15 Lockdown Things For When You’re Not Up To Much

Bored in lockdown?

We all seem to slowly be getting used to lockdown, being at home and finding things to past the time. But, maybe you’ve hit a wall and the thought of baking another banana bread just doesn’t appeal anymore. Maybe your motivation is flagging, maybe, as happens to everyone from time to time, you just don’t really feel like doing anything.

And yet, you want to do something.

Here are fifteen things you can do that don’t necessarily require a hole host of brain power energy or wearing a bra – which is a pretty solid criteria for getting me to do anything, to be honest.

1. Perhaps you’ve been told to read a lot in lockdown, a hobby I will always advocate but maybe you don’t actually feel like reading. This, by the way, is okay. Audiobooks are a nice alternative to still get lost in a world, but maybe you can also lie down and close your eyes at the same time. Or, listen to audio books of classic novels, the language of which or pronunciation of names (looking at you, Tolstoy) can be a little intense. There are lots of places to listen to audiobooks, including Spotify.
2. Comedy, music, feminism, crime, politics, lifestyle, film and everything else besides and in-between. Learn something new or just listen to good ol’ natter if you’re missing hearing all the gossip from your gran. Tune in and turn off at the same time.
3. Go through your wardrobe. We’re on lockdown so of course the weather is lovely. Spring here’s, summer will be along shortly, so use the time to go through your wardrobe or drawers and give your clothes a bit of spruce.
4. Go through old pictures. This is one my favourite pastimes. Family photo albums, holiday pictures on your computer, or just scrolling back along your phone, dive down memory lane and enjoy the nostalgia. Baby pictures are best, mind. Funnier.
5. Make an album. As above – not a music album, mind A physical one or a digital one, pull out those pictures you’ve gone through and make an album for your mum or your sister, or just for you.
6. Play with makeup. You’re not going anywhere, but you will do one day. Play around with that eyeshadow you’ve not been brave enough to go for, experiment with lipstick colours or techniques. Do your makeup the way you did when you were a kid, nicking your mums lipstick from her bag. Put it on, smear it off. Have fun.
7. Listen to music/Make some new playlists. Listen to your favourite songs that boost you up, listen to sad songs and have a cry or try out new genres that you’ve never gone for before. Sit back and just listen to it. Throw what you like into a playlist and come up with playlist for anything, however random or specific.
8. Look at houses for sale. This might seem a bit weird, but it’s actually one of my favourite things to do. Look at real estate websites for houses you might want to live in one day, imagine doing them up or where you’d put your sofa. Even more fun, look at ridiculous mansions and castles (yes, castles) that you might not ever live in but its jolly fun pretending you could. It kills more time then you might think, especially if you fall down a rabbit hole of nice country cottages in Wiltshire.
9. Organise your computer files. If you are a meticulous filer then skip along. But if you just save and download things wherever, take a few hours to organise your files. Delete what you don’t need, make files within a file and at least give yourself the feeling and appearance of being someone with life in order.
10. Plan a day out. A realistic day with your friends, a weekend getaway when all this is over. Or, a far-fetched plan to visit the Northern Lights or travel round Russia. Explore, research and plan to your hearts content. You can do this lying on your bed, don’t forget.
11. Reorganise your books. If you’ve been expanding your literary horizons of late and now have some new books dotted about, find them a real good home. Re-shelve, re organise and play out. Alphabetically, by colour, by genre, by how much it made you question your existence or cry, or haphazardly, in a way that makes other people feel weird. Your books, your choice.
12. A list of people you want to see, places you want to go, things you want to get. Bucket lists, life lists, book lists, things-I-like-the-thought-of-but-wont-actually-do lists. Coloured pens, highlighters, notebooks, post-it notes, whatever and, however. Make some lists for during, or after lockdown..
13. Make a mood/vision board. Grab some scissors, grab some magazines and go hog wild. Interior design, holiday, architecture, aesthetic, whatever you please. Gluing and sticking is always fun, I don’t care how old you are.
14. Start an Instagram for your pet. Everyone likes pictures of animals. Everyone. Take it seriously, with staged shots and witty captions, or just a glorious tribute of blurry close ups and laughter-filled videos of your dog, cat, lizard, whoever they are.
15. Stream some natural wonders. Over on Explore, you can live stream videos from around the world, including the Northern Lights, tropical reefs, African wildlife and, wonderfully, pandas.

“I have a peculiar capacity for doing nothing and yet enjoying myself.” – Elizabeth von Arnim