HOW TO AVOID GOING MAD IN QUARANTINE

Well hello there everyone (hi Dave). It's definitely been a while and seeing as I have nothing but time on my hands I thought I'd drop in and see how my little old blog is doing. Speaking of my little old blog, I've just surpassed 100,000 views. Holy fucksticks! Thanks everyone!
I'll admit that I'm going a little stir-crazy during this quarantine but so far I have managed to keep myself occupied. And as I'm "oh so thoughtful", I thought I'd let you know what it is that I'm doing so that you too can remain sane!
At the moment, I'm staying with my parents in the countryside (tip 1: be in the countryside!) which is great because I still get to go for nice country walks and I get to spend time with loved ones (sorry I'm not in London Dave). I'll probably be here for at least another week to ensure I have no Covid-19 symptoms before driving back to my flat in London (see you soon Dave!).
One thing to note is that I am furloughed. I'm sure a lot of you know what this is by now, but if you don't, my work has ultimately "laid me off" as there is not enough work. This means that I do not work for the duration of the crisis but still receive full pay (in this situation, I'm lucky. A lot of people are only receiving 80% of their salary if they are furloughed). The furlough period will be reviewed again at the end of May to see how the crisis is progressing.
Now, on to the "tips" if you can call them that.

1. Write a book. I'm definitely using this time to work on a book that I've had in the works for god knows how long. I'm currently half way through chapter 2 and I'm enjoying the creative outlet it provides. I guess it's similar to blogging, but at the moment no one can read my book except for me. It's also an excellent time killer!

2. Dogs. I know that not everyone owns a dog or a pet, but if you are fortunate enough to own one, take full advantage! Teach them new tricks, take them for walks (only 1 a day though - you know the rules!). Just spend some quality time with your pets. I set up an obstacle course for my dog the other day - it was a complete waste of time but it brought me back to my childhood and killed an hour as well!

3. Stardew Valley. If you don't know what Stardew Valley is, it's a game which is similar to Animal Crossing and Harvest Moon (or so I'm told - I've never played Animal Crossing or Harvest Moon!). It's a super chilled game where you inherit a farm from you grandfather in a town called Stardew Valley. I love supporting this game because it was created by ONE guy (Eric Barone/ConcernedApe) over 4 years. Once you start this game the hours will literally melt away.

4. Tiger King. I know most of the world has watched this by now, but if you haven't....it's on Netflix. That's all I'll say.

5. Sailing. Again, this won't be for everyone...or most people I imagine. But if you have the opportunity to go sailing (with the people you live with) then take it. My dad, brother and I own dinghies close to where my parents live by a small lake which is completely deserted at the moment. This is a great form of exercise and a fun way to spend time with your fellow quarantine-ies which is outside of your house and isn't your typical walk/run/cycle.

6. DIY. This is the perfect time to dust off your drill/paintbrushes/saw and get to work fixing anything around your house that needs your attention. Make a list of things that need to be done and start working your way through it. Personally, I'll be working my way around the garden (weather dependent) armed with a sander and a tin of varnish. My garden won't know what's hit it.

7. Jigsaws. Talk about a waste of time eh? But that's the point of this list. Find a comfortable position and plop yourself in front of a nice 3000 piece jigsaw. You'll soon forget you're in quarantine...or anything else.

8. Baking/Cooking. This one must be taken with a pinch of salt (eh...geddit?!). We have all experienced the munchies during this crisis and I know that we are all guilty of eating our entire rations of snacks in one sitting. So proceed with caution with this one.
I joke. But seriously, this is a great time to start experimenting in the kitchen. To all you twats that panic bought and now have too much perishable food in your fridge - try making something which you can put in the freezer until a later date rather than throwing it away. Just a thought.

9. Sweat App/Fitness in general. I'm taking this time to try and get my fitness in check. I've downloaded a fitness app called SWEAT which was started by an Australian woman called Kayla Itsines. A lot of you will already be familiar with her as she shot to fame with her popular BBG fitness guides. And as it's a hefty £89.99 for a years prescription, it's certainly motivation to use it!

10. Houseparty App. I know one of these popular video apps has been portrayed negatively in the news recently (and I'll be honest and admit that I don't know which app it is), but this app has been a life saver in terms of keeping in touch with friends and family. My only advice is to turn off the notifications otherwise you'll go mad (which is exactly what this list is trying to stop!)

Extras: You can also use this time to try something new like learn an instrument, a new language, or do that online course you've been putting off forever. You can even Marie Kondo the fuck out of your house. If it doesn't spark joy - TOSS!

Other than that, stay home, stay safe, and try not to kill anyone!

P.S. Dave is my flatmate who religiously reads my blog posts!