April 7, 2020
It has only been 2 weeks since Governor Whitmer placed a ‘Shelter in place’ order for all of Michigan and many of us are beginning to feel a little stir crazy! ‘Cabin Fever’ comes to mind accompanied with boredom, sleepiness, restlessness, and perhaps a little irritability too! While it is important to take this time and focus on the things that keep us mentally well, I will admit that I find myself with more hours of the day then I know what to do with. It can help to know that billions of others globally are also self isolating to prevent the spread of the Coronavirus. Somehow knowing we are in this together has a more calming and reassuring effect.
For starters keeping a routine is really important. It won’t look the same prior to coronavirus, but a consistent routine can help with some of the uneasiness around this unpredictable time. I have also found staying connected virtually with friends and family has replaced the loneliness social distancing can bring. So doing all the right things for you are important. But what about the rest of the time? Here are 10 things you can do at home to kill boredom!
1. BOARD GAMES: engage in a friendly game with your family. Or if you are on your own, invite some friends to play charades over zoom. This is sure to bring on a few good laughs!
2. KARAOKE: Nothing brings out belly laughs or nostalgic feelings like Karaoke! Make your playlist, grab the mic (or pretend to hold a mic) and sing your heart out to all your favorites! Here are the best Karaoke apps for your smart tv.
3. JUST DANCE: “Unleash your Inner Dancer” with the Just Dance app, you can compete with other dancers online, or with those you are at home with! Currently Just Dance is FREE and available across several devices.
4. SEW A FACE MASK. The CDC recommends for everyone to wear a face covering while in public. Bring out that basket of material scraps and dust off the sewing machine. Here is a simple pattern shared by the Washington Post: DIY mask pattern. Make one for the whole family, or for those that are elderly close to you.
5. BUILD YOUR DREAM HOME OUT OF CARDBOARD. During an instagram scroll I came across a challenge that is fun for the whole family. @houseinhabit is hosting a challenge all month long to build your dream home out of cardboard and to post where your dream home is located. As a Realtor, I find this one especially exciting, as it stimulates the detail thinking it would require for me to help you find that dream home.
@houseinhabit
6. PUZZLE. Jigsaw puzzles are a great way to fill in time. Not only do they take time to do, but puzzles are good for improving short-term memory, reinforces existing connections between brain cells and improves mental speed and thought processes. For these reasons alone, solving puzzles are great to adopt for any time.
7. THEME DAYS/NIGHTS WITH THE FAMILY. Now that most kids have shifted to home learning, you can make it even more fun by adding a theme to your day. Crazy hair day, superhero day, Mexican fiesta night, you get the picture. Pick a theme and have some fun dressing up, making dinner and maybe even having a theme movie night.
8. CLEANING AND DECLUTTERING. Pick a room, closet or area of your home that you have been wanting to transform but lacked the time prior to coronavirus self isolation. Get inspired on Pinterest and make that project happen!
9. PLANT A GARDEN. One thing we can be sure of is that the seasons will not cease to change. Plan out a vegetable or flower garden and start planting. Watch your garden bud in the coming weeks.
10. WATCH A TED TALK, AND THEN HAVE A FAMILY DISCUSSION ABOUT IT. There is nothing like a good TED TALK to spark conversation. You can find a TED TALK about almost anything that interests you. And it may even surprise you what the people closest to you have to say.
Remember to connect (virtually) with family and friends and invite them to join in on the fun. The key here is to create moments that will help you look at this time in a positive light.
Photo by Randy Fath on Unsplash