Innovative, useful and fun suggestions of what to do while you are spending time at home...

143 suggestions for what you could be doing......

We have pulled together a very long list of ideas. If you have anything to add, please drop us an email to office@glos.info so we can add to this list.

1. Sign up for the daily what's on email, which has a birthday question and a quiz every day. Start your day by stretching your brain a little.
2. Sort out your pension, will and power of attorney.
3. Declutter your house. Maybe read the decluttering book by Marie Kondo The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying: A simple, effective way to banish clutter forever. More details here. www.glos.info director has read this book and says "It really does help you to declutter your life. There are genuine tips that will help!"
4. Plan a rebrand of your business? With a logo, business cards and flyers designed and printed by www.glos.info at a very cost-effective rate.
5. Set up a What's App group for you and your neighbours, in particular, look out for elderly neighbours or those who live on their own.
6. Watch the Lord of the Rings trilogy - again? Any other film tips, let us know!
7. Join The Handwritten Letter Appreciation Society, whose aim is "to bring together people who love to write and receive handwritten letters and to inspire everyone to keep writing them to each other." More details here.
8. Start growing vegetables such as tomatoes, potatoes and carrots for summer and read up on how to do it. More details here.
9. Ring your family more often and teach those that don't know how to use video messenger, so they can communicate better with others.
10. Practise doing your make up like a drag artist. 
11. Decorate that room that you have been meaning to do for a while.
12. Spend some quality time with your family and play some of those board games that have been collecting dust. Which are your favourite games?
13. Join the "A Year with my Camera" scheme. It is a free, year-long beginner's photography workshop. More details here and the books are available here.
14. Follow Gay's the Word on Facebook to find out about all the new and interesting LGBT+ books and literature. Established in 1979, Gay's The Word is the UK's pioneering first (and is today the last surviving) lesbian and gay bookshop.
15. Start writing a journal - either about life in general or about your current experiences. You could order your book and stationery from Gloucestershire business Spotlight Stationery. 
16. Sign up for Amazon Prime - not least because it means you can watch the latest Star Trek series "Picard." Watch here. But you can also get things delivered to you while you are at home, instead of having to get deliveries to your neighbours or work.
17. Be kind to yourself and have a bubble bath lit by candles.
18. Investigate the best systems for working remotely.
19. Make some jewellery.
20. Go for a walk where there is a minimum of a couple of metres space from each other
21. Get some great cooking ideas and tips from Cook With Josie on her Facebook or Website.
22. Put all your photos into an album and annotate it so that future generations know who everyone is.
23. Get out your old photo albums and reminisce.
24. Learn a new craft. Order supplies online, learn from YouTube.
25. Author Oliver Jeffers is reading one of his books a day at 6pm. "I will be reading one of my books every weekday, and talking about some of the things that went into making it.
    We are all at home, but none of us are alone. Let’s be bored together."
26. Spring clean your filing - both physical and electronic. If you collect a bag of paper to be shredded, you can take it to Printwaste Cheltenham, who will shred it securely for you and give you a certificate.
27. Research new apps that might make your life easier or more fun. 
28. Plan a new website for your business. www.glos.info can help with a website starting from £120+vat.
29. Read the business book you have always been meaning to read. Possibly Eat That Frog!: Get More Of The Important Things Done Today by Brian Tracy or Go It Alone, The Secrets of Self-Employment by local author Geoff Burch.
30. If you are thinking of looking for a new job, bring your CV up to date, while you have time to think about it.
31. Learn to salsa, tango or chachacha darling!
32. Plan a move round in your house or an extension.
33. Learn a new language with Linguamemes.com.
34. Meditate and be more mindful with the Headspace or Calm apps.
35. Swap your utility bills to Look After My Bills, who will move you to the cheapest option every year and save you having to check each time. The www.Glos.info director saved £440 last year by moving to them! More here on Look After My Bills.
36. Batch cook some food, so you can freeze some for later.
37. Get out those exercise bike, rowing machine, free weights and work out "video" you haven't used for a while.
38. Use your Gloucestershire Libraries membership for free audiobooks and magazines.
39. Read some books written by local writer Sue Kelso-Ryan. 
40. Go on a free virtual tour of the National Gallery via their website.
41. Join some of the Facebook groups that are popping up in your area to help people who are social distancing or self-isolating.
42. Sign up to the Digital Theatre website where you can subscribe or rent individual performances of RSC, Royal Opera House, Young Vic, Musicals and more.
43. Have a picnic in your living room - or garden.
44. Keep your doors and windows open to let in fresh air and daylight.
45. Do some baking and maybe make extra for your neighbours? Try Mary Berry's Baking Bible.
