Staying Sane with Activities at Home During Social Isolation

Macy Vulgamore • Apr 06, 2020

Written by Macy Layne , Client Relations & Marketing Specialist. Many links provided by Erin Vera. Sources linked. 

As more people make the transition to social isolation and we work to “flatten the curve,” it becomes more challenging to stay busy at home and avoid creeping into a deep state of boredom. At Buttonwood, we strive to be a valuable resource to our clients and our community. We offer our financial expertise, our business strategy assistance, and even our creative ideas to stay active while staying at home!

Below, we’ve listed a few activities and links to help you and your family stay sane while staying safe.

  1. Explore a museum through a virtual tour
    1. Have you always wanted to travel internationally to explore some of the world’s most intriguing museums? With the travel ban in effect until further notice, you can’t hop on a plane, but you can tour museums from the comfort of your couch! Bring the kids in as well for and educational opportunity they are sure to enjoy.
    2. Click to explore
  2. Rent a movie that is still in theaters and watch from the comfort of your own couch
    1. Many of us enjoy going to the movie theater, ordering our overpriced popcorn and movie snacks while navigating through a dark room to find our seats. Now, you can avoid the risk of falling down a flight of stairs in a dark theater (yes, this has happened to me) and watch the latest movie releases at home! Movies such as: ‘Invisible Man’, ‘Emma’, ‘The Hunt’ and ‘Trolls World Tour’ are available On-Demand!
    2. Click for details
  3. Take a virtual tour of our nation’s national parks
    1. Thanks to modern technology and Google Earth, you and your family can “walk” through beautiful scenes in our National Parks with FREE admission! Regardless of the weather, you can easily navigate through these natural wonders as if you were there!
    2. Click to explore
  4. Search through Kansas City’s jazz artifacts at the American Jazz Museum (Virtually)
    1. Most Kansas City locals know of the indelible impression the city and its musicians have had on jazz internationally. However, you may not know exactly how important this influence is! For our friends locally, nationally and internationally, take a tour of the American Jazz Museum to learn more about the greats who have come from Kansas City and changed jazz, forever.
    2. Click to explore
  5. Stream the Metropolitan Opera and get some culture
    1. Enjoy the vocal range of talented opera performers while streaming for free!
    2. Click for details
  6. Expand your knowledge with an online class (or two!)
    1. Have you been thinking about getting a new certification for your job? Maybe you’re interested in learning more about Philosophy, Logic or even Physics. Regardless, it’s incredibly rewarding to learn something new! Plus, it never hurts to add a new certification to your list of qualifications!
    2. Link to free courses: Harvard, Yale, Kahn Academy
    3. The Science of Well Being – Yale University
    4. Harvard Online Classes
    5. Khan Academy
  7. Get outside and enjoy spring weather
    1. Go out but be sure to keep your distance from neighbors or others who are outside and taking advantage of the sunshine as well. This is a great chance to take a leisurely (or fast-paced) walk with your pets and/or family!
  8. Learn about astronomy
    1. Our vast universe has endless discoveries waiting to be uncovered! While a trip to outer space may not be in your future, take this time at home to learn more about cosmic rays, cosmic inflation or the sun. Check out some of the links provided below to grow your knowledge of astronomy.
      1. Astronomy.com: Astronomy 101
      2. Teach Astronomy: Astropedia Textbook
      3. COSMOS: The SAO Encyclopedia of Astronomy
  1. Read up on our world’s various religions
    1. Now could be a great time to further your understanding of religions around the world. Did you know Buddhists don’t worship a God or gods? New Age Spirituality promotes the idea that we ourselves are God. What about Islam? Did you know Islam traces back to the Garden of Eden, similar to Christianity and Judaism? There is so much to learn when it comes to the world’s religions. Impress your dinner guests with “fun facts” about religions they may have never heard of at your next dinner party!
    2. Click to explore
  2. Visit a park (but keep your distance from others)
    1. If you live in Kansas City, check out our neighbor park, Penn Valley Park. It’s beautiful scenic views are sure to lift your spirits! Want to explore a park closer to where you live in Kansas City Metro? Check out Kansas City Parks & Recreation’s list of parks! For our friends outside of Kansas City, find a park near you with Park Finder!
  3. Try out that home exercise you’ve been meaning to start
