During the situation with the COVID-19 pandemic, companies worldwide are implementing work-from-home policies to protect the health of their employees. Software industry companies are often familiar with the work-from-home benefit, but in the long term, it’s going to be challenging for everyone.
You can find many articles with useful tips and tricks to increase your productivity and effectiveness while working from home. Still, there is one crucial element that shouldn’t be forgotten – entertainment.
We are spending most of our time at home, and while the world is in self-isolation, our activities for having fun are limited. The fact that we are going outdoors for the essentials, shopping super-fast in the market, or buying supplies at the local pharmacy can be frustrating.
Here are some ideas on how to spend more fun-times with your colleagues and family.
HAVE SOME FUN WITH YOUR COLLEAGUES
Organize a conference call after-work
Missing after-work parties with the colleagues? Organize one. Buy yourself a drink and invite your colleagues to do the same. Chatting with someone who is not a family member can be a luxury these days, so treat yourself!
Play online multiplayer games
- Ludo King
A well-known board-game. You can play it on Facebook, or download the app on your smart Android or iOS device. You can add up to 6 players to each “game room” and chat with your colleagues while playing - Little Big Snake
Warning! This game is so good that it’s addictive! You can add friends and play together as a team!
Or if you are into “hard-core” gaming, you can play more sophisticated free games. Here is a short list of some great examples of free multiplayer games:
In addition to these free games, you can always find discounted games, like these.
Play challenges.
Yes, Instagram challenges can be tedious. But, you can create dedicated chat rooms on your company IM platform and play it with selected colleagues. For example, you can make a 10-days-song-challenge where you can post your favorite songs (e.g. Day 1: Song that contains the word “home” in the title; Day 2: Song that makes me happy). You can go a step further and relate it to a current situation in the news or in work-life.
HAVE SOME FUN WITH YOUR FAMILY
Play couch multiplayer games
Most of them are not free to play, but they are well all worth the money.
- Overcooked
Super-fun cooking simulation game. It does not require any special skills. Just be focused and ready to laugh. - Worms
Turn-based strategy game. Each player controls a team of worms. During the game, players take turns selecting one of their worms, then use whatever tools and weapons are available to attack and kill the opponents’ worms. The last worm standing wins the game. - Drawful 2
Like drawing, but awful. The game challenges players to draw weird, funny, and often ridiculous items from prompts on their smartphones and tablets. It requires at least three players.
Or just Google some other games and play something of your choice.
DIY arts and crafts
There are thousands of ideas on Pinterest. You can dye your old white t-shirts with natural beet’s color, make a stool for your balcony from recycled plastic bottles or even re-paint your old desk.
Play board games
Before playing, set a ground-rule. Something like “The player who loses should wash the dishes”.
Movie night
Make popcorn or other snacks, turn off the lights, set the volume up, and enjoy. You can also make a movie club with your co-workers so you can share ideas about what to watch and collectively review the movie together the next morning.
Stay safe!
Ana Georgieva
Recruiter at IT Labs
