Tips for Beating the Quarantine Fatigue
July 01, 2020
We don’t know about you but here at ZoLi HQ the quarantine slump has crept in. Whether it’s losing motivation for morning runs or lacking enthusiasm to plan and cook another meal, the fatigue is real.
We've found some small, fun changes to try to mix it up and hopefully beat the quarantine fatigue! Let us know if you give any of the activities listed below a try or better yet, let us know what you do keep the quarantine fatigue at bay in the comments section below
1. POOL DAY ALTERNATIVE
A day at the pool can be refreshing, energizing, and fun. For those of us who don’t have a full sized pool in our back yard, kiddie or blow-up pools are a great alternative! Just fill it up, throw in some toys or floaties to hold your drinks for us adults, and enjoy.
Once you’re done using it to fill with water, you can even create an outdoor seating area by filling with blankets and pillows, grabbing a bowl of popcorn, and star watching with the whole family!
2. DATE NIGHT AT HOME
At-home date nights can sometimes be distracting or considered cheesy, but there are plenty of ways to keep them light, fun, and relaxing. Here are a few that we love!
- THE BLIND BAKER – have your significant other blindfold themselves and bake a pie using only your verbal instructions! For this date, make sure you have a back-up pie to enjoy afterwards just in case the blindfolded confection is less than perfect
- THE DECORATED COOK – order some plain aprons off of Amazon or Michaels and decorate together with fabric markers. Once your aprons are full of color, cook a nice dinner together and enjoy over your favorite movie
- A NEW VIEW – for those who have been wanting a change of scenery, rearrange a room of your house together! This activity may require a bit of muscle, so make sure you follow up with a relaxing night.
- PUPPYPALOOZA- for the fur parents out there, plan a photo-shoot with your pets together! This sounds silly (and it absolutely is) but is harder than it sounds. Print the photos and laugh over the pups silly faces.
3. A NEW KIND OF WORK OUT
If you’re like us and have been struggling to continue with your quarantine fitness plans, try switching it up! One great outcome of sheltering in place is the amount of at-home workout videos that used to only be available in a studio.
Some of our favorites include barre classes, kickboxing, yoga, and even at-home Pilates.
4. SMORES ANYONE?
While we may still be avoiding crowded beach fire pits or going on long camping trips, enjoying a fire at home is a fun and easy alternative.
Either utilize an indoor fire place or grab a budget-friendly fire pit from common stores like Target and Home Depot. Then throw in some chocolate, graham crackers, and marshmallows and you’ve got yourself a sweet night.
Extend the fun by planning even more campfire activities like story telling, setting up a tent in the yard, or even cooking dinner on your little fire.
5. OUTDOOR CINEMA
We’ve been missing the movie theaters. That’s why we love the growing trend of creating a backyard cinema oasis!
All you’ll need is some comfy padding to sit on, a DVD player, projector, screen or large sheet to hang, and a sound system.
If you’re new to the outdoor video trend, we recommend finding the lowest priced components. There are even hook-ups for your phone in order to project your picture! And if you fall in love, you can invest in better components at a later time.
6. HARVEST YOUR GARDEN
Are you one of the many of us who started a garden at the beginning of quarantine? Now is your time to shine! Here's some recipes to get you motivated to get picking:
ZUCCHINI:
- ZUCCHINI PARMESAN - (think eggplant parm but with zucchini instead!) This recipe from A Family Feast is sure to be a crowd pleaser with the entire family and uses loads of zucchini!
- MAC AND CHEESE ZUCCHINI BITES - for those with little ones who love mac and cheese... this Half Baked Harvest recipe is a great way to sneak some delicious and nutritious veggies into the mix!
- PARMESAN ROASTED ZUCCHINI - If you're looking for a simple recipe with MAJOR flavor, this one's perfect. Well Baked's recipe uses only a few spices, zucchini, parmesan, and a little oil to create delicious and crispy spears.
PEPPERS:
- PEPPER JELLY - A Fork's Tale has created an easy and delicious pepper jelly recipe that we love eating on crackers, with eggs, bagels... or pretty much ANYTHING we can get our hands on.
- CHILLE RELLENO CASSEROLE - We love this recipe from What a Girl Eats that combines any pepper you have growing in your garden with cheese and eggs (YUM, how could you go wrong!) to create a creamy casserole with a kick.
TOMATOES:
- BRUSCHETTA - A classic, delicious appetizer that highlights your freshly grown tomatoes while also being a filling treat! We love this recipe from The Stay At Home Chef.
- TOMATO BUTTER - An unexpectedly delicious way to preserve and enjoy some of your tomatoes. Kitchn's recipe for tomato butter is perfect on toast, pasta, grilled fish or chicken, and pretty much anything else you can think of.
7. SAFE AT-HOME MAKEOVER
We are NOT, we repeat, NOT encouraging at-home haircuts. Here at HQ a few of us have tried this route and the results have not been pretty. Luckily, there are some safe ways to refresh your look without sacrificing your precious locks...
- TEMPORARY HAIR COLOR - there are many brands to freshen up your hair look without damaging or cutting your locks. One of our favorites is Overtone because of its conditioning capabilities!
- AT HOME NAIL DAY - a mani or pedi can really change your mood both mentally and physically! (SO relaxing) Creating your own at-home mani day is easier than you think. Check out our tips here!
- PLAYING WITH MAKEUP - it's amazing what people can do with makeup these days... and even more amazing how easy it is to learn with how-to videos and guides online! Whether you decide to continue with a new look or just have some fun for the day, playing with your makeup can be a fun change.
- SAFE TANNING - sometimes the only refresh you need is a bit of a glow. Just remember to be safe while tanning (make sure to pick a great sunscreen!) or search for alternatives to actual tanning such as at-home tanning lotions.
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