Staving Off Cabin Fever

written by John Mastroberti

For those of us not directly affected by the virus, there is a secondary affliction that many of us are experiencing, Cabin Fever. With “stay-at-home” guidelines now passing the 1-month mark, many people are starting to feel the symptoms. Gov. Andrew Cuomo of NY described these as “feelings of isolation, mood swings, resentment toward others and irrational outbursts”

As producers, we spend a lot of our time figuring out solutions to complex problems, so we thought we would tackle boredom this week and share some of the resources we have been using to get through the time.

Recharge your mind

If you are feeling overwhelmed at the moment, taking some time to free up your mental space could put you back on the right track.

A subscription app that provides guided meditation programs to help you clear your mind, focus on your tasks, and get to sleep. Headspace offers 2 free weeks, but also is offering a special for NYers with over 10 free sessions – https://www.headspace.com/ny

Another option for mediation is Calm, while the decision between the two is usually personal preference, the biggest difference we have noticed is Calm has a larger library with many options for guides. Calm offers a 7 day trial before requiring a subscription – https://www.calm.com/

Learn a new skill

If relaxing and meditating is not your bag, there is an endless amount of online learning options out there.

Looking to expand on your creative skills… Skillshare is a great platform for learning from some of the great creative minds in the industry. From animation to video editing and the business side of creativity, lots of great content to productively make use of your free-time. They are running a promotion of 2 free months when you sign up – https://www.skillshare.com/

If you ever wished you could go back to school to study just one more subject but didn’t want to spend the time or money to re-enroll, Khan is a fantastic resource. With a huge library of subjects, you can learn everything from Options Trading to Web design. Best part is classes are free – https://www.khanacademy.org/

Who doesn’t want the opportunity to tell people they spent the quarantine taking online classes from Harvard & MIT? With edX you can do just that. With free online courses in a diverse set of subjects, covering everything from Art History to learning a new Language, edX has a little something for everyone – https://www.edx.org/

Movement

Now that our minds are feeling fulfilled, we must make sure to take care of our physical health as well. There are endless amounts of workout videos on sites like Youtube, but if you are the type that likes a more structure program, the following resources can be worthwhile.

(Nike Training Club) Personally, I would recommend this app even during normal times, but even more so now! If you are looking for workouts for all levels, with a large variety, take advantage of the free 90 days of premium training being offered now. – https://www.nike.com/ntc-app

What better time than now to get your flexibility and core strength up a few notches. Yoga is made for at-home work, even for those of us with tiny NYC apartments. Normally a $20 a month subscription service, Core Power Yoga is offering free classes that will be updated weekly during the “pause” – https://www.corepoweryogaondemand.com/keep-up-your-practice

The barre-studio chain is offering Pure Barre On Demand for free for 30 days. To enroll, use the code EXTENDEDTRIAL. A credit card is required to enroll- so be sure to cancel before the free trial ends to avoid getting charged.

Also, if your gym has closed during the outbreak, make sure to follow them on social media as many are offering free IG live classes.

Decompress with some binge-worthy TV

And lastly for those looking for entertainment other than “TIGER KING” the following are offering free streaming services to satisfy your binge-watching needs.

The Metropolitan Opera in New York City is offering free nightly live opera performances. The performances can be streamed on the Met website or through the Met Opera on Demand apps for Apple, Amazon, Roku devices and Samsung Smart TVs.

Download the HBO now app https://hbonow.com/ for over 500 hours of free streaming. Find classic HBO shows such as The Sopranos & The Wire as well as new hits Succession and Barry.

(Apple TV +) Bought a new Apple device lately? Don’t forget to take advantage of their free year of streaming service Apple TV+ – https://tv.apple.com/ – If you haven’t purchased anything you can still get a 7 day trial.

Another streaming service offering a free week before the monthly charge kicks in. But if you are a Verizon Wireless customer you can get a free year with your account. Disney+ is great for those with kids, or if you are nostalgic for Disney classics. – https://www.disneyplus.com/

The newest player in the streaming scene, Quibi short for quick bites, has focused their content to fit in a mobile world. With short 8-10 min episodes, these are perfect to consume when you have a few free minutes and don’t want to jump into a long program. Built for your phone screen, you can watch in both vertical and horizontal. Quibi is offering their service free for 90 days – https://quibi.com/

Don’t forget to have fun with your friends and family

Lastly, in this time of isolation, it’s important to find new ways to socialize and interact remotely with your friends and family. A few fun apps below allow you to do just that in new ways.