7 things to do for your wellness when you’re stuck at home

Looking for some ways to shake off the cabin fever that don’t include takeaway, a bottle of wine or Netflix?

Try these seven at-home ideas that will keep you busy and maybe even help you feel a little happier while you’re stuck at home bored.

1. Do a seven days of kindness challenge

According to a recent study, performing acts of kindness for seven days may help boost happiness and well-being. So, if you find yourself twiddling your unenthusiastic thumbs, maybe get kind-ing! Some ways you can spread joy in your neighbourhood are:

• put up some Christmas lights
• decorate some rocks and leave them on popular walking trails
• send letters or cards to your neighbours and friends
• leave kind messages on the footpath in chalk

Performing acts of kindness for seven days may help boost happiness and well-being.

2. Declutter your home 

Decluttering and organising are big right now! It’s hard to flick through social media without being inundated with perfectly organised pantries and colour coordinated bookshelves.

Interestingly, organising and tidying have been found to offer wellness and health benefits. One particularly unsurprising study found that mothers who are in tidy homes test lower for levels of stress hormones. 

If you’re not sure how to declutter a house, you’re not alone. Try starting small and focusing on one space at a time. The table that’s always covered in junk, your underwear drawer or the kitchen bench.

Whatever you choose, take some before and after photos so you can celebrate your achievements. Especially if you’re a stuck-at-home-mum and it’s unlikely things will stay decluttered for long. 

3. Set a fitness goal 

Whether you just want to do one Yoga pose daily or you have marathon aspirations, setting a clear goal is always a great idea.

Just remember to phrase your goal in a measurable way. So instead of ‘get fitter’, aim to be able to jog without stopping for 1km or do 20 push-ups.  

Organising and tidying have been found to offer wellness and health benefits.

4. Play self-care bingo 

It can be easy to fall into a bit of a rut when you’re stuck at home. And when you’re in a rut, it’s not always an easy thing to shake off.

It’s a cliche, but there’s nothing like a little self-care to get the eyes sparkling. Why not treat yourself with a self-care Sunday, Tuesday or Friday.

Or play a game of self-care bingo. Bubble baths, great! Face masks, fantastic. Finishing something on your to-do list, boring but uplifting. 

5. Create a family routine chart 

When there’s no structure to your day, it can sometimes feel a little bleak. So, if you find yourself with no clear goals for a period of time – create a routine chart.

Don’t forget to schedule time for aspirational activities like exercise and getting the kids in nature as well as the daily necessities of life. We suggest taking inspiration from schools and making sure to include regular fruit and play breaks. 

6. Assess your work from home set-up

There’s a chance your productivity (and levels of satisfaction) may be affected by some of your work-from-home practices. Is your desk tidy? Are you taking regular breaks to eat and get outside?

The guide on how to stay productive at home may help you create a more productive and wellness-inducing environment for you and your family. 

7. Find out your family’s love languages 

Have you ever heard of love languages? It’s a concept that suggests people all communicate love in different ways.

If you find yourself bored and looking for something to do, have you family complete the what is my love language quiz. It may have more benefits than just filling 30 minutes of your day.  

Related:

• How much screen time should kids have?
• Not sure what to wear to Yoga?
• Why does decluttering feel so good?

Reviewed by the healthylife Advisory Board August 2021.