Are you stuck at home but still want to find ways to be kind or help others? Look no further! Life can be stressful, but incorporating acts of kindness into your daily life can not only help others, it can provide a healthy distraction from your own challenges, focus you on gratitude and boost your mood. This list gives you several options for simple acts of kindness that you can do without ever leaving your house.
- Write a letter to a friend. Snail mail can be fun! Whether time or distance stands between you and a friend, a sweet note in the mail is sure to put a smile on their face. If you choose to go the virtual route, you can always text or email someone who you know is sick, down, or struggling with a video clip or image that might uplift them or make them laugh.
- Call a family member. Give a relative who you’ve been meaning to reach out to a call. Talk about your family history or a fun memory that you might have forgotten about.
- Send a surprise to someone. Order a pizza or food delivery service and send it to a friend’s house. Do you know someone with an online shopping wish list? Order an item from it to make their day!
- Plant a tree. Do something kind for the planet by planting a tree or a garden in your backyard.
- Donate to a worthy cause. Find your favorite charity online and make a monetary donation to help their cause.
- Give someone a compliment. Whether it’s in person to someone you live with or an online comment on social media or your favorite blog, a compliment can go a long way.
- Tip your delivery person extra. If you have food delivered, add a couple extra dollars to what you would normally tip.
- Save a life. Register to be an organ donor and sign up for the Be The Match registry.
- Send a new recipe to a friend. Do you have a recipe that a friend would love but getting together for a dinner party isn’t an option? Send it to them to try it out and exchange notes.
- Pick up trash in your neighborhood. This one does require you to leave the house, but you don’t have to go far to throw away litter around your neighborhood.
- Offer to do your neighbor’s yardwork. OK, this one requires going outside as well, but while you are cutting your grass, offer to do your neighbor’s to save them the hassle.
- Pay a bill online for someone who might be struggling. If you are in a position to help a friend financially, contribute to a bill that might be causing them stress.
- Recommend someone for a job opening. If you know of a friend who would be great for a job, send an email vouching for their skills or send in their resume to a position they would excel at.
- Shop from a small business. Go online and purchase an item from a small business that you love in your community.
- Do a chore that is normally your spouse, child or roommate’s responsibility. Everyone could use a little break, and if you’re lucky maybe they’ll return the favor some time.
- Start a virtual book club. Connect with your friends who love to read and ask if they want to join. Read a book then get together virtually to discuss your thoughts.
- Clean out your closet. Being stuck at home is the perfect time to declutter. Donate your unwanted clothes to charity or a friend who is in need.
- Leave positive sticky notes around the house. Write down words of encouragement and post them around the house for you or your significant other to find.
- Send virtual letters to military personnel or hospital patients. Look online for ways to send virtual mail to those overseas or in hospitals to brighten their day.
- Create a time capsule. Make a box with books, recordings, notes and other personal items for your kids or significant other to open at a later date.
- Practice a new hobby. If you’re interested in learning a new craft with some of your free time, you could watch YouTube “how to” videos (anything from basic sewing to simple paper crafts with items around your home) and send your creations out to those who would appreciate them.
