‘Netflix and Chill’ saves lives, and other things you can do to save the world

Right now the best thing you can do is stay home. And in this article, I will provide an endless supply of things you can do to keep busy (scroll to the bottom for all the links).

5 min readMar 19, 2020

[You can skip everything and just get all the links at the bottom]

The simple truth is, if you haven’t already been tasked to help others or found your calling rescuing people, then you should be at home. If you aren’t working in a dangerous job like clerking at a grocery store, working at a restaurant, delivering groceries or mail, then you should be at home sheltering in place. If you are not doing something amazing like providing home care to the elderly, policing the streets, working in hospitals or emergency clinics, then you should be staying at home and away from people.

We’re all thankful for those who are working in some capacity to help us all get through this crisis alive. But for the rest of us who are not in the direct line of defense against the dreaded COVID-19, there are a lot of things you might consider to keep busy and stay out of harm's way.

Sheltering In Place

Whether or not your local government has told you to shelter in place, that’s what you should be doing. This is serious stuff and the more people who guard against catching or transmitting the virus the better. Stay home!

That means you should be prepared for the long haul with plenty of food and access to water. You should also have a plan in case you or your family gets sick. Don’t forget about your pets. They need you to prepare for them.

But once you have all the food and supplies you need, and a plan to seek help if your health goes south in a hurry, then you need to keep busy doing something — at home and away from other people.

Stay Informed

Stay alert and aware of what’s going on in your community and your local region. Carefully consider the news and make sure you are not absorbing paranoia and conspiracy theories. Have a few reliable news sources. But don’t spend all day reading conspiracy theories about the end of the world and reposting that crap on Facebook. Don’t be that guy. Plan on a limited amount of social media time and perhaps TV or radio news time every day.

Remain Calm

There is plenty to be upset about. I don’t need to remind you of all the bad stuff going on in the world right now. But we will all manage together. We will get past this mess and one day the sun will shine again and we will be able to go out and enjoy it. We will one day be able to celebrate that we made it.

Stay Connected

Be sure to let your loved ones know you are ok and stay in touch often. Maintain regular contact with your friends and family via phone, email and an online channel like Facebook so everyone is aware and not worrying about each other. Check-in with others for their own good and yours.

Stay Active

If you have a yard or porch, go outside every day and enjoy being outside. Walk as far as you can for a few minutes a day to get out of the house. Garden, plant some food, mow the lawn, walk the dog, etc. This isn’t possible for everybody but walk around the house if you must. A little exercise is a good idea even if you live in a Tiny House or a Van down by the river.

If you are with your family, and everyone is well, do some things together. Have a family meeting, play a board game, play cards, cook together, or engage in conversation. You don’t have to go to work, so find something new and interesting to do. If your family isn’t the ‘let’s all play a game’ type, then don’t. But remember, being cooped up in a small space with a bunch of people who aren’t used to that — well, let’s just say it’s best to give everyone space.

Netflix and Chill

You need to keep your mind busy. Read a book, watch Netflix, Explore a virtual world, or the Cosmos. Delve into a virtual museum or amusement park. Right now there’s something like 500,000 different entertainment-based websites online around the world (I made that number up because there are so many you will never run out of them). YouTube has so much content that if you started watching 24 hours a day it would take years to watch a small percentage of what’s available.

More than 100 museums (maybe 500+) around the world have free virtual tours where you can see all their galleries and displays online from your home. Right now, Broadway shows, free trial periods for pay channels on Amazon Prime, zoos, aquariums, historic sites, are all online to be explored while you’re sheltering in place.

The Unofficial COVID-19 Virtual Entertainment List

Museums, Zoos, Aquariums, Theme Parks, the Universe, and Everything

Free Online Learning: from Young to Young at Heart

Explore Hogwarts and Listen to Music

These websites and resources are just the ‘tip of the iceberg’ of what’s available online. If you’re bored and can’t find anything to explore than you aren’t trying hard enough.

Wash your hands, stay at least 6-feet away from others, and stay home, but have fun!