Crafts, books, and spending time with your loved ones are a few ways to pass the time. Another way to stay entertained while also keeping your mood up is listening to music or podcasts. Apps like Spotify and Apple Podcasts offer free listening to everyone who is able to sign up. 

Music is seen as a stress relief to many people all over. Happy and upbeat songs are the perfect way to stay hopeful and positive right now. Podcasts are a different concept, but listening to a funny one can easily brighten a mood or listening to a calming one is a great way to release some of your anxiety. 

The Beatles are a great band to listen to when you are feeling down. Their music has been around since 1957, and while they are no longer a band, they will always be relevant. John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr are considered one of  the most influential bands of all time.There is a lot of variety in the Beatles’ music, some songs are sad, while others are more upbeat and happy. 

Listening to songs like “Here Comes The Sun,” “Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da,” are sure to make you feel happy and even hopeful with their positive lyrics  like “Here comes the sun I say, it’s alright” and “Ob-la-di, ob-la-da, life goes on brah.” There are also songs like “Twist and Shout” which are great if you just need something to dance to. 

If you are looking for more recent music, artists like Jason Mraz have promising, enthusiastic music. Some songs that are great for getting into a better mood are “I’m Yours” and “Have It All.”. Both are cheery and a little more low key. 

Another example of a modern artist that has extremely positive and mood boosting music is Lizzo. With songs like “Truth Hurts” and “Good as Hell” this singer is bound to have you feeling confident and ready to dance. 

Another thing to look at is movie soundtracks. Guardians of the Galaxy has a great, upbeat soundtrack with songs like “Hooked on a Feeling” by Blue Swede and Bjorn Skiffs and “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell. The melodies are catchy, enjoyable, and the rhythm and beats make you need to dance.

If you are a fan of the TV series “The Office,” the podcast “Office Ladies” might be for you. Actresses Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsley break down certain episodes and tell stories from behind the scenes. Fischer plays Pam and Kinsley plays Angela. They also have other co-stars on the podcast like John Krasinski and Creed Bratton. This is a funny podcast that is sure to make you laugh.

Staying healthy has been a struggle for a lot of people because of the stay at home order. A great, inspirational and informational podcast for athletes, people who want to be healthy, or people who are interested in fitness, is “Nike Trained.” 

In the podcast Nike trainer, Ryan Flaherty, interviews athletes, doctors, other trainers, and experts in health fields about the mental and physical aspects of staying fit. People like Lebron James and Micheal B. Jordan have been interviewed on the podcast.

With all of the anxiety and stress that comes with being stuck at home it is nice to unwind, or pick up your mood with a good listen. If none of these interest you, then do some more research, these are just a few of the endless things you can listen to since we are not  quarantined.