10 Challenges to Do Whilst in Isolation

We certainly find ourselves in interesting times. With most of the planet under lockdown due to coronavirus, we are all spending most (if not all) of our time indoors. This can be a challenge in itself and lots of us our climbing the walls. This post is here to give you some isolation inspiration (apologies about the cheesy pun). Hopefully some of the ideas here will keep you entertained during lockdown.

I’ve compiled a list of challenges that you can complete in the safety of your home that will help to stimulate your body and mind and encourage you to step outside your comfort zone without actually stepping outside. All of these challenges can be completed indoors but I have included a garden alternative for those of you who have private outdoor space. So… Are you ready?

1. Read

Read a book that you bought in the past but didn’t get around to actually reading. We all have them on our shelves (you know the ones). They look a bit sad and in need of a read! Flick through your bookshelf and commit to actually reading one of these books. This is free and takes up plenty of time. Perfect!

2. Connect with 5 friends who you haven’t spoken to in a while

This is a great challenge and more important than ever. Checking in with friends is incredibly important and great for our mental health. It’s never been easier to stay connected and there’s tons of fun things that you can digitally do together. Skype, FaceTime and Zoom are great for video calls, virtual quizzes and generally catching up. You have options.

3. Complete a 10k run in your living room (or garden/balcony/outdoor space)

This might sound crazy but will actually be a really funny challenge. You’ll have to deal with the boredom of running the distance indoors, work out the logistics of how many laps of your living room you will need to do, and then actually deal with the physicality of the challenge. This could be the weirdest run you ever complete. I have a stupid one of these planned, so watch this space.

4. Take a cold shower

This is one of my all-time favourite challenges and I always recommend it to people in search of a mental challenge. It’s quick to perform but requires determination to complete. Make sure that you spend several minutes in the cold water and be sure to wash your hair! This way you’ll have to brave the cold for longer! This is great for building mental strength and testing out your mindset in the face of adversity.

5. Cook something new

What better time than now to reconnect with your cooking skills? Spending time in the kitchen creating weird and wonderful dishes can be a lot of fun. I normally hate cooking and my main complaint about it is how time consuming it is. Now that I am literally forced to cook more than ever before, it seems fitting to turn this into a nice challenge and to start getting creative. What’ll be on the menu today… Will it be beans on toast, or pickled eggs directly from the jar? Hmmmmmm.

6. Meditate

Spend some time learning to meditate. This will be a great use of your time and something that you can continue to do after we all return to normal life. Learning to still our anxious minds and settle all of the thoughts in our heads is an important skill. As we are bombarded with negativity from the media, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. Meditating and taking time to stop is a great way to manage all of this information overload. There are loads of free guided meditation courses and apps online, so you have no excuses!

7. Online workouts

There are so many online workouts taking place right now, you are literally spoilt for choice. With Joe Wicks running a P.E. class for the whole of the UK at 9am every day, to fitness specialists uploading physical challenges and group sessions, you don’t have to search far for a workout that you can do in your living room. Get creative and try something new!

8. Start a new hobby

With extra time on your hands, this is the perfect opportunity to test out a new hobby. Maybe you’ll commit to learning Spanish or figuring out how to play “Mary Had A Little Lamb” on the recorder with your nose. The options are endless. With loads of apps offering free trials and free online content, you literally have the resources at your finger tips. Couple this with more time in the evenings and you have no real excuses. Write that book! Start that business! Learn to code! Learn Mandarin! Learn sign language! Paint a picture! Think of this as the perfect opportunity for hobbies to grow. Who knows where you’ll end up after a few weeks.

9. 24 hours without technology

This challenge will be harder than ever as we look to our phones, TVs and computers for constant entertainment during lockdown. Taking a step back and actually assigning 24 hours without this technology can be a nice retreat from these screens. It will also highlight our dependence on this technology and hopefully highlight how negative and addictive habits can creep into out lives. Constantly checking social media and the news is not great for our mental health. Stepping away from this world can help us to get some perspective.

10. Go camping

I know what you’re thinking… But hear me out… We can still have an adventure even if we are stuck inside. Remember when you were a kid and you made a fort/den inside? Well, why don’t you do that? Try to sleep somewhere different and have an interesting night’s sleep. You could pitch your tent in your living room, or if you have a garden, why not there? Doing something novel like this can be a lot of fun and although a little stupid, you will probably never forget the time you camped indoors!

So there you have it… 10 challenges that you could try in order to stay entertained throughout lockdown. There is a mix of physical and mental activities and a few weird ones thrown in the mix for good measure. I plan on doing all of these over the next few weeks and will be sharing my experiences with you on social media.

Let me know how you get on with these challenges and what other activities you plan on doing. We’re all in this together so we might as well make the most out of it and create some fun memories along the way.

Stay safe and good luck!