There's a newsletter from The Atlantic this evening with 10 suggestions for the weekend, but they could be suggestions for all of COVID-19 staying at home. I put in a few of the hot links from the piece; I don't see a web version to share but don't want to spend the next 15 minutes adding links.

(JAN BUCHCZIK)

As the country nears a year spent in isolation, many Americans find themselves hitting a “pandemic wall” of burnout.

If you’re feeling stuck—and looking for safe, socially distant activities—turn to this list.

1. Try a jigsaw puzzle.

They can be good for your brain, our staff writer Marina Koren explains:

They’re wonderfully engrossing, and research suggests that the activity gives your cognitive functions a good workout and can help stave off dementia in older adults. Other pros: working with your hands, building an image that isn’t the same walls you see every day, the satisfying snap of two pieces fitting together. Cons: I can’t think of any.

2. Check in on a senior.

Mary Stachyra Lopez, an audience editor, writes:

Isolation has been hard on everyone—but nobody has been hit as hard as seniors, who “are much more likely than their younger counterparts to live in care facilities and many of whom have struggled to connect in a socially distanced or virtual fashion,” Annie Lowrey reported earlier this month. Call someone who may be lonely just to chat. Offer to order groceries for them. Or mail them a letter. You may find a greater sense of purpose by stepping outside yourself.

3. Immerse yourself in fiction.

Try one of these five short stories. If you’d prefer something longer, revisit our list of the 15 best books of 2020.

4. Or reread a great piece of journalism.

This piece on earthworms is sure to give you a squirm.

5. Hold a movie night, with matching food or drinks.

Christian Paz from our Politics team was inspired by a TikTok challenge:

Make one dish or drink for each movie in a series. For instance, try a Harry Potter weekend where you make a “unicorn blood” cocktail (tequila, lemon juice, and St-Germain) for the Sorcerer’s Stone, a gin-based Polyjuice Potion for Chamber of Secrets, and so on. This weekend, I’m trying my hand at a High School Musical marathon with hot dogs and chili cheese fries, and a spiked fruit punch on the side.

6. Make something (anything) with your hands.

Katie Martin, an art director whose work you’ve probably seen on our stories, has a suggestion:

When the weather was warmer, I fashioned zoo animals out of old boxes with my 3- and 5-year-old neighbors. Paper-towel tubes became giraffe necks; construction-paper scraps became ears, noses, and tails; old boxes became vibrant habitats. Nothing disconnects you from the chaos of the world like cutting cardboard and bending pipe cleaner.

Here are eight other ways to stay creative at home.

7. Turn to the philosophers.

Are you a Stoic or an Epicurean? There are two kinds of happy people, our happiness columnist, Arthur C. Brooks, argues—and both map onto ancient tradition.

8. Or contemplate some poetry.

Our writers and editors curated this list of nine timely works worth reading.

9. Throw a solo dance party.

The champagne has long gone flat, but our New Year’s Eve playlist is as crisp and bubbly as ever. (Find the Spotify version.)

Back then, we asked you to share what song you were kicking off 2021 with. Here’s a playlist of reader picks.

10. Hone your crossword skills.

Learn to speak “crosswordese.” Our crossword editor, Caleb Madison, offers nine solving tips to get you finishing puzzles faster.

We publish mini ones every weekday, and a bigger puzzle on Sundays. Did you know you can even solve virtually with a loved one? Just use the “Play Together” button (to the right of the timer) to add a pal from afar.