46. Order a food delivery box from Gousto.  For 50% off the first box and 30% off the first month, use the code: HEATH38695926. They come with the ingredients you need and recipe cards, making it a great way to learn new methods and recipes.
47. You can learn anything from YouTube. Maybe revisit a musical instrument that you used to play or start learning to dance?
48. Clean out the garage.
49. Learn how to make bread.
50. Try colouring for adults. You can even buy a book called "F*ckity F*ck F*ck F*ck."
51. Unpack those boxes in the loft that have been there since you moved in 2, 8 or 17 years ago.
52. Pop a note through the door of elderly neighbours with your phone number on, so they can contact you if they need help.
53. Get fit by working out at home. There are videos on YouTube that will help.
54. Listen to new podcasts. Or start making one with the help of Cheltenham business Made4U Podcasts.
55. Listen to music - loud!
56. Whilst listening to the music - loud - dance like no one is watching. Great for your endorphins and it will be fun!
57. Watch the Marble Grand Prix on YouTube.
58. Consider creating a passive income stream with zero investment by doing print on demand. It involves creating designs and uploading them on websites such as Redbubble.
59. Play the "intros game." Set your phone to play songs randomly and see who in the room can guess the artist and title first. Allocate points accordingly.
60. Use diffusing oils like eucalyptus, peppermint and rosemary, which are uplifting and antibacterial.
61. Eat as well as you can, sit in the garden if you can in the sun for natural vitamin D, otherwise some good supplements like vitamin D, C and zinc.
62. Take time to sleep well.
63. Visit FestivalsFirst.com to plan what festivals you will visit later in the year and enter competitions to win tickets.
64. Read Pink News to get a better understanding of news and issues affecting LGBT+ people.
65. Make your self energy giving and nutritious smoothies.
66. Dig into all those online courses you bought but never completed!
67. Book a free online Career Clarity Session from The Dream Job Coach, Louise Jenner. 
68. Set up an online book club with your friends.
69. Complete that jigsaw you have been meaning to do?
70. Book onto Introduction to Social Media and Advanced Social Media live virtual workshops with Jonathan Pollinger at Pollinger Social. Or plan some social media training via Skype.
71. Sort and print your digital photos.
72. Plan your life/health/serious illness and income protection insurance.
73. Pair all your odd socks.
74. Learn how to crochet.
75. Do some scrapbooking.
76. Read a book. Or even write a book?
77. Sort some stuff to go to the charity shop.
78. Arrange to meet your neighbours out the front with a cup of tea or glass of prosecco, whilst still keeping a good distance. Plan an informal street party of sorts.
79. Try to keep routines - or enjoy not having them.
80. Work from home and enjoy the changes. Plan to successfully create opportunities remotely for my clients
81. Spend time with your immediate family and loved ones - but recognise when you need space and alone time too.
82. Make some clothes for yourself.
83. Upcycle a piece of furniture.
84. If you are self-employed, maybe, look to maintain your current client relationships and develop new ones, with less emphasis on selling.
85. Write songs and record songs.
86. Video footage your yourself and your family. Have some fun filming and learn how to edit it.
87. Get your kids to join fun French and Spanish sessions for children via an online platform. Singing, games and movement.
88. Learn how to automate boring work by programming with Python.
89. Plan ahead if you are doing supermarket deliveries as dates are booking up fast.
90. Contact Gill Smith from The Business Kitchen who says "We have lots of our material I can share online via webmeets so people can learn more skills and get more ideas. Let me know topics and I'll sort out what is needed."
91. Train your dog or teach him some new tricks.
92. Start planning and making some homemade presents to give next Christmas.
93. Play online chess on Chess.com.
94. Relax and accept that things are going to be different for a while. Try to make the most of it and to value your time, friends and family.
95. Warm up your singing voices and take part in Choirmaster Gareth Malone's exciting plan - #GreatBritishHomeChorus. Read more information here!
96. Set up a telly club. Choose a TV show that you and your friends want to watch and sit down to watch it at the exact same time. Discuss the show as it is happening in a Facebook or WhatsApp group. 
97. Check out the latest live stream from The Social Distancing Festival - an online artist’s community which was made to celebrate and showcase the work of the many artists around the world that who have been affected by the need for social distancing.
98. Take part in the Online Book Shopping Weekend with Paper Lane Books.
99. If anyone is in need of some company, join musician Kim Cypher on Facebook live daily at 11am keeping everyone company with chatter and banter. 
100. Join the daily church service from St Philip And St James, Leckhampton at 9am daily on Facebook Live.
101. Take a breath of fresh air as the National Trust Gardens and parklands are open for free.
102. Keep up to date with the animals at Edinburgh Zoo with their live webcams. 
103. Book a meditation session via Video Call with Angela from Cotswold Meditation & Mindfulness
104. Download the free online 7 day energising exercise plan from Zigs Exercise. It Improves Back Ache & Hip Mobility in the comfort of your own home
105. Watch Dragpunk presents Corona She Better Don't on Friday 27th March 2020 at 7pm. Watch online!
