Two weeks, Four Walls?
What to do while quarantined for 14 days in Prague
The coronavirus, or COVID-19, has spent the past few months spreading its reach from China to Europe, the United States and the Middle East. While governments, health ministers, airlines and education systems work hard to slow or prevent the continual spread of the disease, many who have already been tested and diagnosed or those who have potentially been infected are required by the government and medical professionals to remain at home for up to 2 weeks while the virus runs its course. And even those who have not been directly affected have been told to work from home if possible and only leave the house for necessary trips such as to the grocery store or a pharmacy.
That means many of us will be inside our apartments and houses for all or most of the day. But after the initial ‘Hooray” from your little one that she doesn’t have school or your partner commenting that it’s nice he doesn’t have to commute to work anymore, boredom can soon settle in.
So we’ve put together a list of 14 ways that you and your family can stay entertained at home while staying safe and sound (mentally). And if you looking for how to help out during this time of need, check out this other article.
1. Make each night a theme
This is especially great for kids but just as fun for adults. Pick a theme like pirates, Hawaiian, 80’s, or Hollywood. Come to dinner dressed up according to the theme and plan an activity related to it as well.
With kids it might seem easier to think of an activity, like acting out being on a pirate ship, having a Hawaiian luau party, an 80’s dance contest, or a red carpet screen or awards show, but adults can have just as much fun. Give in to your childish whims and let loose!
2. Organize your closet and have a fashion show
The seasons are changing from winter (what little Prague had this year) to warmer, if not wetter days. So it’s the perfect time of year to go through all of your clothes. Make it fun by having a fashion show with your partner, kids or flatmate. Get some signs with numbers on it and if the overall consensus is that the outfit doesn’t work anymore, pack it up and donate it once you’re well again (and maybe wash it first too).
3. Start your spring cleaning
I don’t know about you, but having a clean, organized environment can have a huge effect on your mental and psychological health which is important if you are spending so much time inside of your house. Plus chances are, if you are home a bit more and during the daylight hours, you might notice a few more spots that need some extra cleaning. So do a little each day or dedicate a whole day to the task and then spend the rest of your time in quarantine enjoying your clean, shiny rooms.
4. Plan your next vacation
This may sound a bit strange since right now vacations might seem like a bad idea, but the current situation will be over in a few months, and before that, you might be able to find some great airline deals.
5. Read that book
The book(s) that has been sitting on your bedside table or on your shelf for months is calling you. Now instead of commuting to work by car, where you can’t read, or by public transportation, where you might not have the energy to read amid the hustle and bustle, you’ll have an extra hour or two a day in which to relax and have a cup of coffee or tea while you dive into that book you’ve meant to read for ages.
6. Build a fort
This is NOT just for the kids, who doesn’t love having a secret location where you can hang a “Do Not Enter” or “Secret Knock” sign?. Whether you have little ones or not, everyone can remember building forts when they were little. Throw a sheet over a few chairs, drag a sleeping bag and flashlight inside and you have the perfect little place to hide out for a while or even curl up with that book you just picked up.
7. TV show binge time!
You’ve been waiting for this chance for months but haven’t found the time with the holidays and then kids back to school and then planning spring holidays. Here is your opportunity to spend a few days catching up on the series you’d left off watching last summer, or starting a new one that all of your coworkers have been talking about and you want to know what all of the hype is about.
8. Plan and DO a new workout routine
Again, sometimes routine gets the best of us, and that goes for exercise as well. With some extra time at home you’ll have time to try out those yoga videos you keep putting on hold or a new HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) circuit that your exercise-loving friend had sent you last year.
Exercise is really important, even if you are feeling a bit sick as it can help your mind and body. Also, if you are like most people in Prague, if you are quarantined to your house, that means you’re not getting the general exercise that you would get walking around our beautiful capital city.
9. Get creative in the kitchen
Finding new recipes can take a lot of time and energy, so often we get in a rut and cook the same meals over and over again. Now you will have a bit of extra time to look up a few new recipes that you think you’re family will enjoy and learn something new. Thanks so many food delivery services, such as rohlik.cz you can browse and shop online and find all of the necessary ingredients for a new meal.
Or get even more creative, clean out your food pantry and try and devise some crazy new recipe from what you have on hand. Sometimes you can really surprise yourself.
10. Take up a new hobby
Whether it’s painting, sewing, learning a new language (or brushing up on one), you have some extra time to kick it off and get the wheels going. While some of your new hobbies might require materials and tools that you might not have on hand, YouTube is always available to get you started with tutorials. Or start researching where to buy the materials you’ll need or where you can take a class once you are freed from your house.
11. Clean your windows
You’re going to be looking out them quite often and it might come to your attention that your windows, window sills and drapes need some love and attention. This will give you a chance to open them up, grab some fresh air and enjoy the clear (if not painful) view of your neighbors walking by. On the other hand, you can always wave and shout out that you’re enjoying a wonder 2-week stay-cation.
12. Go through old photos or make a photo album
Whether we’re talking old-timey, physical photos that have been building up in a box in some drawer for years, or all of those digital photos you have saved on every device you own, why not go through them, sort them, maybe get rid of some and then make a photo album?
If you have kids, let them create a digital photo album or prepare photos to print so that you can make an actual photo album book. It will be a wonderful walk down memory lane as well as a necessary task you’ve been needing to check off.
13. Do your taxes
If you’re like most people in Prague and the Czech Republic (and the world for that matter) you’ve probably left your taxes to the last moment. Whether you’re preparing them yourself or contracting an account or tax consultant, now is the perfect time to gather together your invoices, expenses and whatever else you should be sending in so that you’re on time to file your taxes (FYI: the normal date to file your taxes on the 31st of March has been pushed back by three months to July 1st – but still, get that out of the way NOW!)
14. Backup files/documents
How many times in the last year or two have you sworn that you will back up all of your files or store them in a safe place? How many times has your computer nearly died and you thought you’d lost everything? Now is the time to set that all right and backup files and documents that you only have stored in once location. Once you’ve done this you’ll feel so much lighter and freer, knowing that any important or vital document will not get lost.
No matter what you and your loved ones do during your time at home, take advantage of this time. Perhaps you’ll look back in a few years and remember those good times you spend with your partner, kids or flatmates and realize it wasn’t a waste of time after all. You’ll have caught up on some shows and books and learned a new recipe and maybe a bit of a new hobby. You have some extra free time now, so make the most of it!
How are YOU spending your quarantine in Prague? Tell us below.
