Looking for activity ideas here while having a self-isolation at home? You have come to the right place.
Before we get into it, to Muslim readers all around the world, may Allah protect you and your families from illnesses and harm. Amin.
Countries all over the world are facing the same situation up till this day, fighting against the Coronavirus, known as COVID-19. It is indeed a really unfortunate event, but we must keep our lives going and believe that this only comes temporarily and that the situation will eventually be back to normal.
Here, we must appreciate our Governments’ effort to do their best to overcome this unfortunate situation. One of their efforts to deal with the global pandemic is their order to “Stay-at-Home”. Furthermore, most schools and universities now have their classes online. Most companies have also implemented the work from home policy, where employees now work online, aimed at encouraging people to stay at home and avoid going out of their homes unless there is an emergency or unavoidable matters to attend to.
This stay-at-home order has divided us into two groups; namely some of us might enjoy it and some of us who might be struggling with it. However, in this crucial time, our cooperation and commitment to stay at home to prevent the spread of the virus further is essential.
For those of you struggling or having a hard time adjusting to spending most of your time at home, believe this, staying at home can be fun and meaningful! We finally have the time to do the things that we have been procrastinating about back then.
So, how could we make this “Stay-at-Home” order fun and meaningful? Here are 10 meaningful activity ideas for you to try!
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Reading the Al-Quran is a stress reliever and can ease our anxiety. In this particular time, it is important for us to take care of our mental health and one way to do so is to recite the Al-Quran and put our hopes and trust back to Allah SWT, our source of strength. In this time, let us surrender to His power and draw ourselves closer to God. Perhaps, in the past some of us had little time to Khatam Al-Quran. Well now, we have all the time to do it! Insha Allah it will be very meaningful for you and also for the world.
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صَلاَةُ المَرْءِ فِى بَيْتِهِ نُوْرٌ فَنَوِّرُوْا بُيُوْتَكُمْ
“A person has a light in his home if he does Salah, so decorate your homes with it.” (Syarh Al-Bukhari, Ibnu Baththal, 5:191, Asy-Syamilah)
During this period, we can also perform Salah Sunnah at home and draw ourselves closer to Allah SWT. Performing Wudhu immediately makes us feel more energetic and enlightened, helping us to get through the day better. Let us pray for healing and protection during this tough period. Let there be a light in your homes, Amin.
Now that you've got some energy and determination after performing Salah, why not get up and moving and do a spring cleaning? You can always start with your own rooms. By tidying up your rooms, it will look neater and cleaner. Make sure to wipe away all that dust and dirt. Most importantly, remember to wash your hands and take a thorough shower after that!
And if you are up for more challenges, go one step further and redecorate your homes. Since you have the time now, there's nothing to lose! You can try redecorating your room for a change and maybe this can be a source of motivation for you!
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Let’s get pumped up and work towards that healthy body! Now that you have ample time, you can get that toned abs you've always dreamt of by exercising at home.
Just to assure you, you don't exactly need a lot of equipment to do your daily exercise or workout. In fact, there are a tons of online videos and mobile applications available to be downloaded for free that teaches you how to maintain fitness without any equipment. All you need is just an exercise mat. These videos will show you how to do simple workout moves like planks, push-ups, sit-ups and many more. Make sure you choose the most appropriate workout videos for yourself. Let’s get fit and healthy, everybody!
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Remember those books you had bought a couple of months ago but didn't have the time to start reading? Now's the time to look for those books and start on them! Even better, why not challenge yourself and see how many chapters you can reach each day? Or how about making a cup of tea or coffee while diving into the most interesting novel? Such a great idea, right?
For those of you hungry to read even more books, you can place your orders online on websites like Book Depository, Better World Books and many more. They offer free worldwide shipping! Or simply purchase e-books where you can read them from your laptop, smartphone, or on Kindle. Have fun reading fellow bookworms!
