Staying busy in the Lockdown

If like us you are starting to get (slightly) bored and running out of ideas of what to do in your spare time (let’s be honest, we have plenty of it on our hands now…) we created a short list of things that will help you make the most of your time at home, whilst helping you stay healthy and creative!

Health and well-being

• Dedicate some time to exercise. As we are all spending more time indoors, a great way to stay active is to discover some fantastic workouts online (The Body Coach TV on YouTube is great for people of all ages to get involved!) or create your own workout routine that you enjoy!
• When spending more time at home it’s the perfect opportunity to cook healthier meals. Eating fresh fruit and veg will help boost your immune system. You can create personalised recipes with whatever you have in your cupboard with the help of supercook just enter the ingredients you have on hand and the website will suggest an array of recipes for you to create!
• For those residents who enjoyed our weekly yoga classes in the gym, you can now enjoy them virtually in your own living room! Marie will guide you through the usual mix of relaxations, meditation, sun salutations, and postures that develop balance, strength and flexibility every Tuesday at 18:30! Check your email inbox for the link.

Music, arts and culture

• United We Stream – Are you missing attending social events in the city? The events can now take place in the comfort of your living room! With all the bets things that Manchester has to offer, United We Stream will launch at the end of this week and it will showcase live music and performances every night! It’s a free website, however they welcome donations towards our city’s night time economy helping small restaurants, cultural organisations and Manchester’s charities.
• Love Lowry – created by Lowry Theatre will be a daily service of creative activities and art experiences for people to enjoy from their homes.
• Google’s Art and Culture Platform – digitally documented 1,200 international institutions including virtual tours and high definitions photographs
• Watch the Northern Lights from your home in Salford! This video allows you to take a 360 sneak peak at our beautiful Mother Nature, but without the frost bite! 😊

Social

• Check in on your loved ones – although you may not be able to see each other in real life, FaceTime and WhatsApp can be a huge benefit to maintaining great relationships and checking in on your loved ones’ wellbeing!
• Organise a get together with your friends on the House Party App! Going out for Friday drinks has never been this simple!
• Ever been to a virtual pub quiz? Well now is your chance! spectacularpubquizzes.com host quizzes with various themes on a regular basis!
• Netflix Party – allows you to binge watch the same series with your friends and comment all the way through!

Personal development

• Pick up a new hobby. If you ever wanted to learn a new skill, then now is the perfect time to do so! With plenty of learning material and ideas on websites such as YouTube, Pinterest and Google you can learn anything from a new language to different painting techniques!
• If you’d like to learn from world’s greatest icons, scientists, chefs, entrepreneurs… – you name it! Masterclass is a platform that allows you to have 1 to 1 virtual classes with world’s iconic masters (They also have a 50% off offer on!)
• Listen to podcasts/audiobooks or watch a new movie, there is something so relaxing (and interesting) about being able to listen to your favourite topics discussed by people of different views and opinions! Overnight Success by Maria Hatzistefanis – the founder of skincare giant Rodial, is a great one to start with!