Participating in a statewide self-quarantine initiative is enough to make a person stir-crazy. Concerts, festivals and other large gatherings have been canceled. Casinos, bars, restaurants and other nonessential businesses are closed. Not even our newfound national pastime of binge-watching shows on Netflix can hold our attention. And let’s face it, if you’re single and/or living with a roommate or family member you detest, you’re probably starting to feel alone. Luckily, your phone is always by your side to keep you company. Here’s five things you can do on your phone, right now, that might ease the pain of confinement.
1. Learn an instrument
You probably have a guitar collecting dust in the closet, or an out-of-tune upright piano that’s become more useful as a shelf for knickknacks and family photos. It’s okay. We all get a little too ambitious sometimes. But I promise you, it’s never too late to learn an instrument, and there are several apps and online resources to help you along the way. (If you don’t own an instrument, don’t worry, you were born with one: your voice.) Apps like Yousician and Flowkey will help you learn songs by highlighting which notes to play on your instrument of choice. They also offer convenient looping functions, which encourages practice and repetition. Once you become more comfortable with your instrument, head over to YouTube. Not only can you access free instrument lessons similar to Yousician and Flowkey, there are several professional and amateur musicians who post lessons and exercises on scales, chords and music theory, which help put the songs you’ve been learning into context.
2. Meditate
Most people think meditation is a fad reserved for enlightened gurus who claim to be in touch with the metaphysical world. That is false. Anybody can learn meditation. It’s possible that practicing mindfulness can lead to a more balanced life. And there’s nothing more important to our lives at this moment than balance. But search for “meditation” in your app store, and you’re overwhelmed with choices. There’s Calm, Ten Percent Happier, Aura, Breethe, Unplug, and many more. Isn’t it ironic? You’re seeking some form of serenity, only to realize that choosing the right meditation app is causing your anxiety. But I’ll make it easy for you: Download Waking Up, a meditation course created by philosopher and neuroscientist Sam Harris. It has a simple but aesthetically appealing interface, breaking down content between daily meditations and lessons. Harris will teach you the building blocks of meditation, but he also puts the purpose of mindfulness into a perspective that’s void of spirituality and oversimplification.
3. Learn (or brush up on) a language
How many people have told you that they studied a language in high school or college, but don’t remember a single word of it? To all those people, right now is your chance to brush up on your skills. No excuses. You’ve got the time. The same goes for all the people who have said they’ve always wanted to learn a new language but were too busy. And with the plethora of apps available, such as Duolingo, Babbel, Rosetta Stone and Hello Talk, learning a language has never been more convenient. While all of the mentioned apps have merit, Duolingo may be the most straightforward. They offer just about every language under the sun, and break down each language into simple portions that you can study at your own pace. You can also access stories and podcasts in your language of choice.
4. Read a book
The Clark County Library District has closed all of its branches indefinitely. Good. Libraries are great resources, but for germaphobes like me, there isn’t an idea less appealing than sticking your nose into a book that other people have touched. Instead, hit up your Apple Books app on your iPhone. (Warning: Your cell phone is a germ haven. If you have not thought to do so by now, please disinfect your phone!) There are tons of free reads from within its library, ranging from classic works of fiction to graphic novels. The Apple Books store also offers plenty of reasonably priced books, many below $5. But if you don’t have an iPhone, other apps include Kindle by Amazon and Nook by Barnes & Noble, which offer similar services. And if reading on a phone hurts your eyes, there’s no shame in downloading an audio book.
5. Play brain games to keep your mind fresh
You could play mind-numbing games on your phone such as Candy Crush or Ballz, which merely assists with the passage of time, or you could challenge yourself by playing brain games that assist with memory and learning. While there isn’t a lot of scientific data to back up the assertion that these games will improve your memory, they’re not likely to make you dumber. Lumosity is a great way to boost your brain power, with games focusing on memorization, speed and accuracy. But the app also has games that are sure to trip you up, like Editor’s Choice, which will challenge your ability to understand and use vocabulary, and Raindrops, a game in which you must solve mathematical equations inside raindrops before they hit the ground. The Elevate app is similar to Lumosity, but … elevated. You’ll find more difficult games that challenge your grammar and punctuation skills, as well as your ability to listen and retain information.
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