptuous meal with your family members.
However, the excitement would eventually wear off. “I’d find myself walking back and forth between the kitchen and the living room, and things start getting tense. Like the walls are closing in on me,” said 24-year old Harsh.
Journaling
Feeling a need to pour out your heart? Jot them down! Whether it be a tale or daily update, it allows one to put their thoughts and ideas on paper.
“I enjoy blogging. When I start writing, my thoughts and feelings flow naturally. Writing works as a tool to convey my inner voice,” said a book enthusiast.
Reading
New bits of information may just be beneficial to you like getting you out of the stressful life, enhancing your 
knowledge as well as improving your memory.
“Adulthood is mentally exhausting with increasing responsibilities and countless other matters you have to deal with. Besides movies, books are a good pastime. Reading relaxes my mind. It’s like living in another realm,” Alvina Sena, 21, enthused.
Playing games
It is time to take a break from the never-ending workload assigned to you. The habit of putting too much concentration will likely affect one’s wellbeing.
According to creative writer Deena, it is important to spend time with family. “We’re always caught up with our busy lives. It’s good to take some time off from the stressful outside world,” she said. “We’d usually bond over fun board games.”
“Staying home can be fun too and I believe there are various ways to interact with your closed ones. As for me, I’d play online games with my friends and siblings,” Sheak Li muttered.
Painting/sketching
“Sometimes when I’m feeling low, I’ll draw or paint something. It gets things off my chest,” Kourtney Goh, a third-year advertising student expressed. “I do art because because I get inspired when I see my ideas on paper,” she added.
According to art student Yoon, painting is calming. Repeated actions that seem familiar and let your mind wander. “It minimises the day to day stress, especially after you’re done with your artwork, the results are truly your painted emotions,” she described.
Puzzle – solving
If you have ample free time, try not to waste it. Instead put it to good use like solving a puzzle. It will ease your mind.
“It feels good completing a puzzle. It reinforces connection between one’s mind and body, it sharpens your mind as it improves attention to detail and at the same time relieves stress,” said Harsh.
Exercising/yoga
Just like reading a book and listening to music can soothe tension and stress, exercise plays a role in relieving stress.
If going to the gym is too physically taxing, try indoor exercises and yoga. They keep the mind active and the heart pumping.
When asked the the types of indoor exercises fitness enthusiast, Shantana performs. She said the usual ones are jumping jacks, sit-ups, burpees, mountain climbers and planks.
“You don’t need fancy workout gears. Good music and an exercise mat will do. You can refer to tutorial videos as a guide,” she explained.
Baking/cooking
Having a sweet tooth?
Try your hand at baking to beat boredom. Pamper yourself with some baked confectioneries. There are many options on the Internet. “I bake and cook with my family members. We’d discover new
recipes and improvise them according to our liking. As much as I enjoy cooking, I’d love to try my creativity in baking because one, it’s healthier and two, it’s free,” Alicia asserted.
Spring cleaning
Believe it or not, when it comes to house chores, your kids would make every effort to escape. It is almost impossible to lure them into the tasks.
According to housewife Noor it is difficult to get her children to help out, “They’d give all sort of excuses,” she remarked.
Yet, 21-year-old fashion design student thinks otherwise. “What people don’t notice is that performing household chores like cleaning your room, washing dishes, sweeping and vacuuming is also a form of exercise besides jogging and lifting weights.”
Learning a new language
Sometimes it gets antsy to constantly read the subtitles of your favourite Korean drama. But taking language classes can be a bit steep too.
However, with language apps like Duolingo, anyone can easily pick up new languages anytime, anywhere.
“Just about a year ago, I came across Duolingo. I’ve always wanted to learn Spanish and Japanese but I never had the opportunity because of my busy schedule,” said a 23-year-old Ipohite.
You may also try out other indoor activities such as dancing or singing, watching a sports game, redecorating your room and gardening.
Tempting huh?
Gisele Soo
