Most of us are going to be indoors for the foreseeable future, and understandably, a lot of us are getting very bored very quickly. Lockdown rules may have relaxed slightly in England, but in Wales, nothing has changed and unless you’re a key worker, the safest thing to do is continue staying inside as much as possible, only go out when you need to do so to stock up on essential supplies, help a vulnerable person, or exercise for up to one hour per day while keeping at least a two-metre distance from everybody else.
The novelty of being able to work at home or stay at home and still get paid while you’re furloughed is quickly wearing off for many, and most of us are craving some kind of return to normality. But while that might not be in sight in the foreseeable future, it’s the only way that we are going to curb the spread of this disease, protect the NHS and keep the most vulnerable people in society safe.
So, it’s no surprise that people across the country are coming up with ways to keep themselves and their families entertained and stay safely in touch with those closest to them as the epidemic continues to spread. Here’s what people in Wales are doing to stay busy and keep themselves occupied while on lockdown.
TV Shows and Movies
There’s only so much daytime TV that you can watch until you get bored of it. If you’re sick of watching the same old programmes day in, day out and are missing out on your nightly dose of Coronation Street or Eastenders, the good news is that you don’t have to sign up to an expensive TV package to get access to a much wider selection. Try TellyTime; widely hailed as the best IPTV in the UK, at under £10 a month. All you need is an Android Box or an Amazon Firestick and you can download the app, sign up on their website and unlock access to hundreds of live channels, including thousands of movies and live sports channels once the teams are back to playing as normal. It costs a fraction of what you’d expect to pay for a TV package, and you can even sign up for a quick six-hour free trial to see whether or not you like it.
Virtual Pub Quizzes
If you’re missing going down to the pub and seeing your mates on a Friday night, don’t worry. While pubs and bars might not be opening for at least another few months, people in Wales have been making do with the next best thing – a nice cold bottle of beer from the fridge and a virtual pub quiz with their friends. All you need to do is download Zoom, Houseparty or another video calling app of your choice and have your pub quiz questions to hand. Houseparty has Trivia questions built into the app that you can use, and you can even make it official with a prize for the winner, or just do it for a bit of fun.
Arts and Crafts
Many people have found that this time in lockdown is giving them an opportunity that they wouldn’t normally have to get their creative juices flowing. Arts and craft supplies are through the roof and it’s easy to see why; sitting down to create something with your own hands can be very therapeutic and before you know it, you’ve passed hours of time without getting bored once. Whether you’re an artist or not, it doesn’t really matter as the main thing is having fun and passing the time. If you’re trying to keep your kids occupied as well, arts and crafts are a great activity for the entire family to enjoy at home.
Online Courses
Everyone’s different during this pandemic and for some people, an unfilled need to be productive is driving them mad. If you are itching to do something with your time and feel like you’re just wasting the day scrolling through social media and watching Netflix shows on repeat, why not try an online course? Sites like Udemy are great options and with the current boom in online learning, you can find many great courses at a discount, which is helpful if you’re living on a reduced income right now due to furlough and don’t have as much disposable income as you’re used to. You can find courses on art, cooking, online marketing, website design, interior design, textiles, cocktail making, and anything else that you might have always been interested in learning how to do but never got around to getting started.
If lockdown rules have started to get to you leaving you bored and at a loss of what to do, you’re not alone. Why not try one of these great ways to pass the time?