    1. If you’re anything like me, you have purchased your fair share of home workout equipment with full intentions of using it consistently. Life gets in the way and these things tend to fall by the wayside, at least they do for me. Take this opportunity to dust off your equipment and put it to work! Additionally, there are many workout plans that don’t require equipment at all. Stay fit during quarantine and come out of this ready for pool / swimsuit season!
    2. Click for details
  4. Start coloring
    1. While coloring may seem like a child’s activity, it can be quite therapeutic for adults too! There are hundreds of adult coloring books to choose from and can be delivered right to your doorstep. Don’t forget the colored pencils and a pencil sharpener! The intricate designs are sure to keep you occupied for hours, and even days!
  5. Support a local restaurant and place a delivery or curbside order
    1. Local restaurants need our support now more than ever. Curbside KC has an extensive list of open restaurants who are providing curbside and delivery. Whether you are looking for tonight’s dinner or are needing to replenish your bar, this list has it all!
    2. For our friends living outside of Kansas City, make a list of some of your favorite restaurants and bars. Do a little online research or pick up the phone and call to make sure they are open. While delivery is an option at many restaurants, curbside orders are a great excuse to get out of the house!
  6. Take a nice drive with the windows down
    1. Sometimes we just need to get out of the house. Take this opportunity to go for a nice drive through the country and let the wind blow through your hair! Pack a few car snacks to enjoy along the way.
  7. Teach yourself a new language
    1. Tools, such as Rosetta Stone, are available to help you take the leap to learning a foreign language! Impress your friends and colleagues when you return to normal life by breaking out your new linguistic skills. (Don’t worry if it isn’t perfect, they won’t know!)
  8. Create a playlist of your all-time favorite songs
    1. Reminisce on better days by enjoying songs from your past! Whether they are songs from your childhood, college years, wedding day or even just a great summer, music can be very healing. According to Ashford University , “One of the first things that happens when music enters our brains is the triggering of pleasure centers that release dopamine, a neurotransmitter that makes you feel happy.”
  9. Build your 2020 vision board
    1. 2020 has been a bit of a wash so far… It can’t last forever, right? Gather up a pair of scissors along with a stack of magazines, newspapers and other print media and start cutting! Pick your favorite images, quotes, words, etc and glue them to a piece of cardboard. Keep your 2020 goals in mind as you choose your favorites. Before long, you will have a masterpiece filled with goals and aspirations to make 2020 a better year!
  10. Learn about some of the latest technology
    1. There are some cool new tech products out there just waiting to be tested! If you are anything like Buttonwood President, Jon McGraw, you will absolutely “geek out” on some of these fun new toys.
    2. These technology innovations will amaze you!
    3. Explore Tech Zone
    4. Check out a few cool gadgets in 2020
  11. Take up knitting or crocheting
    1. If you don’t have yarn and the necessary tools to knit at home, they are only a few clicks away from being delivered right to you! Once you have your supplies, join a group of knitters! Buttonwood Receptionist, Joan, enjoys knitting with her pals via video conferencing!
    2. Find an online knitting community
  12. Make a list of the things you are grateful for
    1. Finding things to be grateful for during a pandemic might sound challenging, but it’s actually the best time to do it! We must keep a positive outlook and making this list can help do just that. I’ll go first! I am grateful for my family and our health most of all. I am grateful for a roof over my head and a place to lay my head at night. I am grateful for a home-office which allows me to work remotely and write fun articles like this one! Your turn! What are you grateful for? I would love to hear from you! Send me your list at Macy@ButtonwoodFG.com

It’s important to remind ourselves, we will get through this. As a fairly innovative species, we find a way through challenges and we will come out the other side of this one too. At Buttonwood, we are here for you. Whether you are searching for positive affirmation that we will bounce back, or needing an investment update and how our strategies are working for you, or just need a familiar voice to chat with, we are here, and we’re not going anywhere. Contact us today with any questions.

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