106. Online yoga, meditation, mindfullness, and pilates classes with World Jungle
107. Take part in the 30-day virtual #FlightsforFlights challenge! An opportunity to help keep you active and healthy at home, all while supporting a cause close to your heart.
108. If children say they "don't know what to do", or are "bored", then write different activites on a stick and in a pot. They pick a stick and do the activity. Some are games, some educational, some are chores around the house and some are just silly. 
109. Listen in with #timstwitterlisteningparty. Stream or play the album in question and follow Tim and the relevant twitterer(s) and watch the tweets in real time. Ask questions/ share memories.
110. Keep your mind exercised and your sanity in check during this lockdown, with a free puzzle every day for the month of April from Escape Rooms Cheltenham.
111. Open Google search in your browser on your phone. Type in the animal you wish to see in SD. Click search and you'll see a column with the animal icon and option as 'view in 3D'. Select the option and choose 'view in your space'. 
112. Play along with BBC Sport's live 'Quarantine Quiz' on every Friday night at 8pm. 
113. Dig out that old stamp collection. It is one of the most fascinating and informative hobbies known to man/woman, particularly those who want to slow down, not speed up.
114. Listen to to the Reasons to be cheerful podcast.
115. Find online classes, shows and activities for kids to do at home at My House Rocks. 
116. Subscribe to 'The Shows Must Go On!' on Youtube. Andrew Lloyd Webber will be streaming his musicals for free online.
117. You know all those pages you have bookmarked as you are going to 'take a look later'? Now could be later!
118. Review all those free downloads that are sitting on your PC. Clear out those you are no longer interested in then read and learn from the ones left.
119. Create photobooks for events or special groups of people and if possible send as presents.
120. Swap jigsaw puzzles and board games with neighbours to ring the changes.
121. Try these exercise workouts to keep fit at home: lesmillsondemand and nhs fitness studio.
122. Watch 'Art, Music and Poetry' Global Online Performances
123. 123. Update your CV and consider a career change! Read Teamwork Selection’s blog here on how to make your CV stand out, and take a look at the jobs they have available here.
124. Sign up for Spotify. A fun lockdown thing to do is work through the back catalogues of certain artists' albums.
125. Gamble with the Future - Teach your children to play Poker as a way of learning life skills like bluffing, a practice that, initially, children embrace with lunatic enthusiasm. Eventually, they will learn that they cannot always lie their way to victory, and that sometimes the wiser action is to withdraw from the fight. They will also learn the corollary of that lesson: sometimes bluffing does work!
126. Avoid Hacking and Protect yourself from hacking by updating all your Passwords on all your apps and online accounts and deleting old accounts you don’t use and which could be hacked – consider putting all your Passwords into a Password locker like LastPass or 1Password
127. Star Gazing - Follow the Starlink website which shows you when you can see the string of 60 Starlink Satellites each day launched to provide low cost internet to remote locations
128. Fix something - We all have things that need fixing but never get to the top of the list. Even better fix or practice it with a young person. Do they know how to change the wheel on a car in an emergency or change a tap washer
129. Record some memories - Take a photo of a different tree every day on your walks
130. Relive the past - Recreate some memories by cooking meals from the past – I had Toad in the Hole and Jam Roly Poly last week with clotted cream of course!
131. Do something that makes you smile - Watch an old favourite comedy film – how about one of the Carry On films – Carry on Nurse might give the right note!
132. Less news is good news - Avoid the news bulletins by listening to Radio 4 Extra rather than Radio 4
133. Sharpen your brain - Start doing a daily crossword – start with a simple one and gradually move on to the cryptic ones
134. Help someone less fortunate - Make a small donation to a charity which helps people worse off then you such as a foodbank or the Big Issue.
135. Listen to an old CD or Vinyl you haven’t heard in ages
136. Go online and download colouring sheets of rainbows free. Children of all ages can colour the rainbows and put them in their windows or make bunting. Good for parents too.
137. Recreate Works of Art With Objects Found at Home During Self-Quarantine. Take a look at some examples.
138. Join Cirencester's Barn Theatre's new Shakespeare series which sees the Bard’s monologues reimagined for Coronavirus lockdown.
139. Take a free online well-being class with Soul Circus.
140. Download NHS Certificate of Achievement for staying at home and saving lives.
141. Families can pick and choose which activities to try at home with Cheltenham Science Group. 
142. A fun, classic game while you're stuck at home. Spider Solitair with a twist from solitaired.com. Play for free HERE.
143. 5 At-Home Workouts For Strength, Muscle Growth, Power, And More. Stuck at home or don't have access to a gym? No sweat. Actually, yes sweat, because these workouts will help you hit your goals. Try the workouts HERE.

Thank you to everyone who has contributed to this list. If you have more suggestions, please drop us a line to office@glos.info and we will update the list.

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