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This is a tough period for all of us all over the world. While we may have different ways of dealing with this outbreak, be sure to check up on our loved ones and ask them how they're coping with COVID-19 as well as their stay-at-home experience. You can even share your own experiences on how you're dealing with this situation. Remember, sharing is caring; keep your family members and friends updated by sharing your daily experiences and stories. While you're at home, spend more time with your family members, sit down and have a chat about anything under the sun.
For those of you living alone, you can always do a group Video Call with your family or friends. Trust me, having a group video call with your friends can just be as exciting as meeting them in person! During this period, you can also connect with those you have not kept in touch for a while. Let's stay connected!
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Find yourself having a lot of free time? You prefer to take things slow and do activities that are more relaxed and less strenuous? Well, you've come to the right place. Let's start listening to podcasts! There is a wide variety of podcasts that you can listen to; some of the content covered include History, Technology, Religion and Spirituality, TV and Film, to name a few. If you are interested in Islamic or educational podcasts, you can listen to TMV, Salam Girl!, Radiolab, Revolution Health Radio and many more.
There are a lot of podcast platforms and mobile applications that you can stream or download podcast content for free. You can listen to any podcasts to get insights, learn some fun facts or discover new knowledge to satisfy your curiosity about the world. Have fun listening to them!
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What to not love about all of these free time, because now you can actually start and commit to a hobby, as well as enhance your skills! Do you like singing? Writing? Dancing? Painting? Or maybe cooking? Well now, one of the most meaningful things to do for your well-being at home is to enhance your skills. If you have a skill or hobby that you have neglected for a while because you were busy with school, college or work, now is the perfect time to get on to it and dive in into your creativity realm.
If you have always dreamt of becoming a barista, wanting to try out new coffee recipes and mix but never had the time to, why not try making the viral Dalgona Coffee in your kitchen? Snap a picture or two once you're done making it and share your achievement with your family or friends. And if you like writing, maybe you should write a journal or poetry to express yourselves. You can either write it for yourself to see or upload it online! No harm showing off that hidden writing skills right? Time to get those creative juices flowing, peeps!
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Now that you have enhanced your skills and hobby, picking up a new skill can be as interesting and meaningful. Like learning a new language for example! I heard that French is pretty fun to learn, or maybe you could try learning Spanish? Mandarin? Or Arabic? The best part about learning a language is that you are no longer limited to language textbooks or guidebooks as there are many online materials for you to choose from. You can download online applications and learn languages for free or you even watch language lessons online on YouTube. Isn't technology amazing?
Learning something new could keep you productive and challenge your mind. Picking up a new skill isn't only limited to learning a new language - you can also acquire new skills in the Arts, such as handicraft, music or dancing. We assure you that there are a lot of online platforms and mobile applications available to be downloaded for free to help you acquire these new skills. Never stop learning!
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Last but not least, why not plan a future trip while you're at home? Being self-isolated must have made you feel really thirsty for travelling, especially if you are a travel junkie. Now that you have the time, you can arrange and plan a future trip with your family or friends. Planning a perfect trip requires great preparation and research. With the situation right now, it so happened that you have all the time in the world to do proper research and planning for your next destination. If you are planning a trip with your friends after this whole situation gets better, video call them and share travel itinerary. Isn't planning for a trip one of the best part about travelling? Try reading HalalTrip’s Trips-pirations to get insights on travel trends of 2020 and plan your future trip with us!
That’s all from us, the top 10 meaningful activities you can do at home during the COVID-19 situation. Stay safe and stay at home, readers!
We hope that the situation improves soon, and may Allah SWT protect, forgive and guide us to get through this COVID-19 situation.
Let us have a moment to perform a dua:
“ اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْبَرَصِ وَالْجُنُونِ وَالْجُذَامِ وَمِنْ سَيِّئِ الأَسْقَامِ”
“ALLAHUMMA INNI AUDHUBIKA MINAL BARSI, WAL JUNOONI, WALJUZAAMI, WA MIN SAYYIL ASQAAM.”
Meaning: “Oh Allah, I seek refuge in Thee from leprosy, madness, elephantiasis, and evil diseases.”
—Sunan Abu Dawood, Hadith 1554
Amin ya rabbal ‘alamin.
