10 Ways To Chill Out And Take Care Of You During The Coronavirus Situation
photo: Lush Cosmetics/Instagram/zenkite

Thanks to the novel coronavirus, many of us are stuck in the house for the next few weeks. Social isolation is a hugely important tool in containing the virus spread, but it is, well, isolating. Here are some activities you can do during these strange quarantine times — everything is free, and some only require an internet connection. Stay safe, stay healthy, and stay occupied.

Try the New York Times crossword puzzle.

Crossword puzzles are soothing and energizing. It feels great to stretch those brain cells and accomplish a concrete goal — in this case, solving the puzzle. As a crossword puzzle enthusiast, I'd like to remind you not to stress out trying to get every single answer. The journey is more important than the destination! And while there are lots of free crossword puzzles all over the internet, I'm partial to the daily New York Times puzzles.

Clean your home.

As someone who works remotely and is also antisocial, I can tell you that being stuck at home is no fun when your place is a mess. Take this time to do some deep spring cleaning and redecorating — trust me, it will make the quarantine a little more bearable.

Take a fancy bath.

10 Ways To Chill Out And Take Care Of You During The Coronavirus Situation
photo: Lush Cosmetics

If you have a bathtub, enjoy a nice bath with scented candles, soothing music or a podcast on your smart speaker, essential oils, and a bath bomb. You don't even need all these things to enjoy a bath — just soak yourself and let your worries melt away.

Go through Vogue Runway's fashion show archives.

One of my favorite ways to relax is through browsing Vogue Runway. I love going through the fashion show archives of some of my favorite designers, like Alexander McQueen, A.F. Vandevorst, and Eckhaus Latta. It's completely free, and some shows go back through the 1990s.

Play with your makeup.

You may not be able to leave the house, but no one is stopping you from putting on your makeup. Take an afternoon to play and experiment with your fave eye shadow palettes that you never use, and take some fire selfies. Why not!

Peruse the Metropolitan Museum of Art's free digital art and design archives.

Many museums around the country are closed, but you can still get your art fix with the Metropolitan Museum of Art's online archives. The Met has digitized more than 406,000 works of art, crafts, and design from its world-class collection, and it's free for the public. Take a trip from Medieval realism to modern and contemporary works.

Work out with YouTube exercise videos.

I'm not a doctor, but I wouldn't recommend going to the gym during this time. Besides, many of them are closed by state decrees already. Luckily, there's tons of free workout videos available on YouTube, ranging from aerobics, strength training, and cardio to niche activities like yoga and ballet workouts. Throw on your gym gear and get sweating in front of your TV.

Catch up on renowned films with the Criterion Channel's free trial.

If you're looking to watch something a little more cerebral than Bob's Burgers (which, don't get me wrong, I love that show!), stream over 1,000 of the world's most renowned and treasured films on the Criterion Channel. It costs $10.99 per month or $99 annually — but they also offer a 14-day free trial.

I wholeheartedly recommend Häxan, Paris Texas, and The Voice Thief.

Tend to your favorite garments.

OK, hear me out. While you're watching one of the beautiful movies on the Criterion Channel, keep your hands busy by giving your favorite clothes a revamp. Safely iron out wrinkles with a handheld garment steamer (like the Hilife Travel Steamer, $24.99, Amazon) and de-fuzz your knits with a fabric shaver (like the Conair Fabric Defuzzer, $14.86, Amazon). It's satisfying, low-stakes, and easy to do. You'll be amazed at how gorgeous your clothes look!

Start a handwritten journal.

Handwritten journals are not a thing of the past! Journaling is a marathon, not a race, so don't feel obligated to write incredible prose. Even writing a few sentences daily can be hugely rewarding; try to pick the same time of day to journal, and remember, no one needs to read it except you. The only requirement is that you write honestly.