Hello you lovely lot! With restrictions both far and wide, we have all found ourselves with a little more time on our hands. It can be a little tricky to keep busy and keep a routine up, but it is so important for your health that you try.
Following routines and adopting good habits helps people to feel more stable and secure. It is easier to cope with situations, like a global pandemic for example, if everything else in your day is known and familiar to you.
We've put together a few recommendations of different activities you can do at home, to keep your body and brain occupied while we wait for normality to return.
Podcasts to Listen To
Podcasts are very popular these days and we can see why. Listening to a podcast is the perfect way to learn and be entertained without having to concentrate on written words. Brilliant for good listeners and people who like to crochet.
> Table Manners with Jessie Ware
If you like food and conversation, this is the podcast you need in your life. Singer/songwriter Jessie Ware and her mam Lennie, who is an actual gem, invites people like Aisling Bea, Charlotte Tilbury, Liam Payne and Mark Ronson into their home to cook for them and chew the proverbial fat about life. Great, lighthearted stuff.
Available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify
> Desert Island Discs
Eight tracks, one book and one luxury, that's all you have to take on a desert island. The lovely Lauren Laverne hosts this podcast, which features a huge variety of people from famous actors to journalists to hairdressers to poets. There is something interesting for everyone to listen to.
Available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify
> Bobo & Flex
Bobo and Flex are two women who absolutely smash facilitating the conversation when it comes to critical thinking, intersectional feminism and avoiding problematic relationships. Definitely one for anyone wanting to explore modern concepts and ideas around relationships, sex and how woke you really are. Prepare for some choice language.
Available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify
Instagram Accounts to Follow
It's a good idea to try and limit your time on social media where possible, as it can get pretty overwhelming in times like these. That isn't too say you shouldn't use it, just make sure you are following accounts that help your mental health rather than hinder.
Possibly one of the best Instagram accounts you will ever lay your eyes on, and she happens to live down the road! Rosie Ramsay is hilarious, real and loves a wine. A woman we could be friends with.
This account features messages written on whiteboards around the country. Filled with quotes, poetry, positive thoughts and uplifting ideas, this is the perfect way to scroll a little time away.
> @iweigh
This insta advocates for radical inclusivity and does so with style. We love the conversations it encourages and if you are looking to expand your horizons or you wanna find your forward-thinking online tribe, they are definitely in the comments.
If you feel like your creative juices are a little dry or you want to look at something extremely cool, the instagram of Boy Dom and Girl Dom is the one you need to follow. Giving us a glimpse into their daily lives but doing it with creative flair and skill, every post they publish is something to be excited about.
Netflix to Watch
Where would we be without it? It is there for us in the good times and the bad times and we couldn't be more grateful. Here are some gems to binge while you do the right thing and stay at home.
I can't be the only one who thinks Louis Theroux is a national treasure? His unshakeable demeanour and ability to get himself into the strangest situations makes for very interesting and entertaining viewing.
When this started it, it was five gay men travelling around the US, giving life makeovers. Now it is absolutely a culture. Watching the guys change people's lives and give them confidence and a renewed feeling of self-worth will leave you cathartically sobbing all over the place.
This was a brilliant binge watch and Gillian Anderson (X-Files) is my new unofficial Queen. With a very talented cast, this programme is the sweet relief we all need right now. Unless you get embarrassed easily...
Delicious Recipes to Make Brownies
No Netflix session is complete without snacks so spend a little time making some delicious brownies, the more gooey the better! BBC Good Food have a great recipe right here.
And here is a vegan version for our plant-based buddies!
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We hope this list helps, even if it is just to inspire you to find other books or recipes to try, or to do something completely different. If you have any other recommendations or ideas, please pop them in the comments!