Shelter in place wasn’t on your bucket list, but here are activities you can try.
To combat the novel Coronavirus, Governor Jay Inslee is ordering Washington residents to stay at home, except for crucial activities.
Residents can still leave to buy groceries, seek medical care and go to work at essential businesses, Inslee said in a live televised address Monday evening, and they can still engage in outdoor activities that can be done 6 feet away from others, such as walking and biking.
Five things to do while you are in shelter in place:
1. Phone a friend.
There used to be a Bell telephone commercial jingle, “Reach out and touch someone.” (Hey, it was right after the swinging 70’s). Instead of that, we recommend you call, text, FaceTime, or Zoom someone you haven’t spoken to in a while. I texted a high school friend yesterday and the jokes picked up right where they left off (he’s the one responsible for toilet paper being in such short supply). Think of this as a great opportunity to reconnect.
2. Work out at home.
Can’t go to the gym? Go on a walk, do calf extensions on the steps, and pushups and planks like there’s no tomorrow. There are a number of FREE great at-home workouts on Youtube.com that you can pull up on your laptop or iPad and do inside or your yard, get your spouse to do them with you and make it competitive!
3. Go on a hike or walk outside.
The beauty of Spokane is that you don’t need to drive hours to go for a beautiful hike. If you love to hike or mountain bike look no further than the surrounding Spokane area for our favorite trails that both locals and visitors are sure to enjoy.
MORE: 15 Spokane Hiking or Biking Trails Everyone Can Do
4. Find substitute TV programming now that all sports are suspended until further notice.
Catch up on three, four, or more great shows that your friends have highly recommended. One of my favorites is Ozark on Netflix. I heard this weekend that season 3 will be out on March 27th. It’s definitely worth a look. Just keep in mind that watching Netflix’s #1 trending show “Outbreak” may not be such a good idea in times like these. I also got an email from Xfinity last night while lying in bed that notified me about them adding a ton of content to their “Free” library and that all I needed to do was say “Free” into the remote to view the shows. I may be checking that out tonight after I’m finished working from home.
5. Cook
Make a great YouTube recipe reality and create a meal to be proud of or fire up the grill. It’s a good idea to stock up on pasta, rice, canned vegetables, and spices so that more recipes are within reach.
If shelter in place doesn’t appeal to you, some of these activities can hopefully make it more tolerable.
