Challenge: 69 Things to Do During a Pandemic (Besides Going Outside)

Photo by Warren Wong on Unsplash

Amid the confusion and chaos of a world grappling with COVID-19 and the logistical puzzle it’s been to contain, the TikTok ‘coronavirus challenge’ has emerged — one wherein one must lick a toilet seat. Beyond being so obviously moronic, it is also deeply insensitive to those who have lost their lives or are currently struggling with the virus, as well as their loved ones. It seeks to make jest of the suffering of thousands of people all over the world, and only for those clowns who do it to gain clout and, expectedly, widespread condemnation.

To counter this absolute mockery of humankind, I have devised a list of 69 things you can do to be productive without leaving your house, so as to do your CDC-sanctioned part by keeping away from others.

1. Run a virus scan on your computer or other devices. If you don’t have good virus detection software already, search for some.
2. Purge your wardrobe. After going through your closet and dressers and getting rid of any clothes you no longer like or that no longer fit, put them in one place. After it’s again admissible to go outside, you can donate them to charity.
3. Finish a book you’ve been halfway through for eons. Most people have a stack of books they’ve never finished. Pick up one and try to finish it before it’s okay to leave your home again.
4. Test all your pens and markers and throw away the ones that don’t work. Take the ones that do and organize them in a way that makes sense; put them in a jar or a section of your desk where you can easily find them.
5. Sharpen any pencils you have.
6. Organize and get rid of any ‘Paper Monsters’ you may have. This video explains what they are and how to get rid of them.
7. Pick up a new skill. Start learning a language on Duolingo or start a course on Udemy.
8. Organize your Google Drive (or other file system) into relevant and easily navigable folders.
9. Clear out all your email inboxes (as much as possible.)
10. Clean parts of your home that you wouldn’t otherwise think to clean.
11. Take care of your houseplants and pets.
12. If you’re in good health, do some light exercise. Basic calisthenics or yoga can improve your body’s ability to fight off infections and, of course, can improve your overall strength and health.
13. Go through your camera roll, delete what isn’t needed, and move most of your photos and videos onto your computer/hard drive.
14. Digitize any documents that don’t need to be physical paper.
15. Educate yourself about COVID-19 and what governments around the world are doing to prevent its spread. It’s especially important now to cut through the noise and get the most reliable information. Find it here.
16. Meditate and/or pray.
17. Organize any medicines you may have into a pill organizer.
18. Get a password manager and streamline your logins.
19. Sleep as much as possible.
20. Go through your various ‘Watch Later’ lists on YouTube and the like. Delete what you’re no longer interested in, and binge watch what you are.
21. Eat leftovers that are about to go bad.
22. Organize your bookshelf by color, title, or author.
23. Unsubscribe from any mailing lists (including email) you no longer wish to be a part of.
24. Install any updates to your computer or phone which you’ve been procrastinating on.
25. Update any information on your resume, LinkedIn, social media, etc.
26. Find new music.
27. Listen to podcasts.
28. Watch documentaries.
29. Make a list of productive things you’ll do when it’s permissible to go outside again. Little things like getting a watch fixed or returning an ill-fitting belt are things you seldom think of when life is normal.
30. Make a list of fun things you’ll do when it’s permissible to go outside again.
31. Make a list of things you don’t need immediately, but should buy when you can go outside again. Things like batteries, soap, paper towels, and paper clips are things people tend not to think about until they need them. Take inventory now.
32. Write in a journal. Who knows, maybe one day your measly journal entry will become a primary source for a history teacher’s unit about the COVID-19 pandemic.
33. Wash out any dishes or bottles you use frequently.
34. Fold origami.
35. See if any good websites from your childhood are available for viewing with the Wayback Machine.
36. Play Minecraft.
37. Check your bank account and any other accounts to make sure no tomfoolery is occurring. It’s amazing how much is happening to something like your library account that goes unseen until you deliberately check the portal.
38. Create a shopping list for things you’ll need once you can leave your home again.
39. Give to the poor without spending a penny. Websites like TheHungerSite (and its sister sites) will donate money to worthy causes at just the click of a button. Find their sister charities by clicking the drop-down menu in the top left corner.
40. Play Freerice. You play online here or download the app. One serving for one person can be anywhere from 2,500–5,000 grains.
41. Consolidate what can be consolidated. Whether that’s putting like food in the same container or combining soaps, minimize what’s taking up space in your home.
42. Compile a bag of coins to be turned into paper money at a cash machine.
43. Browse what have been crowned as the web’s most useless websites. Find them here.
44. Learn a TikTok dance or two.
45. Create a budget for yourself, or update an existing one.
46. Check to see if you have everything you’d need if the power went out. A functioning flashlight and batteries, candles, a lighter or matches, food, water, medicine, a cooler, etc.
47. Delete any apps or computer programs you aren’t using.
48. Find files you use infrequently but want to be able to access and move them onto disks and thumb drives, clearly label them, and keep them in a safe and accessible place.
49. Rearrange your furniture.
50. Build a blanket fort.
51. Marie Kondo your home.
52. Create art or music, and write philosophy. Who knows? We may have a great post-outbreak cultural renaissance. Why not be a major contributor?
53. Take pointless personality quizzes online.
54. Check your voter registration status. You can confirm your status here.
55. Write notes of gratitude to friends, family, or colleagues. Send them as emails or texts if possible.
56. Shred any financial documents you no longer need. If you don’t have a shredder, try using a kitchen blender.
57. Encounter old stuff in your closets/other forgotten spaces in your home. Throw away what you don’t need, donate what others may need, and reorganize what you keep.
58. Do trivia.
59. Take a typing test. Then, try to improve it using a website like Nitro Type.
60. Watch TED talks.
61. Start a blog, or continue posting on an existing one.
62. Learn a new recipe or two. Websites like MyFridgeFood will tell you what you can make with what you have in your kitchen. Be adventurous.
63. Stay off social media by all means necessary and as much as possible. Self-quarantining offers you a unique opportunity to leave the past in the past. If social media has been negatively affecting your mental health, consider taking a social media detox.
64. Make a vlog.
65. Take pictures — of anything.
66. Sign online petitions for causes you deem worthy.
67. Take an online practice U.S. citizenship test. If you don’t pass the official practice test, it may be time to brush up on your civics.
68. Be conscientious of what you’re consuming. Try to drink more water and eat healthier. Since no one, or very few people, are watching you, it may be easier to start a new diet regiment. Don’t go for anything unattainable or unhealthy — just try to eat a little healthier. Try looking at recommendations from MyPlate.
69. Remind yourself of how far you’ve come, and how far you still have to go. Acknowledge your successes and failures so far in life while remaining humble. Refocus yourself for a post-outbreak world.

So, if you’re stunned by the idiocy of some online clout-chasers and would rather attempt to improve your life, see how many of the above you can get done before your country’s curve flattens.