Digital Resources for Self-Isolation
So, we’ve been thoroughly thrust into unusual times. New developments are happening daily, and for many, more time than ever before is being spent within the confines of home.
As a person who spends most of her time in digital pastimes, I thought I’d put out some ideas to help keep cabin fever at bay and make this time pass a little easier.
Everyone knows the usual options of online shopping and social media (though maybe give that a bit of a break for your own peace of mind) for digital entertainment and virtual feelings of connectivity. I’m here to give some more ideas of activities to not only occupy your time, but help you to hopefully come out of this having not lost time, but gained a little something.
Ditch social media and be more social
Like I said above, mindlessly scrolling through social media is good for no one’s mental health. People go on social media to vent their frustrations; things get blown out of proportion and it all ends up feeling incredibly overwhelming.
So instead, I propose limiting social media scrolling and instead seeking out more meaningful social interactions.
Here are some great options:
Virtual coffee dates – set a time with a friend (or a few), brew yourself your favourite hot beverage and get on a video call. The options for video calling are plentiful these days, from WhatsApp calling on your phone, to Skype (phone or PC), to Zoom calls if you want to involve multiple people.
Email “letters” – remember when emails were first a thing and people would actually write social emails to each other? The thrill of getting an email letter is pretty much as strong as getting post….it might be time to get yourself a digital pen pal.
Virtual Postcards – this one’s for those looking to get a little creative. Download an app like Canva, that makes it easy to edit and create your own images, and make your own “postcards” to email or WhatsApp to people. It’s a nice way of keeping things a bit light, you can have fun with it and let’s face it, you do wish they were here!
Entertain your brain
Whether you live alone, or have a few people in your house, it’s never been more important to know how to entertain yourself solo. Added to that is the fact that unless you’ve stocked up on books, games or craft supplies, your best source of never-ending entertainment needs to be a digital one.
Play – while AR gaming apps like Pokemon and Wizards Unite might take a bit of a backseat at the moment, it’s worth looking through the app store on your phone for “game” apps. There’s something for everyone, from logic puzzles, to crafty colouring in apps, to strategy and action-packed games. Download a few, make a folder of them on your phone and enjoy.
Read – counteract the stress and adrenaline spikes of social media posts with actively seeking out more long form reading that you can get really stuck into. Not only is it good for you to increase your knowledge, but reading longer articles and books has a calming effect. Check out Medium, or if you pay for Amazon Prime, then look through the vast library of ebooks available to you on Prime Reading. Depending on where you live, your library will probably also have an online ebook lending facility.
Learn – You may have discovered that your current career doesn’t work from home, or you just have more time on your hands to upskill. Whatever the reason, now is the perfect time to enrol in some online courses. I’ve even seen some great people offering their online courses for free in response to the current situation. Look around and increase your skills.
I hope these ideas help people to feel less isolated, despite being at home a lot more. If you have any ideas to add, feel free to email me on info@samantics.org and I'll mention them on Samantics Instagram Stories.