These have been a weird few months and no matter where in the world you are, chances are your life has been turned upside down at least to some extent. It’s caused a lot of extra stress with airports closed, travel plans thrown out the window, many jobs lost, and economies struggling. Many of us have had to social isolate ourselves in order to slow down the spread, which has impacted our social lives and how much we’ve been able to see our loved ones. It’s been a hard time with many of our favourite things to do either shut down or unavailable to many of us, and for that reason I wanted to share a post on some fun ways to unwind during the pandemic.

1. Video Calls
How lucky are we to be experiencing this pandemic with so much technology at our finger tips? While I’ve personally struggled with the social isolation, I can’t imagine how much worse it would be without smartphones. Being able to video call with my friends and family has literally been a life saver. On the weekends, my friends and I have made video chat parties – basically setting up a call in Zoom and playing games, hanging out, and catching up like we would in person. I’ve also made a real effort to take the time to call older family members who might be struggling even more with the isolation, catching up with them even more often than I usually would.

2. Online Games
The great thing about the Internet is there are so many options available to you at any time, you’re sure to find a game that you love! You can even bet on yourself playing games in order to earn a little extra cash, which I’m sure would be well appreciated right now. Is there anything better than playing a game and making money? I’m not sure! If you’re struggling with the social isolation, you might want to look into games you can play with your friends online, while it isn’t the same as hanging out, the added social aspect can ensure you fill up a little bit of your “social cup.”

3. Get Hooked on Netflix Series
I really enjoy sitting down and watching a good tv show, but honestly my “normal life” is so busy that I barely get a chance. The pandemic has forced me to slow down a bit, which has meant I’ve been able to catch up on all my favourite TV shows. There are so many good TV shows available on Netflix, which is perfect because you can binge on them and get engrossed in another world – the perfect escape right now.

Thankfully technology has made the pandemic more bearable than ever and I hope these tips help you find ways to unwind in the coming weeks.